Christmas on Capitol Hill . SE . WDC . Sunday, 12 December 2004
Elvert Xavier Barnes Photography . Writings . Ads
Christmas in WDC
Part 1
And in sharp contrast to what I may would have said just a few years backs ... and with a clenched fist ... I now will respond "you must mean 'that Elvert that you played for a nigger'. And almost as if they were demanding an apology from me for speaking the unspoken truth they'd throw up their hands and say "I would never use that word. Nor ever treat you that way!".
Semantics! When discussing the impact that racism has had on my life I must speak the truth. And if I fail to mention or attempt to conceal the fact that I am a 51 year gay black man who've had many relationships with many whites on every conceivable level than not only would I have not told the truth but more importantly I will not be able to move forward. Nor would the reader grasp the connection between my personal experiences and the experiences of many others of color throughout the global community who hay have had integrated relationships with white men.
Yet, if you discuss the expereinces that any of these individuals may have had over a period of many years you'll find that the experiences and the lives of the white partner is not unlike that of other whites who engage in integrated scenarios in other communities throughout the world. Just as the experiences of blacks who engage in integrated scenarios are hanuthiung similar to other blacks who practice integration with whites. Whereby and in every aspect of their daily lives the experiences of the two partners are often in sharp contrast. And while, of course, it is understandable that in the beginning these disparities may have had more to do with cultural differences and/or were connected to institutionalized racism after a certain amount of time the only reason that I would engage in any ongoing relationship with any of the individuals, organizations or companies that I, historically, have invested my time and energy with is if they and I had discussed or goals and had a mutual understanding that our relationship was for the betterment of each of our lives.
Though I had visited the Hill area several times before mostly to dine at Mr. Henry's and/or to listen to Roberta Flack in the fall of 1978 and after a then recent break up with Rick, my partner of several years, and as a result of entering into a relationship with a real estate developer I would begin to spend much of my time visiting and eventually moving to Capitol Hill.
When we met in October '78 I was working full-time for the govenrment and taking weekend clases at the U of M. And, if my memory serves me correctly, I may still have been working part-time with the Hub Furniture Company in PG Plaza. And while keeping my apartment in Hyattsville on 31 December 1978 we would celebrate New Years Eve with 'a bang' since having worked with him for more than a month I would terminate my government position to join forces with him in his Capitol Hill based firm.