Jake at Freedom Folks, a good friend of the blog, tipped me off to this story about the University of Buffalo NAACP's "Segregated Café" pizza party held last week.
From the school's newspaper, The Spectrum.
The NAACP hosted an event called the "Segregated Café," a simulation of past eras in which segregation existed in the United States. The mock-up featured a restaurant setting with separate dining tables and serving areas for minority and white students.
Patrons were directed to their correct places according to their race, separating many lunching companions. Reactions started off confused and quickly turned to nervous and upset. However, there was a general understanding of the experiment.
"I think something like this is good to do because we get to experience what it was like in the past," said Clyde Strokes, a sophomore business major who was forced to sit in the minority section. "But I'm still pissed."
Strokes' was referring to the rude treatment and unsightly décor encountered by those at the minority section, including ripped paper plates on the tables and pepperoni on the floor. Minority students were served half a slice of Franco's Pizza and a trickle of soda in plastic cup, while white students were allowed a whole, or even multiple slices of pizza and soda served in champagne glasses.
I'm sure Franco's Pizza appreciates the mention in the article. Perhaps next year they can be signed on as a sponsor.
But seriously, are there members of our society who are that dense that they can't envision in their minds--even with the help of books, movies, lectures and the like--how such abominable actions took place?
I guess there are.
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