The Fourth of July

Andre McLaurin

English 1010

Audre Lorde was a English professor. She has had several works published. Within this essay

she talks about independence and racial equality. She tends to use her senses to relate to what is
going on during this time. Why is racism an issue? Who is suppose to do something about it?

What will it take for it to be addressed?

Back in the 1940's, racism was such much alive. Audre Lorde recalls her own experience with

racism. When she was a teenager was embarked on her first trip to Washington, D.C. with her

family. At that time she and her oldest sister "Phyllis" had just graduated high school. Her sister
was suppose to have taken a trip to the nations capitol. Her first trip would be one to remember.
Just by the colors you you could pratically taste the food that was taken with them. People of

color were not allowed into dining cars of trains and she didn't know why. Phyllis wasn't allowed

to go on her class trip because of her skin color. Audre didn't know this until her dad told her in

private. From then on, her childhood was lost. The mother and the two aunts all looked white

but wasn't. The father was the the other children were of the same color.

In a sense, what was untold had to be discovered. For a child that might have been hard to do. It
was hard to see what was right before her eyes. No one ever gave reasons why things are the

way they are because she had to figure them out for herself. Everything in Washington was

different then what she was use to. The family stopped to cool off from the intense heat. They

where told that they had to get take out if they wanted something. By the reaction of the

waitress, she was embrassed and hung her head. No fuss was made and no comment

spoken. Audre didn't know what to make of the situation. Though her parents knew what was

going on, they never said a word. After that she was forced to write an anger letter to the

president of the United States about what happened. She was blinded by all the brightness that

was around her.

Eventhough the 4th of July is suppose to be "Independence Day" doesn't change the fact that

racism didn't exist. Yet racism is alive and well. People are quite to that fact unless it directly

affects you. Racial equality is a thing of the past but lingers around from time to time.

Language Awareness: Readings for College Writers, 9th Edition.

Editied by Paul Eschholz, Alfred Rosa, and Virginia Clark

Published by Bedford/St. Martins in 2005