D.C. Archives - The Race Card Project

Grandfather’s poker gift a hanging invitation

March 17, 2022March 17, 2022 Carol Zachary, D.C., Gift, grandfather, hanging, invitation, montanta, Morning Edition, NPR, poker, Washington

Carol Zachary,
Washington, D.C.–and Montana.

Somehow I kept blocking on three things: A) the six words. . . grandfather, poker, three hangings, an invitation lost for almost 60 years, and my changed perceptions;
B ) the fact that I’ve felt I should know exactly what evidence was presented against the men who were hanged; and C) the lingering question–did my grandfather’s actions help direct me toward family history, or did he see something in me that told him I would cherish his “gift” and do something with it, or was it just the only unique thing he could give a grandchild for winning at nine-card stud. When I finally realized I needn’t answer “B” and “C,” at least not for your project, then I got to “A.”

Listen to Carol Zachary’s story on NPR’s Morning Edition.

Usually I’m ashamed to be white

September 1, 2021September 1, 2021 1949, African American, ashamed, Cool Valley, D.C., Dr. King, grandbabies, grandfather, history, Latino, MLK, MO, Oriental, school, Thomas Williamson, white

Thomas Williamson,
Cool Valley, MO

Born the end of 1949, traveled throughout the country, changed schools every year, in D.C. when Dr. King was killed, experienced racism from both sides, married to oriental & 2 sisters, had to teach my black grand babies about the Tuskegee Airmen, missed a lot of African-American, Oriental & Latino history in schools.

Only Famous Biracial People Get Acceptance

June 5, 2020June 5, 2020 D.C., Liz Good, Washington

Liz Good,
Washington, D.C.

I am biracial (black/white) and I think that the only time that a biracial person is automatically embraced by black Americans is if that person is scoring them “accomplishment points” in the public eye, but that ordinary biracial people are mostly just despised by their black side due to expressing too many white genes.

Biracial people should not be used to improve black people’s image, while ordinary biracial people are simultaneously rejected as a member of their group.

Instead, as Biracial people we should just have our own label or no label at all, but no one group should be allowed to just claim us either unless that group fully adopts us their own -which will never happen- because we are not fully one or the other.

He has to be selling drugs.

March 21, 2017 8th grade, Aspen X, birthday, D.C., drugs, sell drugs, stereotype, USA, Washington

When I was in the eighth grade my science teacher pulled me to the side after class and asked was I selling drugs. She asked me that question because I had over one hundred and fifty dollars but it was my birthday. I got offended because she seen I was black and the only reason I could have that amount of money is if I was selling drugs. She later apologized after I informed her it was my birthday. In conclusion that is the story behind my race card.

First time I was called, “Sistah

April 2, 2013 chocolate city, D.C., Lissette Miller, sista, Washington

Lissette Miller
Washington, DC

I’m an Afro-Latina living in DC, and it wasn’t until I moved here that I felt moved to fully embrace my African roots. I grew up in Miami, where beneath the layers of Spanish-speaking Latino one-ness lies a denial of blackness so fully engrained, it goes unnoticed or is never discussed. It’s too easy to hide under the “Hispanic” umbrella, without ever having to explain why my hair is so nappy and why I kept chemically straightening it (“everyone does it”). But now, living in Chocolate City, where smiles and compliments have replaced looks of disapproval at my now-natural hair, where I give and receive “the Black nod” to others on the streets, and where I have the pleasure of being called “sistah” on a regular basis, I feel whole. I’m bilingual, I’m Latina, I’m black, I’m me.

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