"The Fourth Of July"
The Fourth of July
In the late 1940's a thirteen year old girl name Audre went with her family to Washington, D.C. Audre was about to graduate from the eighth grade, while her sister Phyllis was graduating high school. Audres' family was black; and in the 1940s racism was still a huge issue. Phyllis was not allowed to go on her senior trip to D.C., because the people at the hotel would not "accept" her staying there. Therefore Phyllis an Audres parents made a deal to take them to Washington D.C. as graduation presents. Audre and her family were so ecstatic to go to Washington D.C, for the Fourth of July. Audre and her family reached their hotel and than went out to explore the city. They decided to stop for ice cream at a parlor. They walked in to the parlor, took a seat, and then were approached by a white woman who worked there. She hung her head low, and embarrassingly told them they had to leave. Audres family walked out as if nothing had happened; Audre was bewildered that they would take that kind of disrespect.
I feel as if I can somewhat relate to the author Audre Lorde. Although I have never personally experienced racism, I have seen others experience it. In America, the Fourth of July represents freedom. It was the day the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. Audres family could not even sit down for ice cream with out being kicked out, because of their color. Audre encourages us to not sit back and accept what we know is wrong. In America we were given rights, but some sit back quietly. In her essay she is the only one who sticks up for what is wrong. I strongly agree with Audre, that people should not sit back and let people do degrading things to them because of their color. The Fourth of July represents the day of independence; racism should not have been a problem in the past and it should not be today either.
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