Touched by Desegregation

My mother was the ultimate pragmatist. In 1963 she bought a small house in a good neighborhood in Dearborn Heights, MI. We moved-in right down the street from her younger brother and his family who had lived down the street from us in Detroit as well. I would later learn the depth of my Aunt's disdain for us. She saw my mother and us as a burden that she wanted no part of. But, I digress.

I started elementary school and felt out-of-place from the start. The other kids had socks that matched their outfits and fancy shoes. We were poor. I had little. Lucky for me our country was on the brink of a social revolution and soon enough my blue jeans, tee-shirts and flip-flops were the style. 

Apparently I showed an early talent for speaking in front of a crowd. From about 3rd grade on I was the designated announcer at our elementary school plays and concerts. I wanted to sing, but they said they needed me to announce. It was mostly because my mother was blind and they figured she would be able to hear my voice if it were solo. She didn't much care though. Getting her to attend a concert was difficult at best. I think she had a great social anxiety and perhaps it was connected to her blindness. I don't know.

In fourth grade we were "bused" to another elementary school within the district. It had something to do with the Roe vs. Wade issue; Racism and The Civil Rights Movement. It confused me a lot because there were ONLY white people in the new city that we had moved to. What did our being bused down the street have to do with desegregation? I suppose the district needed to be in compliance and so we went.

The next year we were back at our home campus where it was close enough to walk. I only have glimpses of memory from 5th and 6th grade. I had an intense desire to learn to play an instrument. Mom said we couldn't afford it. Another great desire of mine was to be in the Girl Scouts which was also met with mother's denial due to finances. She raised us on about $400. per month from my father's social security check. She could have gotten government assistance, but she refused saying it was "for people who really needed it." She had an Appalachian dignity and pride that would not allow her to confess that we could have easily and legally had a little bit more in life. She was true to her convictions and stubborn as heck. We went without.