UBIQUITOUS RACISM

Elizabeth Savage's focus paper, entitled The Preservation of Segregation: The Philosophical Necessity of White Academies in Mississippi, outlines the state of Mississippi's past efforts to resist desegregation mandates and discusses the persistence of segregated schools in Mississippi as a result of de facto segregation and the function of private, all-white academies. The paper caused me to once again think about my present view on race relations in Mississippi and about de facto segregation.

I grew up in Jackson, a city of approximately 180,000 people where more than 70% of the population are African American and where many of the elected officials are black. My schools were racially mixed when I and my older sister attended them, but now, Jackson Public Schools has somewhere around a 97% Black enrollment. I completely acknowledge that there is a high instance of segregation in the schools here in Mississippi. My question is why people speak as if this is a concept that is peculiar to Mississippi? The "white flight" phenomenon is not a Mississippi issue; it's a national issue. There are plenty examples of it in cities from East to West and South to North where there are an appreciable number of minority students in the school districts. Perhaps people talk about the segregation of Mississippi schools as if segregation doesn't occur elsewhere because, as the focus paper points out, the percentage of black students attending segregated schools in Mississippi is so high. But maybe that's because of all the states, Mississippi has the largest percentage of black people. In other words, my guess is that the prevelance of segregated schools in Mississippi is because there are so many districts in Mississippi where the number of black students is significant enough to trigger "white flight" to the suburbs or private academies. I would be curious to look at research regarding the demographics of schools nationwide having minority populations above 50%. My guess is that white flight and segregation is an issue in many of those schools, regardless of where they're located.

One sentence that stuck out to me in the focus paper stated: "Mississippi has come a long way, but racially, it remains the least progressive state in the union." Perhaps I am a bit defensive of the state in which I was born, raised, and spent all but four years of my life, but I have plenty of thoughts about this statement based on my experiences in Mississippi and elsewhere. While it may be hard for many people to believe, Mississippi has many great attributes that keep me coming back home. However, there are also things that I don't like about it. It is a given that there are some people in Mississippi who are racist and who do not want to--nor do they-- socialize with people of other races. It is a given that there are towns that are extremely segregated and where black people and white people hardly ever see each other. It is also true that many public schools across the state are racially identifiable. However, my experience does not support the conclusion that Mississippi is so far behind in race relations. I think the entire country is racially divisive, but that it just shows up in different ways in different regions.

People think I am being dishonest when I tell them that I experienced more racism in the three years I lived in the Boston area than I did my whole life in Mississippi. However, that is simply the truth. Many of my friends from the South have had the same experience. We have discussed why we think that is. We know that racism is definitely still alive and well here, but we found the racial environment here more "harmonious" than other places we have been outside of the South. Why? I think in Mississippi, many people that don't want to socialize with other races just don't do it and don't feel guilty about it. I don't have a problem with that. If a person-- because of prejudice or whatever else it may be-- does not feel comfortable in my presence, guess what? Just don't be in my presence. Makes life easier for the both of us. However, my experience in Boston was that some people who either consciously or subconsciously harbored racial prejudices attempted to mask those prejudices (perhaps due to social pressure), but were highly unsuccessful. Despite their best efforts, it showed through their interactions. These forced interactions were no more palatable to me than the "avoidance of the other race" that occurs here in Mississippi. (In fact, I prefer to know where a person stands than to have to guess or find out in some uncomfortable way.)

I also think the structure of a city like Boston is such that people are forced to be in each other's space even when they don't want to, therefore leading to uncomfortable incidents. For example, I remember getting on a train in downtown Boston and having to stand next to a man with numerous swastikas (large and in color) tattooed all over his body, including on his neck. I would love to have been spared that experience.

What is my point in all this? My point is to say that those who stand on the outside looking in who constantly criticize Mississippi for its race relations should definitely continue to challenge the ignorance that breeds racism and prejudice, but don't make the mistake of concluding that Mississippi is the only place that has racial issues. Don't be lulled into believing other places across the country are so many eons ahead of Mississippi. Racism is everywhere; it just manifests itself in different ways.

Regarding public education, I'd prefer to not focus on the fact that many public schools are all or predominately black due to white flight to academies or the suburbs. We are all free to make our own decisions, even if those decisions are based on racism and prejudice. If the results of racism and prejudice are de facto segregated schools, so be it. Let's focus on making sure that the little black kids left in the public schools are getting the best education they can get. We need to stop feeding their minds with the idea that there is something wrong the schools because no white kids are there, or that they can't get a good education because no white kids are there. (Note also that not all white students leave public schools because of racism. Sometimes it's just a matter of choosing the better school.)