Robert Williamson
Margate, FL
I was a white boy born in southwest Florida but left there at 5, came back at 11 in 1970. Had a black friend up north, had no real awareness of race until I came back south. My mother grew up in southeast Florida, she witnessed lynchings and all the racial bigotry of the day. I had a lot of problems in school with black kids picking on me, the hatred between blacks and whites was an incredible shock to me and I learned to fear. 43 years later I’ve raised 4 color blind children. I pray for the day the only “race” we see is the human race and the different colors and shapes are seen as variety, gods gift to us, to keep things interesting. I find that some of the most beautiful people I’ve seen come from “mixed” marriages. My hope is that my children’s children will get there.