Here is the link to the full video –
She was filmed in 1989 as part of a television series that I was making asking baby boomers to reflect back on their upbringings in the 1950s and 1960s. We selected about 200 people to interview at length from thousands and she was selected because she was such a thoughtful and kind person with an understanding, and some sympathy, for those segregationists in her family who she described as having intense fear – a fear of losing control.
All of my career of interviewing thousands of people, I never found anyone as blunt and direct describing what was her people feared so much. As she described it, her family and the South feared any change in the status quo. There were politicians – local, state and national politicians, who publicly stated these fears and fueled the flames.
She makes a statement in this interview which is much debated in the comments. that good people can be racist. She describes people who heard conspiracy theories from the Reconstruction time after the Civil War, people who saw the murder of Emmett Till as “fake news”. The concept of integration, of equality and fairness and civil rights was an anathema to her people. It all frightened and they were convinced that they could stop it and return to things as they had been.
I’m sure she would not say today exactly what she said back then with all that has changed and all that has been revealed about those times and her people. I respect her courage for expressing to us what she had witnessed and experienced in the relatives in her own family and those who lived in her town including those who fueled the flames of fear and the racism that came as a result.
if you search the word “segregation” on my YouTube channel you will find more comments from others with different points of view.
Although I have not shared her name (she has not given me her permission) I want to thank her for sharing her thoughts and feelings with me.
If you found this interview of interest, please support my efforts by clicking the super thanks button below the video screen. That support allows me to continue posting clips from my archives.
Thank you
David Hoffman filmmaker
Another Southerner expresses an opinion from the time.
https://youtu.be/FuyWEpeNfew
Yeah u would think any average adult would KNOW BETTER than to throw rocks at an innocent girl just trying to get an education AT SCHOOL but nah that really happened & i knew better & that was some evil bs in 7th grade when I learned about it!! At 11 i knew better!!
Black people are even more racist in my opinion 😒
These people should really just explore more. Theyre stuck in their little bubble made by their fascist activists and presidents decades ago and they dont want to leave. They want to remain in a life of ignorance and hate because it was all they were taught and grew comfortable with.
I am a gay black male in his 30s and I honestly pity these people because theyre really missing out on what other cultures have to offer. Its not a one race world, yet they truly believe it is.
Racism in whites comes from pattern recognition. I’m white. I don’t hate black people. I’ve welcomed many black and Mexican kids in my house as friends of my kids but there’s no way in hell I’d let my white kids go hang with the blacks in their neighborhood. If you’re a white father or mother and would knowingly let your kids hang with the blacks in their neighborhood then you care more about how people view you than you care about the saftey and well being of your white children.
Well.. there won't be any racists in God's heaven… So bath in your hate. Fool.
This day and age, being a racist keeps you safe!
My parents were somewhat racist although they would have never admitted that. I saw that clearly and never followed their example.
Not just the South. White people all over the country will vote for racism. That's how we ended up.with Trump.
cuz they have to live with fatiguers? Pretty simple reason actually.
Please do not compare white southerners with the rest of whites. Im white and iver never met a white racist, im from the north. The only racists ive come across are mostly blacks and mexicans. It is the way it is. Pattern recognition is not being a racist, it is survival. Im wondering if she can speak to the undue amount of violent crimes perpetrated on white people by blacks? Towards whites who are not racists???
I'm not sorry for saying this! Being racist will keep a white person alive! In my city if you believe black people are not the problem and you feel free to walk down the street in the day or at night and you don't keep your eyes open and you don't stay as far away from black people as you can then you probably will be seen on the news as another person robbed or killed or both, being racist will save your life, if you don't believe me watch some of these black YouTubers on here talking about how violent their own kind is , they are even saying it,
They new what to do. They know right from wrong. They stuck with it because of financial reasons, hatred, race hste traditions, and losing power and control. Trump is bringing it back. However, if you are not one of his financial donors or ultrs rich, just being white isn't enough. Ibwas in the super market the other day and this white woman had to put some of her groceries bavk because she did not have enough tonpsy for them. Trump could care less about his MAGA people. She was one of them.
stupid is, as stupid does, as stupid was
Her lips are moving but she isn't saying anything. She's just calling others racist without evidence or proof.
Don’t you know that you all come from Africa, please teach your children about evolution
I moved to western South Carolina about three years ago. Before that, I lived in the Shenandoah Valley (Virginia) for 15 years, and Arlington, Virginia (right outside Washington, DC) for 30 years before that.
I have no doubt that pockets exist everywhere, but the only place I actually encountered it was the DC area. (Of course, I am a White boy… but I did definitely see and hear things in the DC area – often from Blacks – that were overtly racist.)
So, define "the South."
What is this lady going on about. The average sothern person has open arms to anyone that is sociable. Race is not a factor, we played in school together as best friends for over a decade and still shake hands, hug and ask how each others familes are doing when we meet.
Black children were taught to beware of white people
People that go around calling others racist just because of the color of their skin, or where they live. Are to dumb to be talking. And the believe every the in the democrats say. How stupid is that. I just wonder what she calls all of the northerners that hated Jackie Roberson, you know the first black man to play MLB. Back when there were NO MLB teams in the south. Not one. What would say to the fact. The largest KKK group was in Detroit, Michigan. That is fact lady.
I lived in the South. None of these people believe the wild lies they say about Black people. You call em out, theyll say "yeah, I do know better. I do know that isn't true."
It's an evil thing that is punishable by God. It's a sin to hate or treat others poorly because of their race.
Ignorance is when you don't know any better. Prejudice is when you choose to be ignorant.
iggnorance roooted in the fear of having what one done to another, done to them. Crazy when you say it out loud huh?
The most racism I’ve seen in the USA isn’t in the south. It’s places like Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Baltimore, Boston and the most racist state in the union is Wisconsin.
It's not about racism, it's about culture, white people have their own culture as blacks have theirs.
Grew up in a liberal Northern blue state for 50 years now live in the red south sorry the south is way less racist than the blue northern states
In a race war, which side are you going to be safe among?
We're all racists.
because they still broke
Not true
Black people hate white people
NO – U were The Master Race .The Mighty Hunters – planet of the Apes .
Poor whites in the south had nothing but their perceived power and value over black people. They aren’t letting that go.
Is it racism or jealousy?
What will happen to these people when the truth hits them especially the christians that have the bible and overlooked what it says to follow tradition they will have no excuse I never knew you
We were poor whites and were always treated well by those of color❤
I think she's right!
They will die on the vine! It's not funny, but sad!
racism is the false notion that you are better than someone else, and institutionalizing a system that insures your belief is never challenged.
To hate someone for absolutely nothing is f**** mind-blowing
she knows along with many whites in this country how wrong and hateful they have been
their heads were filled with all kinds of lies about black Americans by a hateful and evil media and they believed it and lived it because they're stupid.
All of this is crap. Where did they find this woman?
Well: She’s not from Atlanta. She’s not from Charlotte. She’s not from Baltimore. She’s not from New Orleans.
Hate is a choice one makes. My father is deeply racist, but I absolutely abhor that behaviour and it's definitely made me look at him and others like him with disgust. It can come from people you love. It can come from people you trust. It can come from PEOPLE YOU THOUGHT YOU KNEW. Hate. Is. A. Choice.
And it's one you don't have to make.
ALL ALL ALL THESE COMMENTS ARE JUST OPINIONS….WITHOUT KNOWING WHO'S
(COLOR IN THIS CASE) COMMENTING 😂
Guilt from looking the other way.
…and we all reap what we sow.