Betty Reid Soskin

Thank you very much. The year was 1953. And my young husband and I, now by then, were parents of three children, of two and one on the way. We'd reached the place where we were about to make the decision of building a home. Where we were going to locate that home had some problems. Every Sunday afternoon, we would drive out to Mel's father's and parents' place.

Thank you very much. The year was 1953. And my young husband and I, now by then, were parents of three children, of two and one on the way. We'd reached the place where we were about to make the decision of building a home. Where we were going to locate that home had some problems. Every Sunday afternoon, we would drive out to Mel's father's and parents' place.

Thank you very much. The year was 1953. And my young husband and I, now by then, were parents of three children, of two and one on the way. We'd reached the place where we were about to make the decision of building a home. Where we were going to locate that home had some problems. Every Sunday afternoon, we would drive out to Mel's father's and parents' place.

that was about 30 miles out from the San Francisco Bay Area into the suburbs, where they had a little truck garden where they kept two horses. The children would ride, but we would pass through Saranap, a small suburban area between two cities, Lafayette and Walnut Creek in California. There, we found a lot. There was an old concrete swimming pool in the middle of it.

that was about 30 miles out from the San Francisco Bay Area into the suburbs, where they had a little truck garden where they kept two horses. The children would ride, but we would pass through Saranap, a small suburban area between two cities, Lafayette and Walnut Creek in California. There, we found a lot. There was an old concrete swimming pool in the middle of it.

that was about 30 miles out from the San Francisco Bay Area into the suburbs, where they had a little truck garden where they kept two horses. The children would ride, but we would pass through Saranap, a small suburban area between two cities, Lafayette and Walnut Creek in California. There, we found a lot. There was an old concrete swimming pool in the middle of it.

I think it had been a recreation area at some point. But there were orchards. There were oak trees. It was bordered by a creek. It was just exactly what we wanted, except for the fact that we were African-American. And we were contemplating building a home in the segregated white suburbs. We did that. We did it feeling that we were entitled to do this.

I think it had been a recreation area at some point. But there were orchards. There were oak trees. It was bordered by a creek. It was just exactly what we wanted, except for the fact that we were African-American. And we were contemplating building a home in the segregated white suburbs. We did that. We did it feeling that we were entitled to do this.

I think it had been a recreation area at some point. But there were orchards. There were oak trees. It was bordered by a creek. It was just exactly what we wanted, except for the fact that we were African-American. And we were contemplating building a home in the segregated white suburbs. We did that. We did it feeling that we were entitled to do this.

We got a white person who was married to one of our friends to make the purchase. A Quaker, Lusul Smith, who was an architect, who was willing to design our home. And we proceeded to do that. But being African-Americans, in a restricted area. We were going to be subject to death threats for five years. During the period of the construction, we had to make decisions.

We got a white person who was married to one of our friends to make the purchase. A Quaker, Lusul Smith, who was an architect, who was willing to design our home. And we proceeded to do that. But being African-Americans, in a restricted area. We were going to be subject to death threats for five years. During the period of the construction, we had to make decisions.

We got a white person who was married to one of our friends to make the purchase. A Quaker, Lusul Smith, who was an architect, who was willing to design our home. And we proceeded to do that. But being African-Americans, in a restricted area. We were going to be subject to death threats for five years. During the period of the construction, we had to make decisions.

We had an eight-year-old, a third grader, who had to be enrolled in school. Decision to enter RIC into school was made simply because had we gone into the fall, his education would have been interrupted in the local school where he was attending as a third grader.

We had an eight-year-old, a third grader, who had to be enrolled in school. Decision to enter RIC into school was made simply because had we gone into the fall, his education would have been interrupted in the local school where he was attending as a third grader.

We had an eight-year-old, a third grader, who had to be enrolled in school. Decision to enter RIC into school was made simply because had we gone into the fall, his education would have been interrupted in the local school where he was attending as a third grader.

But if he rode out with his father every day onto the site while the house was being constructed, we would drop him off into the lion's den of a school where he would be the only black child We were the only family, the only family of color in the entire valley at the time.

But if he rode out with his father every day onto the site while the house was being constructed, we would drop him off into the lion's den of a school where he would be the only black child We were the only family, the only family of color in the entire valley at the time.

But if he rode out with his father every day onto the site while the house was being constructed, we would drop him off into the lion's den of a school where he would be the only black child We were the only family, the only family of color in the entire valley at the time.

We had no idea that Rick would be subject, the target of those dinnertime conversations that were unmitigated bigotry in the presence of white children by their parents. and that they would act out that hatred on the school grounds against my child. We wouldn't know that until much later. We did make some friends, a couple of friends.

We had no idea that Rick would be subject, the target of those dinnertime conversations that were unmitigated bigotry in the presence of white children by their parents. and that they would act out that hatred on the school grounds against my child. We wouldn't know that until much later. We did make some friends, a couple of friends.