No one is born a Racist.
We moved to SF in 1968. All white neighborhood. We are the first Black family on the street. I left all family and friends behind in Indianapolis. I was 9 years old. A redhead freckled white guy saw us moving into a house across the street from a fire station. He spoke to me and said “Hi, my name is Reily, whats your name?”
We struck up a friendship. He came to my house everyday for about two weeks. Mom fed him lunch, we played in my house, and in the back yard; our house had no furniture (moving van was 30 days late)
My parents friends were white Indianapolis musicians, who relocated to San Fran, and encouraged my Parents to do the same. They found the house for us and never told the landlord that their friend was Black.
One day Reily didn’t come to my house. Then another two days went by, no Reily.
He lived on my street, about 10 houses away, so I went to see what happened to my friend. As soon as I turned to walk up the driveway, his Father stretched out arm, making a stop sign with his hand and said “STOP!” I stopped and stood on the sidewalk, which was not his property. He then called Reily to come to him from inside the house.
Reily walked to the edge of the garage door, and said the following: “I can’t play with you anymore because your a nigger.”
I was dumbfounded. I said nothing and walked home. I never played with Reily again. I told my parents. I was sad for a long time. I got over it, because kids are resilient.
Forward 5 years. We moved about 8 blocks away. I became a paperboy for the San Francisco Progress. Age 14.
I had 44 customers, and Reily parent’s were one of my customers! Reilys’ Father discovered that I was their paperboy and promptly cancelled his subscription.
Hate is taught by adults and learned by their children.