1/
Me: "Are you from Georgia?"
Her: "No. I'm from Alabama."
Me: "Really? Where 'bout?"
Her: "Tuskegee."
Me: "No way!"
Her: "Yes indeed."
Me: *lean forward and pluck my lapel for her to see my Booker T. Washington pin*
*smiling*
Me: "Are you from Georgia?"
Her: "No. I'm from Alabama."
Me: "Really? Where 'bout?"
Her: "Tuskegee."
Me: "No way!"
Her: "Yes indeed."
Me: *lean forward and pluck my lapel for her to see my Booker T. Washington pin*
*smiling*
2/
Her: *eyes widening* "You went to Tuskegee University?"
Me: "Yes, ma'am.”
*silence*
Her: "So you went to Tuskegee—AND they say you my head doctor, huh?"
Me: *chuckling* "Yes, ma'am."
Her: “Well . . . ain’t that something.”
She beamed at me.
And I beamed right back
Her: *eyes widening* "You went to Tuskegee University?"
Me: "Yes, ma'am.”
*silence*
Her: "So you went to Tuskegee—AND they say you my head doctor, huh?"
Me: *chuckling* "Yes, ma'am."
Her: “Well . . . ain’t that something.”
She beamed at me.
And I beamed right back
3/
After that she asked me to take my lapel pin off so that she could see it better and I did as I was told. She raised my palm up to her eyes, squinted at it carefully, and rubbed her finger over the logo.
I noticed one side of her mouth curl up in a knowing smile.
After that she asked me to take my lapel pin off so that she could see it better and I did as I was told. She raised my palm up to her eyes, squinted at it carefully, and rubbed her finger over the logo.
I noticed one side of her mouth curl up in a knowing smile.
4/
Without looking up from the pin she began to speak.
Her: "It was called Tuskegee INSTITUTE when I was in school there, you know.”
*gasp*
Me: “Wait—you went to Tuskegee, too?”
Her: “Sure did. But I betcha when I graduated you was still in baby heaven!”
*laughter*
Without looking up from the pin she began to speak.
Her: "It was called Tuskegee INSTITUTE when I was in school there, you know.”
*gasp*
Me: “Wait—you went to Tuskegee, too?”
Her: “Sure did. But I betcha when I graduated you was still in baby heaven!”
*laughter*
5/
Me: "You know. . . my parents and all the folks who went when it was still Tuskegee Institute call themselves 'Old School.'”
She raised her eyebrows and looked amused when I said that. Then she gave her had a tiny shake.
Her: “Them? ‘Old School?’ Chile, please.”
*laughter*
Me: "You know. . . my parents and all the folks who went when it was still Tuskegee Institute call themselves 'Old School.'”
She raised her eyebrows and looked amused when I said that. Then she gave her had a tiny shake.
Her: “Them? ‘Old School?’ Chile, please.”
*laughter*
6/
Her: "Nah. That ain't old school. Mother and Daddy? Now THEY was old school. They was there when it was still called TUSKEGEE NORMAL"
Me: "Whoa. Tuskegee NORMAL? Now that IS old school."
Her: "Mmm hmmm. . . Used to be ‘ THE TUSKEGEE NORMAL SCHOOL FOR COLORED TEACHERS.’"
Wow.
Her: "Nah. That ain't old school. Mother and Daddy? Now THEY was old school. They was there when it was still called TUSKEGEE NORMAL"
Me: "Whoa. Tuskegee NORMAL? Now that IS old school."
Her: "Mmm hmmm. . . Used to be ‘ THE TUSKEGEE NORMAL SCHOOL FOR COLORED TEACHERS.’"
Wow.
7/
She annunciated every word when she said that name. Then she let out a sigh.
Her: "Mmmm hmmm. You could be a teacher or a farmer—or do home economics. That's what I did. Mother, too."
Now that I think of it? It’s what my grandmother did at Tuskegee Institute, too.
Yup.
She annunciated every word when she said that name. Then she let out a sigh.
Her: "Mmmm hmmm. You could be a teacher or a farmer—or do home economics. That's what I did. Mother, too."
Now that I think of it? It’s what my grandmother did at Tuskegee Institute, too.
Yup.
8/
After that we just sat in silence . . . Her eyes still staring at the pin in my hand and then resting on the stiff lapel of my white coat.
She looked up, a complicated expression washing over her face followed by a wistful smile.
And I immediately wanted to cry.
After that we just sat in silence . . . Her eyes still staring at the pin in my hand and then resting on the stiff lapel of my white coat.
She looked up, a complicated expression washing over her face followed by a wistful smile.
And I immediately wanted to cry.
9/
Then she closed my fingers around the pin, patted my hand and gave it a loving squeeze.
My patient didn't say much more after that. But honestly? She didn't have to.
No, she did not.
Then she closed my fingers around the pin, patted my hand and gave it a loving squeeze.
My patient didn't say much more after that. But honestly? She didn't have to.
No, she did not.
10/
I refastened that pin to my lapel and stood a bit taller.
Yeah. It’s true that people who look like me often end up paying a “minority tax” that gets larger the higher we climb.
But.
Moments like this remind me that it isn’t without representation.
No, it is not.
I refastened that pin to my lapel and stood a bit taller.
Yeah. It’s true that people who look like me often end up paying a “minority tax” that gets larger the higher we climb.
But.
Moments like this remind me that it isn’t without representation.
No, it is not.
11/
Tomorrow I’ll be heading to Homecoming Weekend at our beloved alma mater Tuskegee.
I can’t wait.
Know this: It is my privilege to strap your infinite dreams and potential interrupted onto my back along with those of the rest of my ancestors.
Always and in all ways.
Yeah.
Tomorrow I’ll be heading to Homecoming Weekend at our beloved alma mater Tuskegee.
I can’t wait.
Know this: It is my privilege to strap your infinite dreams and potential interrupted onto my back along with those of the rest of my ancestors.
Always and in all ways.
Yeah.
12/
*Images captured and story shared with permission.
Happy Homecoming, Mother Tuskegee! ☺️👊🏽
*Images captured and story shared with permission.
Happy Homecoming, Mother Tuskegee! ☺️👊🏽
