Laura Haney,
Fordland, MO
Growing up in rural MO there were no black people. I never heard a racist remark growing up, I never heard anything on the subject, period, not at home and certainly not at school. When I was a kid, (I’m 53 now) there was a black family that lived in town, briefly, Grandpa had them out to our farm, the two old men visited and I played with the kids. At the time I didn’t know how huge that was, I didn’t know that the rest of the community frowned on us, I didn’t know I was doing anything more than just playing with some kids. I remained just that naive throughout most of my life, only in the last few years have I begun to pay attention, to educate myself. Since George Floyd’s murder I have actively sought knowledge and understanding, I am learning.
