I AM BLACK……I know there is racism! - Part II

Over the years, I have been hired in many jobs because white men thought I was “pretty or pleasing to the eye.” In many of my jobs, I was sexually harassed, fondled, groped, chased by white men who tried to kiss me, and who demanded sexual favors from me in order for me to keep my job. My boss at Miami Beach Hospital ejaculated in his pants in front of me because he thought I was a pretty black girl. I had to leave all of these jobs before I was attacked or raped. I know these despicable acts did not just happen in a vacuum, nor did they happen just to me, but in fact, happened to many white women as well. These white women may not believe this is a racist act as it happened to them too, but it was racist to me, however, because they told me I was a “pretty nigga” and should be happy for the white man’s attention!

I left Miami in 1979, where I had worked as a Medical Transcriptionist for a couple of years. Miami was already on a form of typewriter computer at that time (Ha! Look how far we have come). I came to Tampa, and applied for a Medical Transcriptionist job at University Community Hospital. I was informed no blacks worked in this type of work there, or in any office position. I was told that I could apply as a receptionist at the front desk. I worked at the front desk and repeatedly tried to get into the Transcriptionist Office where two white girls worked. The White director of the Radiology Department liked me “as I was pleasing to look at,” so when one of the girls left, he told me I could try out, but I had to work both as a Receptionist and Transcriber for six months. After six months, the director, who knew nothing about transcription, gave me a test and I flunked HIS TEST because he said I spelled one word incorrectly (mind you, he knew nothing of transcription). The word the director spelled was fundiscopic, which he spelled incorrectly, and I told him so. I spelled it funduscopic or fundoscopic. After one of the white transcribers told the director I was correct, he relented and gave me the job. I became well known throughout the hospital as the fastest transcriber ever employed there at that time. Of course other blacks throughout the hospital came down to see a “black girl in an office job.” As long as I was at UCH, no white transcriber ever had to work 6 months to prove her or himself. I eventually told the department manager of Radiology about the system I had worked on in Miami. I documented how we could work more efficiently and use “a normal” to cut down on typing and get more reports done faster. I wrote a program for this, and showed how it should work. The department manager stole my idea, and the program I wrote, and took it to the department director. The department manager got all the recognition and credit for the program that I created.

In 1979, I went into a McDonalds on Sligh Avenue and 56th Street in Tampa. I was told that blacks could not come inside, but could order from the window. There were many times then and even now, in a store, donut shop, ice cream shop or the like, I am the first person in line, and sometimes the only person in line, and the attendants will not look at me or acknowledge me. Now when a white person walks in after me, the attendants say “may I help you” as if I am not even there. In earlier years I said nothing, but now I confront these people. Our money is the same color and there should be no difference in how we are treated.

To be continued...