Wow, I loved this book. It was very thought provoking. I grew up in Arkansas in the 70s and some of those stereotypes still existed then.
My grandfather was born and raised in Mississippi and I remember him taking me to my school's open house. My parents took my sister to hers because she went to a different school. So, my grandparents took me to mine. I was SO excited to have them meet my new friend Mimi. She and I were thick as thieves and I was so excited to introduce her to my grammy and grampy.
Mimi comes up, and I get so excited. I introduce her to my grandparents and they immediately grab my arm and tell me we're going home. I was so sad and didn't understand what had made them so angry. All the way home, they told me I was to never play with her again, and if I did, they would whip me hard. I went into my house crying and so sad. After much coercion from my parents, I told them the story. My parents were livid, not at me, at my grandpa.
I remember my daddy and grandpa getting a huge fight and my daddy telling him that he didn't give a darn if Mimi was black. She was my friend and made me happy and that's all that mattered to him. The last thing my daddy said to my grandpa that night was that he isn't raising bigots and racists and his kids will be friends with who they want.
I was so proud of my daddy that night, and got a big lesson in racism.
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