Who Was Booker Wright?

In 1966, a waiter named Booker Wright, appeared in a nationally televised NBC News program.  In about two minutes he was able to communicate to people all over the country - blacks and white, rich and poor, Northerners and Southerners - what it felt like to be on the receiving end of racism.  With searing honesty, a simple humility, and an intangible presence he describes what it was like to be screamed at when doing nothing wrong and to have to put on a false, lesser persona in order to survive.

In every struggle there are different ways to appeal to those on the other side of the aisle.  There is a time to make logical demands and there is a time to reveal our hearts.  Booker did something that was radical then and remains radical now.  He showed himself, the parts of himself that are common to all of us.  My grandfather reminded some and proved to others, that even though he was black man, he had something in common with every single person who tuned in that night.

Booker Wright tapped into our shared humanity.

Not only did his act touch the hearts of a nation in 1966 it continues to do so today.  He provided a clue, a blueprint of sorts for how to begin conversations with people on the other side of combative issues.  We can choose not to vilify even those whose ideas rock us in our depths, rattling of the core of all we believe in.  We can choose to hold firm, stand strong, and not belittle them.  We can choose not to humiliate them.  We can choose not to ridicule them.  We can choose instead to find the things, though they may be few, that we all have in common.

Why does this matter?  Because change - not the changing of laws, but the changing of minds - never happens when the only people sitting at the table are the ones who agree.  All sides must be welcome at the table.

1 comment:

  1. I am sorry for your loss. May Mr. Wright rest in Heavenly Peace.

    ReplyDelete