Warmth Of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson

[Nadia]

Jane wrote: "Hi- perhaps no one will ever read this as I am posting this so late.
Wilkerson does an amazing job of unifying vastly different times and experiences. I had never thought of the Great Migration as..."
Hello Jane, Thank you greatly for recommending WOS to me! it has been the most rewarding and powerful reading journey. It's impossible to imagine NYC, Chicago...America without the great migration !

[John]

Segregation outside the South was driven home for me in seeing the play "Dinah Was", the story of the singer Dinah Washington. Her humiliation was gut punching, when the management of the Vegas hotel where she'd been booked to perform "compromised" on a trailer in the parking lot, standing firm that they could not have her actually stay there as a guest - what would the racist customers think!

[Barbara]

Reading John's note reminded me of one of my other thoughts while reading Warmth of Other Suns. It must have been so hard to not internalize and believe that feeling of inferiority conveyed by this treatment. I know some did, but I wonder what gave others the strength not to believe it. I'm sure it is a combination of factors, but, in any case, I'm kind of awed by those who still knew that they were as good as anyone else.

[Janet]

Philip wrote: "I was finally able to get back and finish this wonderful book. In my GR review I mention how reading it reminded me of the arrival of the first African-American family in my town:

http://www.good..."

It must be a remarkable feeling to in hindsight recognize you were friendly neighbors with such a great historical sports legend.

I'm glad this thread is still active. The book and surrounding discussions have been most informative.

[Marjorie]

John wrote, "Segregation outside the South was driven home for me in seeing the play "Dinah Was", the story of the singer Dinah Washington. Her humiliation was gut punching..."

In the late 1950s my husband and I were in one of the big Las Vegas hotel casino lounges when Johnny Mathis walked by. My husband, who was a big fan of his, told him how much we enjoyed his peromance. As they talked, Mathis told him that the hotel would not allow him to stay there during his performances.

Marge

[Wilhelmina]

Barbara wrote: "Reading John's note reminded me of one of my other thoughts while reading Warmth of Other Suns. It must have been so hard to not internalize and believe that feeling of inferiority conveyed by thi..."

Faith and family, in my experience, Barbara.

[Barbara]

Thank you, Mina. It's sort of an amplified version of the universal question about what leads to human strength. I wonder how those who had neither faith nor family managed it when they did.

[Carol]

By sheer willpower or personal ethics and morals don't you think? Most of us have a personal creed, be it religious or otherwise. This sustains us in times of great need. So you could call that faith , faith in one's self.

[Ruth]

Well said, Kitty.