Black. White.

I’ve been watching Black. White. on TV where through Hollywood makeup wizardry two families - one black, one white - swap skin colors to experience life on the other side of the racial divide for six weeks.

I’m not sure either family represents their race entirely (or that any one family could for that matter). But I love the behind the scenes dialog that explains what each race is seeing/thinking.

It was quite interesting that they were able to show a reverse racism when the white woman, her husband dressed as a black man and another black woman went into a black neighborhood. The blacks in the local park were drumming, playing dominos, hanging out. All the three from the show did was walk around, look at wares from the local vendors and yet they were stared down in an evil way that was perceptible to everyone on both sides of the camera. The drumming seemed to intensify as they attempted to make conversation until the three of them were so uncomfortable and fearful for their safety that they left.

The black woman (a neighborhood activist with her finger on the pulse of the community) explained to the couple that the community was pissed about the “apparently” black man bringing his white woman into the neighborhood and that they saw it as a sign of disrespect.

I keep watching each week and wondering over and over if I can only see this show thru my white experiences. Am I unable to see the black perspective due to my skin color? I find myself watching the real world for what the black couple on the show see as racism, and let me tell you, they see it everywhere.

Little princess will attend a brand new middle school this fall. It’s not even finished yet but they are putting together the infrastructure already. I received a notice that we would begin putting together the PTA for this yet to open school during a meeting last night. I assumed the letter went to everyone in the neighborhood expected to have children attending the new school. I thought maybe 200 or so people might show up since the school will enroll approx. 800-1,200. I mean we didn’t have much more information than the new school’s name and parents in my neighborhood like to know stuff. So I thought people would turn out for the PTA building meeting if for nothing else than to meet the staff and pump them for information. (That’s why I was there.)

I walked in to find maybe 35 people (5 of whom were staff for the new school) sitting at tables and chairs in the cafeteria. The first 3 tables were full-of mostly white people with a couple of Hispanics, The fourth table was the same racial make up but it had 2 open seats and was the closest to where I entered the room, so little princess and I sat down.

I began to look around and noticed people sitting at two other tables (tables 5 and 6) across from tables 1-4. These tables had mostly blacks and a couple of Hispanics. As a few more people arrived they either squeezed in at tables 1-4 (which technically had no more empty spaces) or if they were black they immediately went to tables 5 and 6.

I was so distracted by this division of races that I missed some of the new principal’s information that I had specifically come for.

How did this happen? I didn’t consciously make the decision to not sit with the blacks. Many of the women seemed to be sitting in groups of friends, atleast that was the impression I got from the white women. They seemed to know one another and they chatted freely with each other.

Was it the friendship factor that caused the separation of races at the tables? Does this separation of races happen all the time at other functions and I just never noticed?

I know the black family from the show would have pointed and announced yet again, racism was under our noses and we (white people) refused to see it. Yet, no one told the black people to sit apart. Why didn’t they take the last 2 seats at table 4 before I arrived? They were the closest seats. Did anyone else see the division that I saw? Or was it so natural for everyone that it went unnoticed?