We celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday on Monday. Dr. King’s powerful speeches laid bare the ugliness of racial discrimination and led him to become a leader in the Civil Rights movement. I first learned about racial discrimination in 5th grade from my favorite teacher. Mrs. Scott endeared herself to the class and me with her vast knowledge and discerning compassion. One such example of her compassion and understanding was regarding a mistake I had made. I was crying and she gently said, “Don’t use up all your tears crying for that [mistake]. There will be other times you’ll need your tears and you want to be sure you have enough.” This made a lot of sense to a little 5th grader and I quickly dried my tears. Today I smile remembering her words knowing that some things aren’t worth crying or worrying about.
The most significant contribution she made in my life did not come from school books. It came from a story she told one afternoon. This story left an indelible impression on my mind which continues to this day. She said she was raised in Alabama and lived a life with many restrictions. She wasn’t allowed to walk down certain streets and couldn’t go into certain stores or restaurants. In the park signs stipulated certain water fountains were off limits and other signs specified public restrooms were forbidden for people like her. Signs directed her every move. Signs in the parks, signs in store fronts and signs on the streets all indicated she and her family were second-class citizens. As you’ve guessed, my favorite teacher, Mrs. Scott, was black. Up until this moment I had never imagined the color of her skin would provoke such disrespect. It didn’t make any sense. Mrs. Scott was the most honorable person I knew and how could anybody treat her differently just because of her skin color? I was angry, even outraged! This was my introduction to racial discrimination. I determined right then and there I would always stand up against racial prejudice.