Reply #25: In 1980 [View All]

My first hubby and I were living in Mobile. His ship was in the yards. Three of his shipmates - one black, other two white, rented a house together. They had a cross burned on their lawn. And were told point blank, "we don't mix around here."

That same shipmate - (this was before the cross burning) - brought one of the local girls he'd met over to our apartment. She had a look of pure horror on her face when we opened the door. She hardly spoke to us. Hardly looked at us. Sat nervously on the edge of the couch. Refused to eat or drink anything. It was very uncomfortable. They left pretty quickly.

He told us the next day, that as they were driving over to our apartment - she became really nervous and agitated. "Where are you taking me?"

"I told you, we're going over to XX & XX apartment. He's from the ship."

"Why do they live over here?"

"Over here?"

"In this part of town, you know."

"I - uh - I guess they just could get an apartment here . . . "

anyways - after they left - he asked her basically "WTF was your problem????!?!?!?!"

To which she replied. Why did you take me to those 'white folks' house? Was that some kind of joke? What is wrong with you? We'd better get out of this part of town - it's after dark and we shouldn't be here! etc etc etc. (granted this was 20 someodd years ago - but that's the gist of it.)

She was TERRIFIED that he'd brought her to the "white part of town". That he was "hanging out" with white people. Maybe we were just trying to set him/her? up for a little southern redneck fun or something?!?!

It was surreal. I couldn't believe it was still THAT bad - and I'd grown up in the South. Mobile was one severely racist city.