RACIST

I remember the first time I heard the word “racist” that had any meaning to me.  I had always thought the word “race” meant a running contest to see who was the fastest.  It was 1949 when I was in college on the GI Bill at Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State).  The major universities were beginning to integrate per some federal government edict.  They began by slowly integrating at the graduate student level.  Several black graduate students were enrolled at Oklahoma A&M.  Though I was still an undergraduate I was taking a graduate class.  A black guy was in the class.  No problem.  Then, it was St. Patrick’s Day.  Everyone was wearing green except the black guy.  I asked him why he wasn’t wearing green.  He replied he wasn’t Irish.  I said, “Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.”  He kind of puffed up and said. “That’s racist.”  Dah!