Good Sunday evening, everyone.
I enjoyed watching "Summer of Soul" on Hulu I have watched it on repeat.
There are some memorable moments in the documentary; the title of my story came from Marilyn McCool from Fifth Dimension. She was talking about a comment from a record executive, stating the group "sounded white". She also asked a question reflecting that experience.
How do you "color" a sound?
I have had people ask me why do I "talk white".
I despised being asked that, especially from a substitute teacher and some family members; it requires me to respond with grace.
I guess some people expected me to speak some form of street vernacular. That might be a diary I wrote at a later time.
Here's my go-to response; "I don't talk "white"; I speak grammatically correct King James English."
Why did the teacher feel the need to address what I said in anger?
Why did she need the apology for an "innocuous" question?
What she did reminded me of why progress is stalled in race relations; she didn't bother to check how she really sounded.
She didn't see how racist and ridiculous that question she asked me during school hours and in front of other students.
That teacher didn't lose her teacher's licence nor lost any teaching assignment. She was protected by the teacher's union.
I'm pretty sure I am not the only person who hears that he/she "talks white".
I'm also sure that is the most exhausting thing said to them.
So I'll ask the title question again;
How do you "color" a sound?
Thank you for reading!