Over this past year I unfortunately have been to three funerals. Two have been for white friends that I have worked with, and one black friend that I also worked with. All of the individuals have been in my age group and a few years younger than me. I think all of them passed before their time and with illnesses that came about suddenly. Two where from forms of cancer, and one from a massive heart attack.
All were what I consider to be good people. Open minded and had high character. I don't believe I every heard anyone say anything bad about them, and they seemed to have been like by all. I saw no racism or bigotry, and all we involved in their church. The funerals were well attended and many people paid their respects at the visitation.
The one thing that continues to stick with me is that even in 2015, my wife and I were the only African American people at the white funerals. Even in this day and age is it possible for individuals to have so little contact with people of color that such a disparity exists? As I worked my way up the corporate leader, it was not unusual to be the "only" minority at a meeting, conference, or on the job. As time went by more and more diversity occurred. But I was shocked back into reality at the funerals to the fact that we are still divided.
On the flip side, at the funeral of my African American friend there were several white mourners present. Is that because we are forced to reach out more to the majority and therefore have more contacts with them than they have with us? I guess until the minority becomes the majority these things will exist. We have school integration, fair housing laws, and sports to try and bring us together early on, but do those ties last throughout time? I think not. What will your funeral look like?
