I MUST OVERCOME - Part 4 - 1950s

excerpt from  COLORS OF MY WORLD (see Aug 31, 2010)

Church - The church I grew up in was built in 1755 by my great,great,great Grandfather and his neighbors.  It had a balcony in the back that was for the slaves.  As I grew up that balcony was always empty and closed up.  It has been said that Sunday mornings were the most segregated hours of the week in America.  Can't believe Christ would be happy with that.

My faith was vital to my inner self and reflected in my poetry as well:

IN THE GARDEN

On the rock He knelt
His robes in folds of grace,
His hands, the cold rock felt
With despair, unwillingness.

A mask of thought, His face,
Which showed a problem great,
But trust and faith erased
The painful, awful weight.

Uplifted and exalted now
The weight no longer there,
Shining eyes and serene brow
Place peace on His face so fair.

On His feet and straight ahead
To the kiss that would betray,
He marched with lifted head
To bring the light our way.  (A. Hunter 1955)

I volunteered to help teach a children's Bible class in the home of a black family on a back road several miles from our church. The home was small and crowded with the pot-bellied stove in the center of the living room.  The children were quiet and curious.  It jolted me when the children colored thier handouts of Chris with a black face.. I knew there was only one Chris and had assumed he was white.