How can we tell what is racist?

On the third day of the Civil Rights Trip, we visited Alabama. One thing that I have thought about is the relationship between small interactions and bigger scale problems. As I entered Alabama, I remained positive. I experienced the famous “southern hospitality” like a stranger greeting me and asking me where I’m from. People seemed to be genuinely nice and courteous— a sign of a progressive change— but there’s always another side of the coin. Walking through Montgomery, the capital of Alabama, I felt like I was moving through a ghost town. This wasn’t the feel of a community that had been integrated and flooded with a myriad of people. Despite change, it was a town that held onto its roots. With the roads of Commerce Street and Market Plaza where slaves were sold, old ways have remained in Alabama. Additionally, after visiting Selma and seeing the confederate cemetery, I could see how well preserved it was, showing it’s prevalence. Furthermore, according to Kirk Carrington, there is a stark education disparity which has been engrained in the culture. And as he said in regards the racial progress, “We are going backwards.” From what I experienced, in modern Alabama, there’s a big difference in interpersonal racism compared to systemic racism.

-Okezie