Juliette Holmes - Colored Water

 

I grew up in Savannah, Georgia, in the deep, deep South. Savannah was like all segregated apartheid cities with the doors to restaurants, movie theaters, bathrooms, water fountains, had Jim Crow signs, barring colored people. In Savannah, this particular year, it was a very, very hot spring. And my mama told us on a Saturday morning that we were going to go shopping at Sears Roebuck. [gasps] We were so excited, my sister and me. 

 

We got dressed. And my mother would always say to us, “Girls, you know how to act.” She never used the word, behave. “Yes, Mama, we know how to act. Yes, Mama, we know how to act.” “And the next thing I want you to do is to drink a glass of water, go to the bathroom, flush the toilet and wash your hands.” My sister, who was older, [gasps] she was so annoyed, but of course, she didn't let my mama hear it. “Why is it that we always have to drink a glass of water, go to the bathroom, flush the toilet and wash our hands?” 

 

By me being younger and wanted to be like my sister, I would say, “mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.” [audience laughter] But we didn't let mama hear us, okay? So, mama got her pocketbook. We were all dressed. She locked the door, put that pocketbook under her arm and off we went to get on the bus. We walked to the bus stop. My mama paid the fare, we got on and we went straight to the back of the bus, the assigned seats. My sister sat with my mama. I wanted to sit by myself, so I could look out the window. 

 

Oh, I was just so happy looking out of the window at all of the sights. The bus stopped later, and one of my classmates got on and she sat right next to me. “What she wants to sit next to me for?” [audience laughter] I want to look out the window. I don't want to talk to her. [audience laughter] So, she was talking and I was looking, mm-hmm, mm-hmm. [audience laughter] “Well, Juliette, I'll see you in school Monday”. “Okay. Bye.” Good girl.” [audience laughter] I was like that when I was a little girl. Yeah, right. Okay. 

 

So, the bus went on. My mother rang the bell. We got off the bus and walked across the street to Sears Roebuck. Sears was a big store block long with three stories. Big store. Everybody was excited about Sears Roebuck. My mama went in. We went into the store, we walked straight to the back of the store, got on the elevator. Now, mind you, the elevators weren't segregated. First come, first serve. My mama mashed the button, got off in the women's apartment and she started to shop. 

 

Looking, pushing, looking, looking. And my sister, the drama queen, “[gasps] What's the matter?” “I am so thirsty.” “I am too. I'm thirsty too.” [audience laughter] “Mama. Mama.” “Yes,” “I'm thirsty.” [audience laughter] And my mama gave her a look that we know the look, mm-hmm. [audience laughter] And she kept right on looking-looking. So, I said, “[gasps] Mama, there's the sign says colored water. Colored water. Oh, Mama, I want some of that colored water, because I know must be rainbows. Red and blue and green. Oh, Mama.” 

 

And my mama looked at us and she said-- She didn't say anything. She walked over to the fountains, one was white water, colored water and she stood and she said, “Betty Ann, drink from the white fountain.” “Oh, Mama's nice and cool. Tastes good.” “Now, drink from the colored fountain.” “Oh, Mama, it's nice and cool.” Now, I'm looking for all these colors to come out, but no colors. “Juliette, you drink from the white fountain.” “Oh, Mama, it's nice and cool.” “Now, drink from the colored fountain.” “Mama, but it tastes the same.” She said, “Yes, it tastes the same, because it comes out the same pipes.” “Well, Mama, why do they have those signs?” “That's the law.” “Well, who made the law?” She said, “That is how it is.” 

 

Now, I don't think my mama bought anything. We walked across the street, got on the bus, and she paid the fare and we sat on the very last seat on the bus. She sat and she hugged both of her two little colored girls. And as I look back on that day in Sears Roebuck, I wonder my mama put her life on the line for her two little colored girls, because she could have been arrested, put in jail, beaten. But that is how it was in Savannah, Georgia in 1947. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.