Stories from an Empty Classroom

Woolworth's

*Disclaimer: There are some racist remarks in this. If you're triggered by any part of that, please don't read this. As a mixed girl, I am lucky enough to look white enough not to have many racist remarks thrown my way. That means that I am a bit uneducated as to what racism looks like past the time of slavery. Basically, I know that it exists, and I've heard stories, and I know that it's a byproduct of slavery (not the other way around, don't get that confused). My father has been on the receiving end of racist remarks, so I was able to get a mild idea of what to write here, but it may not be accurate. If I got anything wrong please tell me.

Imagine you are one of the four African American college students who sat down at Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, and politely asked for service. Your request was refused, and you were asked to leave. You remain seated. Describe that day.

They walked slowly to get lunch, the little girl skipping, her dress flouncing around her. It was a sunny day and the woman had wanted to enjoy it. As they passed by the grocers, she smiled brightly.

"Guten Tag, Fraulein." Ignoring the surprised mutterings of the woman, they continued on their way. It had been a payday yesterday and it was a sunny day today. The woman was hopeful and felt that nothing could possibly go wrong now.

The two made their way to Woolworth's Department Store. They were going to pick up a dress for the little girl, and she had wanted a milkshake and french-fries from the counter, telling the woman that she wanted to go to the park and have a picnic.

When they got to the store, the woman put her hand out for the girl to hold. Being the nanny of a white child had several advantages. The girl dramatically placed her hand in that of her nanny's, and they walked into the Woolworth's.

When they picked up the dress, the girl dragged the young woman to the lunch counter and asked to be put in the chair. The woman put the shopping bag in the satchel that she'd started carrying when she took this job, and lifted the girl into the chair and sat to her left, accepting the girls request to braid her hair.

The young woman's charge was called Emily-May Lucile Stokes, but she went by Emmy. She was a small girl, at eight years of age, with brunette hair and blue eyes. Her mother had died when she was only three and her father had looked for a suitable nanny for at least a year before finally deciding on the young woman.

Her name was Eleanor March Adamson, she was a high school student at the time and was saving money for college tuition. Now she was a college student who was known for always having a strangely well-behaved white-girl in class every day. She had good grades and a polite manner. In every sense of the word, Eleanor March was beautiful. Emily-May said so herself every day.

So when four of her classmates sat to the right of the pair at the counter, it wasn't a surprise to either party that both girls smiled politely and greeted them softly. The girls had been there a while and were still waiting for someone to come to their service.

"You girls waiting for your food?" One of the men, Joseph McNeil (he sat next to the girls in class), asked while his friends talked amongst themselves.

Emily-May shook her head lightly. "No sir, we're waiting for them to take our order."

"No need to call me 'sir,' pretty lady," Joseph said in a joking tone before tapping the bell on the counter. "Can these beautiful girls and I get some service, please?" He called.

Another classmate of theirs, Ezell Blair, hit Joseph on the shoulder lightly. "Don't be rude, Joe. They would've come eventually."

"What?" Joseph protested. "I said 'please,'" A white cook came to the counter and glared at the four men, separately.

"You guys are going to have to leave. We don't serve your people here," he said rudely, before fixing Eleanor with a predatory gaze. "I mean... unless this fine young woman has anything to offer in return for your stay."

The five students gasped, and both Eleanor and Joseph covered Emily-May's ears. The little girl patted her nanny's leg in, what was supposed to be, a reassuring manner, but anyone who thought that would've been off-put by the steely glare she directed towards the cook.

Another classmate, David Richmond, composed himself first. "Sir, that won't be necessary. If you could just get the girls their food to-go, we'll be on our way."

The cook's head snapped toward David, and he glared once more. "You know what? No, you can't have your food. And I'm going to have to ask, once again, for you to leave. We need these seats for paying customers."

Eleanor bit back a remark and Emily-May huffed, crossing her arms. "But we're willing to pay, sir. Just give the girls their food and we'll pay and get out of here," Joseph said, trying to be polite.

"I'm not giving any of you anything," the cook said, crossing his arms and settling against the metal table that was just behind him.

"Listen here, mister!" Emily-May said, free of the hands that were on her ears and standing on her chair.

"Emily-May, that is impolite. Sit down, we'll handle this." Eleanor said, picking the girl up and setting her in the chair properly, ignoring the huffed 'I told you to call me Emmy.' "Sir, I'm sorry, it's just, Emily-May has been looking forward to this for days. Can we just place our order? We'll even get out of the seats. We just want our food."

"Save your sob-story, girl," the cook said. "I'm not giving you anything, except maybe an arrest. What are you doing with one of our kids, anyway?"

"She's my momma!" Emily-May said in protest, getting to her feet once more. "You can't talk to her like that!" The cook sneered at the girl.

"I'm not your momma, Emily-May, sit down," Eleanor said sternly. "I was hired by Mr Alfred Stokes to look after his daughter since he can't do it himself, what with that big company he has to run. I'm just her nanny. Can we please get our food?"

"You aren't getting anything here. I just said that. Now leave!" The cook said, getting angrier.

"If you're not going to give the girls their food, then we aren't going to leave," Joseph said finally.

Eleanor sighed in defeat. "It's fine, Joseph. I'll just make something for us to eat at home. Thanks anyway," she went to lift Emily-May out of her seat, but the girl wouldn't budge.

"No, Momma," Eleanor sighed, giving up on changing her mind. "He wouldn't give any of us our food, so we're not going to leave," Emily-May whispered.

"Your daddy isn't going to like this, Emily-May," Eleanor whispered back.

"He'll understand," Emily-May said a bit louder. "Or he won't find out. Anyway, we're just trying to get a basket of fries and a milkshake. It's not that much trouble for him to make it for us, so he should be doing his job. I want to stay here until he does." Eleanor sighed and retook her seat.

"Good thing I brought my homework, then."