Ngazalelwa eWashington DC futhi ngangiwusana nojahidada ngo-13th kanye noClifton NW endaweni yaseShaw. Ekugcineni saphuma e-DC yangaphakathi yedolobha saya endaweni yesigaba sabasebenzi saseGlenmont esedolobheni laseMaryland. Ngahlala lapho kusukela ngo-1951-1961. Ehlobo lika-2005, ngahamba no-Estelle Carol endaweni yangakithi ukuze ngibone ukuthi kuhamba kanjani.
Mina nozakwethu u-Estelle Carol saphuma ebumnyameni obupholile besiteshi seMetro saseGlenmont, eMaryland sangena elangeni elishisayo lika-August. I-Glenmont ngokuqinisekile yayibukeka yehlukile kunesahlukaniso esasisanda kufakwa ngogandaganda esasisikwe emagqumeni ase-Piedmont ngasekuqaleni kwawo-1950. Ngaleso sikhathi, i-Georgia Avenue yayiwumgwaqo wemizila emibili emincane kangangokuba ngangikwazi ukuqhumisa izimoto zabagibeli ngezigaxa zikaphayini egatsheni lesihlahla elalinabela umzila obheke eningizimu ukusuka epulazini laseDenley eliseduze.
I-Georgia Ave manje yayisinguthelawayeka ophithizelayo onemizila eminingi, nakuba ngiphawule ngokugculiseka ukuthi izihlahla ezazikhule epulazini elidala laseDenley zazisamile ngaphesheya komgwaqo omkhulu. Abagibeli abahlosile babedlula mina no-Estelle njengoba ngizama ukungiyisa endaweni engangiyijwayele kakhulu.
Abagibeli beMetro bebehlukene ngamaqembu amabili nokho. Iningi labagibeli abamhlophe bebengena ezimotweni zabo ezingasephuzile kanye nama-SUV balibangise enyakatho ezindaweni ezikude zasemadolobheni. Iningi labagibeli abanebala elinsundu lalilindele ukuthi irobhothi lishintshe ukuze bawele u-Georgia Avenue baye emakhaya abo ngothelawayeka ophithizelayo.
Angikwazanga ukuzibamba ngaphandle kokuqhweba u-Estelle futhi ngiveze ngokuzigqaja ukuthi isigaba sabasebenzi sisaphethe iGlenmont ngemva kwayo yonke le minyaka.
Emuva ekuqaleni kwawo-1950, ingxenye yethu yaseGlenmont eyayigudla uWeller Road yayiyisigaba sabasebenzi abamhlophe abahlukanisiwe, ngokuvumelana nefa lobuhlanga laseMaryland elinezinkinga. Ngangineminyaka engu-5 ubudala lapho ngiqala ukulunguza ngefasitela ngabona ilambu elibomvu elicwayizayo phezulu kombhoshongo wamanzi waseGlenmont.
U-Weller Road wawusewudaka futhi ngokwalokho engikukhumbulayo, sasicishe sibe abantu bokuqala ukudlulela endaweni enqamula i-Georgia Ave. Kwakunensimu yepulazi ngemva kwethu eyayizohlinzeka mina nabangane bami ngezimpahla ezingapheli zamagilebhisi ezebiwe. kanye nommbila oluhlaza kanye nepulazi ngaphesheya kwe-Georgia Ave lapho umama ayethenga khona amaqanda amasha ezinkukhuni.
Ingxenye yethu yaseGlenmont (ebizwa ngokuthi i-Glenmont Hills) yakhelwe phezu kwezisekelo zokucabanga kwe-New Deal. Ubaba wami waya ekolishi ngoMthethosivivinywa we-GI ukuze akwazi ukukhipha umndeni wakhe edolobheni elingaphakathi eWashington DC. Indlu yethu encane eku-Weller Road ixhaswe ngemali mboleko yomakadebona enenzalo ephansi. Isikole iWeller Road Elementary School sithole usizo oluthinta uhulumeni ngenxa yenani elikhulu labasebenzi bakahulumeni endaweni (kuhlanganise nobaba owayesebenzela i-Veterans Administration).
Ngiseyingane ngakhulela ezweni elixhaswe nguhulumeni ngesikhathi abasebenzi abamhlophe iMelika isizokhula kakhulu kwezomnotho. Ogandaganda baseMelika babephendula izinkuni nezinkambu zibe izindlu zomxhaso ezishibhile zesizukulwane esasisinde Ekucindezelekeni naseWWII. Thina zingane kwakufanele sibe abahlomuli bayo njengoba sibuka imifudlana yethu esiyithandayo nehlathi lishabalala libe yiziqephu ezihlukene.
Kodwa-ke, abamhlophe bazuza kakhulu kulezi zinhlelo zesitayela se-New Deal kunanoma ubani omunye. Amakolishi amaningi namanyuvesi ayesahlukanisiwe noma uma ayengahlukanisiwe ngokusemthethweni, angaba yizindawo ezinobutha kubantu bemibala. Izindlu zazisahlukanisiwe kakhulu futhi nezigaba ezintsha zesigaba sabasebenzi njenge-Glenmont Hills noma i-Levittown edume kakhulu nazo zazihlukile.
Mina no-Estelle sawela i-Georgia Ave futhi sehla ngo-Denley Road saya kuFlack Street sabe sesisuka enyakatho saqonda ku-Weller Road. Ama-bungalows amancane ezitini ayegcwele imigwaqo ayengakaze abe ubuciko bezakhiwo, kodwa mfana, ayakhelwe ukuhlala isikhathi eside. Eqinisweni indawo yangakithi yayibukeka ingcono kakhulu kunangesikhathi ngihlala khona.
Abathuthukisi bokuqala (i-Gelman Corporation) bawise phansi iningi lezihlahla ukuze indawo ikwazi ukushisa nomthunzi omncane wemvelo. Kodwa manje imigwaqo yayisinomthunzi wezihlahla. Izindlu zazinezingadi, izihlahla kanye nezakhi zokuhlobisa eziyingqayizivele ongazange uzibone lapho indawo yakubo isintsha.
Lapho sifika ku-Weller Road, ngabheka indlu eku-2902 lapho engangihlala khona kusukela ngo-1951-1961. Bekubukeka kukuncane kakhulu kunalokho ebengikukhumbula, kodwa abanikazi abalandelayo babenze umsebenzi omuhle wokuyinakekela nokwenza izengezo eziwusizo. Ngemva kokuthatha izithombe ezimbalwa, sikhuphukele ku-Weller Road salibangisa e-Weller Road Elementary School.
Kufanele ngisho ukuthi i-Weller Road Elementary School ngawo-1950 yayingeyona into enhle kimina. Nganginothisha abambalwa abahle, ikakhulukazi uNkz. Godfrey owasifundisa izingoma zentaba zaseWest Virginia futhi wasiza ukugxilisa kimi uthando lokuphila konke lokufunda. Osolwazi balapho babengikhuthaze ukuba ngibavakashele futhi bangiholele emhlabeni omusha wezimanga ngesayensi, umlando, i-biography kanye nezincwadi zezinganekwane zesayensi. Kodwa ikakhulukazi ngikhumbula ukulwa, ukucekelwa phansi kwempahla, ubuxhwanguxhwangu kanye nesimo esivamile sokulwa nobuhlakani bendawo.
Ngangiyinkinga yezokuziphatha ngenxa yezizathu ezihlukahlukene, ngakho isikole sacabanga ukuthi singangibumba ngibe isakhamuzi esilungile ngokungenza umqaphi wezokuphepha. Ngemuva kochungechunge lwezimpi nokuklwebheka okuhlukahlukene nabaphathi besikole, Amaphoyisa AseMontgomery County Sgt. U-DeVries wangikhahlela yena mathupha ezokuphepha futhi wangibuyisela ibhande lami elimhlophe engangilisebenze kanzima ukuligcina limhlophe futhi lihlanzekile. Nami ngibe ngomunye wabaholi bombhikisho wabafundi bephikisana nothisha wethu webanga lesi-5 ongakwazi ukwenza umsebenzi, okungenzanga ngithandeke kuthishanhloko, kodwa kwagcina kuholele ekuxoshweni kukathisha.
I-Weller Road Elementary namuhla inenani labantu abaningi bezikole zase-Black and Hispanic. Abafundi abamhlophe bakha idlanzana lenhlangano yabafundi bayo. Ngibheka isikole ngosuku olushisayo lwasehlobo ngo-2005, ngazibuza ukuthi ngabe benza umsebenzi ongcono kunangesikhathi ngilapho. Isizindalwazi seWeller Road Elementary siveza isithombe sendawo yokufunda enakekela amasiko amaningi. Ngethemba ukuthi iqiniso liza eduze nesithombe esinethemba.
Safulathela i-Weller Road Elementary saqonda ngase-Wheaton High School lapho ngangibambe khona iqhaza ezinhlelweni zendawo zebhola lezinyawo ze-YMCA, i-basketball ne-baseball. Njengoba sisondela esikoleni, izinsizwa ezintathu zamaHispanic zeza kithi ziphethe amakhanda aphuciwe abukeka esabekayo namahloni angena emgwaqeni ayengabhekisiwe kithi, kodwa ezweni lonke. Badlula ngathi asikho.
Yikona kuphela engangingakwenza ukuze ngingahleki. Emuva ebusheni bami, bebengaba abafana abathathu abamhlophe ababukeka benomzimba ongcolile abanezinwele ezinamafutha zika-Elvis Presley zedada, amabhantshi esikhumba amnyama namajini aqinile abukeka sengathi afafaziwe. Intsha yaseGlenmont yayivame ukuhlala amahora amaningi izicwilise kubhavu wamanzi ashisayo anensipho ukuze inciphe ama-Levis ayo ngendlela emangazayo.
Esikoleni samabanga aphezulu i-Wheaton ngama phambi komnyango futhi ngathwebula isithombe ngenqindi ngibingelela i-socialist. Lapho ngineminyaka eyi-5, ngenza isenzo sami sokuqala sezombusazwe lapho, nginikeza u-Adlai Stevenson amapheshana ngosuku lokhetho luka-1952 njengoba abazali bami babesebenzela iDemocratic Party yendawo. Umuntu owayedlula wangitshela ukuthi akufanele ngisekele uStevenson ngoba u-Adlai wayemelene ne-H-Bomb. Ngangingazi ukuthi i-H-Bomb yayiyini, kodwa uma u-Adlai engayithandi, kwakufanele kube yinto embi.
Kamuva ngawo-1950 lapho ngiya emidlalweni yebhola le-Wheaton High School, indawo yayizungezwe amaChevies angu-'55 nezinhlobo ezihlukahlukene ze-hot rod, zonke ziqhutshwa abafana ababebukeka sengathi basanda kuphunyuka "Rebel Without A Cause". " noma "I-Blackboard Jungle", amamuvi amabili adumile angaleso sikhathi akhuluma ngentsha ethukuthele ehlukene.
Kwakuyinto evamile "ulwazi" phakathi kwethu bafundi bebanga ukuthi amajakhethi amnyama esikhumba abafana ayefihla izikhali ezinjengemimese ye-switchblade kanye nezibhamu. Izitayela zezinwele zesidleke sezinyosi zamantombazane kuthiwa zazifihla izivula ezicijile zikabhiya (ezibizwa ngokuthi "okhiye besonto" yi-cognescenti).
Sezwa amahlebezi amnyama "ama-rumbles" kuma-hangouts entsha endawo. Kungakanani kwalokhu obekuyiqiniso ngempela? Angazi ngempela, kodwa ngonyaka wami ngise-Belt Junior High, amaqembu ezigelekeqe zezingane ezigqoke amajakhethi esikhumba amnyama ayezungeza izimpi ezinonya zangemva kwesikole kuyilapho kuqubuka izingxabano phakathi kwababukeli.
Nginikeze leyo midlalo ye-gladiatorial yaseGlenmont indawo ebanzi.
Sehlile i-Dalewood Drive ngasesangweni lezinkuni elincane kanye nomfudlana owawudlula e-Wheaton Recreation Center. Ngaphambi kwethu amantombazane amabili aMnyama kanye ne-blonde enezinwele ezinde beqonde ohlangothini olulodwa begqoke izingubo zokubhukuda namathawula. Ngiseyingane ngangisize ekwakheni amadamu ukuze ngidale imigodi yokubhukuda emfudlaneni, kodwa angikholwanga ukuthi izingane zisakwenza lokho nanamuhla. Impicabadala yamantombazane amathathu aseGlenmont izoxazululwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ohambweni lwethu.
Umfudlana waqala emfuleni wesiphepho futhi waphelela kwesinye isivunguvungu amabhlokhi ambalwa ezansi nomfula, kodwa kwakuyiGrand Canyon yethu encane. Yayinezilwane zasendle eziphila emanzini, amabhungane e-whirlagig, tadpoles kanye nama-minnows ambalwa. Amadamu esawakhayo adala amachibi ajule ngokwanele ukubhukuda imivimbo embalwa. Khona-ke sasiphula amadamu ukuze sidedele isifufula samanzi ezikhukhula kunoma yiziphi izidalwa ezingalindelekile eziya phansi. Ngifunde kancane ngobunjiniyela be-hydrological lapho.
Umfudlana ngo-2005 kwaba ukudumala okukhulu--okugcwele i-kudzu ngokuphelele. Wawungawaboni amanzi. Ngangifunde nge-kudzu njengesazi semvelo esakhula ebangeni elikhulayo. Yayingeniswe e-Deep South ukuze ilawule ukuguguleka futhi yazala njengamaphela endaweni ehlala iminyaka eyi-100.
Kodwa bekwenzenjani eMaryland? Ah, ukufudumala kwembulunga yonke kunjalo. Ngenxa yokungazi nobugovu, izingane zaseGlenmont bezincishwa ipaki lamanzi lamahhala elisendaweni yemvelo. Yeka ihlazo elibi kakhulu kule nkathi "yesimo sokuntuleka kwemvelo."
Sithe sisehla sibheke ebhulohweni eliholela ebhilidini lereccent sezwa ukumemeza, ukujabula namakhwela. Impicabadala yamantombazane angu-3 aseGlenmont yaxazululeka. Esikhundleni sezinkundla zethenisi, uMnyango Wezokungcebeleka Wesifunda saseMontgomery wawakhe indawo yokubhukuda yomphakathi.
Sakhuphukela othangweni oluphakeme oluzungeze ichibi futhi salunguza ngaphakathi. Abantu bazo zonke izinhlobo, imibala kanye neminyaka babedlala ngokujabula noma bezipholele ngama-chips ne-soda pop.
Ngake ngaphatha ithawula, iziqu zokubhukuda kanye nekota ngaya endaweni yokuzijabulisa ukuze ngigibele ibhasi eliya echibini le-Glen Echo Amusement Park. Ngempela kwakuyidlozi lamapaki amanzi anamuhla anezilayidi zawo ezinde kanye nemithombo egelezayo. Ngangiyithanda indawo.
I-Glen Echo Amusement Park nayo yahlukaniswa. Ukube amantombazane amathathu aseGlenmont esiwabone ekuqaleni azamile ukungena, ngabe kungeniswe oblonde kuphela. I-Civil Rights Movement yagcina ihlukanise iGlen Echo, kodwa indawo yavalwa ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho. Amahemuhemu abethi izakhamuzi ezimhlophe zendawo bezingafuni ukuthi abantu abamnyama beze endaweni "yakubo" bezogibela ama-roller coasters, badle uswidi kakotini futhi babhukude edamini.
IGlen Echo namuhla iyisikhungo seNational Park Service esisebenza kwezobuciko namasiko. Uma uvakashela i-Glen Echo, ungagibela inguqulo ebuyiselwe ye-carousel yaseGlen Echo yasekuqaleni futhi ugibele ucezu lomlando wethu kaJim Crow.
Sengibone kwenele. Bekuwuhambo olude olushisayo ukuphindela ku-Randolph Road ukuya endaweni epholile yesiteshi seMetro saseGlenmont.
I-Glenmont yayilahlekelwe ezinye zezinkuni namasimu ngenxa yokugcwala kwamadolobha futhi lokho kwangidabukisa. Kodwa ukubona leli chibi kwacishe kukuqedelele lokho kulahlekelwa. EGlenmont ngeminyaka yawo-1950 ukucwasa ngokwebala kwakuyingxenye yezwe. Ngangingakaze ngikhululeke ngalolo hlobo lobandlululo futhi ngangijabule ngasese i-Civil Rights Movement njengoba ilwela ukuyinqoba. Kodwa njengezingane eziningi, ngangifuna ukulingana. Ngakho ngawahleka (ngobuthakathaka) ukulandelana okuqhubekayo kwamahlaya okucwasa futhi ngazama ukungafihli lapho ngizwa igama elithi "nigger"โ- elalivame ukuvela.
Ikhulu lama-21 iGlenmont iyindawo yesigaba sabasebenzi abaxube izinhlangaโ-okungenani okwamanje. Lelo kwakuwuhlobo lwephupho engaba nalo lapho ngijoyina umkhankaso kaMartin Luther King's Poor Peoples' Campaign kanye nemizamo yobumbano lwe-Black Panther Party. Ukuhoxa kukaGlenmont kuhlala kwenzeka, kodwa angicabangi ukuthi kuzophinde kubuyele ezinsukwini zikaJim Crow engizikhumbulayo.
Ngifisela izakhamizi zanamuhla zaseGlenmont okuhle kodwa. Libambe ephusheni. Uma iMelika izoba nekusasa, ubambe ezinye zezihluthulelo zayo.
I-ZNetwork ixhaswa kuphela ngokuphana kwabafundi bayo.
Nikela