Reaction to Civil Rights Primary Source Class Discussion

Growing up in the 1970s, I never had any idea what African American people were still going through, long after slavery ended, well into the 20th Century (and even now). I had no idea how much discrimination there was back then. Looking back now at segregation, and seeing how much hatred was focused on black people by white people makes me feel so sad. That photo of the young girl trying to walk to high school, while a white girl yelled at her, her face a twisted mask of hate, really does freeze-frame that exact moment in history. I am glad to hear that the white woman saw the error of her ways, and apologized. But, I wonder why racism is still such a big problem in this country. I know we have come a long way, and I am grateful, but we still have a long way to go, for sure. Not just in terms of white/black racism, but in terms of all races' views of each other. As we discussed in class, race really is an illusion. I like what Dr. Hamilton said in my Theologies of Liberation class last year: "There is only one race, the human race." Amen to that!