The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-07-07

m munity activities. They
try 10 give ii everyday meaning
in terms OF their everyday lives.
AS Mrs. Crockett and l have
found, this is not always easy.
And, thinking that our expert
ences might mirror 10 some ex-
tent similar experiences you have
encountered with your families.
invited her 10 collaborate in the
writing Of this weeks column on
PREJUDICE. The result was that
she actually wrote the column.
Here ii is.
Prejudice il rampant in our
own family! We were not shocked
over this discovery. but we are
disturbed greatly over the fact
that in our three children-ages 9.
6 and 4. the seeds OF. intolerance
already have been planted.
How? BY the radio. movies
cartoons, funny books. and the i'll
considered expressions OF adults
the way the innocent minds OF In
fancy always have been and. We
suppose, always will be infected
with bigotry.
We doubt il there is one Negro
family who has not experienced a
sense of fear and a feeling OF re-
luctance in deliberately bringing
into this life little Negro child
who must inevitably come face TO
face with Mans inhumanlty to
man. And what is true OF Ne
gro parents is. doubtlessly. true Of
Jewish. Polish, Japanese-Ameri-
can and other so-called minority
group parents as well.
Each Of US expects our child 10
grow up intelligent. strong and
ambitious. And because Of this,
we wonder 10 ourselves just how
much we can shield that child in
its carly years and protect il un-
til he or she has built up enough
armour against the racial. relig-
ious and nationality intolerance il
is bound Ia encounter when it
reaches school age
We suppose we shall always be
disturbed too. over the early age
AT which children become con-
scious OF our accomplished col
or and religious differences" Al
four years OF age our oldest
daughter. while buSily washing
her hands. was asking her father,
Daddy, IL stay in the sun long
enough, will my hands get as
brown as yours
Our two school-age children
have been attending Cath Ollie
school. although. so far as we
know. all of their ancestors were
Protestants. After one year. both
children have expressed desire
10 be confirmed. This simple
choice on their part has compelled
us 10 re-examine our own relig-
iouS convictions Do we have the
right 10 let them choose at their
tender ages 10 make themselves
members NJ a double minority
first as Negroes. then as Catholics
The answer they have received
may not be the approved answer
but we think II fair one. We
have asked them 10 wait until
they are able 10 recognize the gen.
eral distinctions between relig.
ions and then they may make
their own choice. We told them
that their paternal grandfather is
a Baptist minister and their ma
ternal grandfather was an Afri-
can Episcopal minister. We ex-
planned that their paternal grand
mother was Presbyterian before
her marriage and we pointed on,
that two Of our closest friends and
their little twin girls are OF the
Jewish faith. And. finally, we re-
minded them that the young lady
who used to help with the fam
ily's homework was Moslem
and the church they called the
Saturday church was the Sew
enih-Day Adventist church We
probably should have added thai