A Letter Home to President Clement

Dear Mother and Father,
Hello from Austria!  We've been here for a couple of weeks and are just now getting settled in.  Pershing has had some trouble getting started and isn't the chief of surgery as had been promised.  His CO is from Mississippi, even thousands of miles away from the South we can't escape Jim Crow.  They're so rude to him, I see it in his eyes when he gets home from work.  I know he is trying his best and the patients that he does see all rave about him.  Hopefully he'll get a better chance soon.

It's hard living on base.  There are very few black wives here, and needless to say, most of the white wives are unwelcoming.  I feel lonely, worlds away from what I know and love in Atlanta.  However, we do what we can and have dinners occasionally with the other black families, but it's tough.  Bunny and Robin have just started school here, but again, they face the hardship of being some of the only black children on a predominantly white military base.  I worry about them sometimes and can only think of how much better off they would be living at home in Atlanta going to the best schools possible, not to mention being with their loving grandparents!

Outside the base, life is quite exciting!  Austria, while not completely devoid of racism, is a whole world apart from America.  People treat us with respect here and it's truly a beautiful country.  Salzburg is a historic city and is really different than Atlanta, I do hope you will come visit us.  I know you would love the absolute freedom of Europe.

Please write back quickly,
Your loving daughter,
Alice

Comments

  1. AnonymousMay 20, 2018 at 11:22 PM

    Alice,

    We love you so much sweetheart! We’re glad you’re enjoying Austria.

    That’s such a shame about those wives! I did warn you about that though. Society in Atlanta is so much more agreeable. You already know everyone and everyone knows who you are. You don’t need to white society, when you’ve got Atlanta on your side. I do hope it gets better for you though. Stick close with the other colored wives and remember who you are and where you come from, sweetie.

    How are the schools there? Are they decent at least. I don’t want my girls’ education to suffer because your Pershing there had it in him to go halfway around the world. What do they even teach children over there? Make sure they learn their history. Salzburg sounds lovely. Maek sure they get to see all of it. Don’t let those girls stay cooped up on the base. Take them around the cities. Get some culture in them away from all that military business. Take them to Paris. We’ve always loved Paris

    We’re definitely planning on making a trip to come see you. We wouldn’t dream of leaving you to fend for two children on your own for that long without coming to see how you’re doing in person. We know how strong you are, but a mother needs some help, especially when her husband isn’t the man in charge after all. We can take you and the girls to Paris! Wouldn’t that be fun? Seeing it all together?

    Tell Pershing to hang in there. He always knows how to make the best of a bad situation. And do make sure he knows that if you’re ever in want, ever at all, of returning to work in Atlanta, your father can set him up with a job real quick here. He’d have a practice and clients real quick, wouldn’t need to worry about a thing. Don’t allow him to let those white folks get him down though. He has worked very hard, and if nothing else deserves a fair shot. As his wife, make sure he keeps his spirits up-and tell him to think about practicing back home. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, Jim Crow will follow you anywhere you go, so it’s best to make our own circles and stick with our kind. Look at how well your father is doing here. He knew how to make a world where he could rise. Pershing should think about that.

    Give the girls my best! I miss them so much! I love you all so much sweetheart, and I promise we’ll see you real soon. Once it’s summer vacation at the college.

    Much Love,
    Mama and Daddy

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