One Day in the Deep South in 1966

The scene was a hotel lobby in the Deep South. The year was 1966. A white woman holding an infant entered the lobby with five other children trailing her. The oldest child kept busy keeping track of her siblings while the woman, still holding the infant, waited in line to get a room.

She noticed a black couple in line ahead of her trying to get a room.

"We're sorry, we don't have any rooms," the black couple was told.

"But we have reservations. We made our reservations over the phone last week," the black man stated.

"We're sorry, we don't have any reservations with your name," the person behind the desk repeated. "We don't have any rooms."

The couple left the hotel lobby.

The woman with the infant moved to the lobby desk.

"Yes, ma'am, can we help you?"

She gave her name and received her room keys.

"I know what's going on here. You don't think I know what's going on here?"

A porter moved to help the family carry their bags. He was also black.

"It's not right. It's not right," the woman exclaimed to the person behind the desk.

"We can carry our own bags, thank you," she said to the porter.

The porter watched as the family collected their belongings. A nine-year old boy struggled to carry a suitcase bigger than he was. Somehow, the woman and her six children made it to their rooms. The woman gave the infant to the oldest daughter and sat on the bed and wept.

Eventually, the woman dried her tears and set about the business of getting her children washed and ready for dinner. They were to meet her husband in the hotel restaurant for dinner. He had spent the day in a job interview.

Their rooms were at end of the hall. It was a long way to the elevator. As the family made its way down the hall, the hotel maids, who were all black, came to every door, lining the hall way.

"Good evening, Mrs. Barker, have a nice evening," the maid said.

"Good evening, Mrs. Barker, lovely children," another maid said.

"Good evening, Mrs. Barker, have a nice stay," another said.

The family filled up the elevator and went downstairs to the restaurant. The restaurant staff, who were all black, helped the woman and her six children to their table. When her husband joined them, the chef, who was black, came out of the kitchen and took the family's order for dinner.

One day in the Deep South in 1966. A day in the life of a family. A day in the life of a country struggling to treat all people with dignity and respect. A couple denied a room. A porter. A maid. A chef. A nine-year old boy. A woman whose memory lives on in the hearts and minds of her husband and children.