The first thing I heard this morning was my mom yelling. “Get up! Get up! It’s time for school!”
As I rubbed my eyes, I got out of bed. I walked sleepily to my dresser and chose one of the few pieces of clothing I had and got dressed. As I looked around the room, I found out that Jenny, my older sister had already left for school. The clock on the wall said that it was already eight in the morning. Running quickly down the stairs, I grabbed my stuff and was out the door. I was going to be late.
My friend, Lisa waited for me at the end of the street. “ROSE!” She yelled.
I quickly ran over to her. We walked to school together. “Ahh-” she sighed. “Today’s the day. February 4th, in the year 1960. The day where we are going to sit at the lunch …show more content…
I passed by Woolworth’s, and saw Lisa sitting at the counter, waiting to be served. Lisa, as if sensing my presence, looked behind her and saw me peering through the glass. She beckoned me inside. I acted as if I couldn’t see her, and continued on my way.
I hadn’t really taken notice as to how many people were actually doing the sit-ins. Now that I looked closely, I could see that every restaurant was packed with blacks sitting at counters, and every empty table they could find. I heard snippets of conversation,
“Do you think...”
“Serving us?...not possible” I even heard the hateful, outrageous yells of the KKK, taunting them, and humiliating them.
I forgot about my growling stomach, and decided that I had to get out of here as soon as possible. I ran all the way home.
As soon as I arrived, my mother asked, “Why are you early today?”
I replied, panting, saying that “I ran home.” I left the room, hearing my mother’s calls in the background.
As I walked into the room where I slept, I climbed onto the mattress and replayed the scene I saw downtown.
I saw myself walking down the asphalt road. I saw the buildings with the signs ‘WHITE ONLY!’ I heard the voices of the KKK. Their voices were like nails on a chalkboard. I saw myself walking away from Lisa, and I realized that I was the one who was in the middle of it …show more content…
I realized that if I wanted racism to end, I would have to take a stand. I felt a boiling rage come upon me.
I thought to myself, I, as one person, may not make much of a difference, but I will do all I can to end this unfairness.
I felt a cooling calmness overcome me, and sighed deeply.
The next day, I walked into Woolworth’s with Lisa. We arrived at around 2:30 p.m. There were around 50 people participating in the sit-ins at Woolworth’s.
I knew what could happen to me once I stepped into the restaurant.
I thought, I could get beaten; I could get hurt, but I was no longer afraid.
I sat down at the counter and asked the cashier, “Ma’am, may I be served?”
She replied simply, saying “No. We don’t serve your kind here. Would you please leave?”
I answered with silence. In the background, I heard swearing and yelling. I put my head on the counter and stared at the design on the floor.
The door opened, and I looked up, seeing hundreds of people swarm in. They were all looking for a seat. And then, the somewhat uncrowded lunch counter, was now packed, almost bursting We stayed until the store closed. I could tell that I would have bruises all over my body. But, I didn’t care. I limped home with a smirk on my
As I rubbed my eyes, I got out of bed. I walked sleepily to my dresser and chose one of the few pieces of clothing I had and got dressed. As I looked around the room, I found out that Jenny, my older sister had already left for school. The clock on the wall said that it was already eight in the morning. Running quickly down the stairs, I grabbed my stuff and was out the door. I was going to be late.
My friend, Lisa waited for me at the end of the street. “ROSE!” She yelled.
I quickly ran over to her. We walked to school together. “Ahh-” she sighed. “Today’s the day. February 4th, in the year 1960. The day where we are going to sit at the lunch …show more content…
I passed by Woolworth’s, and saw Lisa sitting at the counter, waiting to be served. Lisa, as if sensing my presence, looked behind her and saw me peering through the glass. She beckoned me inside. I acted as if I couldn’t see her, and continued on my way.
I hadn’t really taken notice as to how many people were actually doing the sit-ins. Now that I looked closely, I could see that every restaurant was packed with blacks sitting at counters, and every empty table they could find. I heard snippets of conversation,
“Do you think...”
“Serving us?...not possible” I even heard the hateful, outrageous yells of the KKK, taunting them, and humiliating them.
I forgot about my growling stomach, and decided that I had to get out of here as soon as possible. I ran all the way home.
As soon as I arrived, my mother asked, “Why are you early today?”
I replied, panting, saying that “I ran home.” I left the room, hearing my mother’s calls in the background.
As I walked into the room where I slept, I climbed onto the mattress and replayed the scene I saw downtown.
I saw myself walking down the asphalt road. I saw the buildings with the signs ‘WHITE ONLY!’ I heard the voices of the KKK. Their voices were like nails on a chalkboard. I saw myself walking away from Lisa, and I realized that I was the one who was in the middle of it …show more content…
I realized that if I wanted racism to end, I would have to take a stand. I felt a boiling rage come upon me.
I thought to myself, I, as one person, may not make much of a difference, but I will do all I can to end this unfairness.
I felt a cooling calmness overcome me, and sighed deeply.
The next day, I walked into Woolworth’s with Lisa. We arrived at around 2:30 p.m. There were around 50 people participating in the sit-ins at Woolworth’s.
I knew what could happen to me once I stepped into the restaurant.
I thought, I could get beaten; I could get hurt, but I was no longer afraid.
I sat down at the counter and asked the cashier, “Ma’am, may I be served?”
She replied simply, saying “No. We don’t serve your kind here. Would you please leave?”
I answered with silence. In the background, I heard swearing and yelling. I put my head on the counter and stared at the design on the floor.
The door opened, and I looked up, seeing hundreds of people swarm in. They were all looking for a seat. And then, the somewhat uncrowded lunch counter, was now packed, almost bursting We stayed until the store closed. I could tell that I would have bruises all over my body. But, I didn’t care. I limped home with a smirk on my