My mother told me that when I was a tiny child, we visited a big city and tugged my mother's clothes, asking her in sign language, "why is that man so dirty?"
I don't remember that but I thought that was funny when she told me.
I must have been a Baby Racist, and I am embarrassed for being such a horrible little 2 year old human being!
The story goes back to my parents taking me to the zoo. I do remember those visits, one in particular where my Mom and Dad left me behind and lost me at the Dallas Zoo. I was fascinated by the primates at the zoo, so while I was watching them, my parents and two sisters kept walking and I was left behind, as I didn't keep up with them because I was so fascinated. Oh well, they backtracked and found me there still amused at watching the primates.
All was fine until my Mom took me to the doctor the next week, and we took a Trolly Car (GOD! I HOPE THIS DON'T DATE ME! LOL). But sadly and now regretfully, Black people were required by law back in the early 50's to have to ride in the back and could only use the back door to enter or leave the trolly cars.
My Mom tells me years later, that because I had never seen Black People before in my first two years of life, perhaps this was the very first time I ever encountered them. but my Mom told me years later that I saw these Black people at the rear of the bus and I shouted out "Look Mommy- Monks! Monks Mommy" so loud the Black people heard me, and every passenger on that Bus including my MOM, wanted to crawl under their seats out of embarrassment alone!
YES, my Mother apologized to the people in the rear of that Trolly car for my confusion and what could be considered as racist COMMENT!
THIS IS A TRUE STORY AND NOT INTENDED FOR HUMOR_ AND I HOPE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS AS I ONLY TELL THIS STORY TO SAY THAT SOME CHILDREN HAVE TO LEARN ABOUT RACE- I know I did!