Summary Of Being The Token Negro - 2188 Words

â€Å"Being the token Negro was something I was never entirely comfortable with. I was the only black kid in my fifth-grade class at P.S. 138 in the then all-white enclave of Rosedale, Queens.† p. 89 James’s mother provided the best education to her children. That meant attending schools that were located in Jewish neighborhoods. James and his siblings were often the only black children in their classes. I am unsurprised James felt uncomfortable in a class full of students with the same skin color. Students must have stared at him like he was an alien and made prejudice remarks. Yet, I understand Ruth’s decision for only wanting the best for her children. She is a mother and like all mothers around the world, she will do whatever she possibly†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"So after a while, I had me my own friend, and he didn’t care that I wore second-handed clothes or was Jewish. He never judged me. That’s the first thing I liked about him, in fact that’s what I Liked about black folks all my life. They never judged me.† p. 109 I believe the reason Ruth prefered blacks were because they were not biased. As she states, â€Å"They never judged me.† On the other hand, people in Suffolk-- Ruth’s hometown-- were the complete opposite. Also, Ruth is bilingual because she is able to speak Yiddish fluently, as well as English. Therefore, in the quote she writes, â€Å"I had me my own friend.† She might not be able to speak English nearly as well as Yiddish. â€Å"That was a big thing in the South. You’re white, and even if you’re a Jew, since you’re white you’re better than a so-called colored. Well, I didn’t feel number one with nobody but him, and I didn’t give a hoot that he was black. He was kind! He was good! I knew that!† p. 113 This is a perfect example demonstrating how everyone is equal regardless of his/her skin color. People are so quick to judge an individual based on his/her skin color and race that they overlook the fact to get to know the person. I love Ruth’s statement, â€Å"Well, I didn’t feel number one with nobody but him.† Peter (Ruth’s boyfriend at the time) was black; she was white. Whites were known to be superior while blacks were known to be insignificant. They were not allowed to be standing together, yet one cannot