Race and Street Corners

Old Methodists (Author’s photo)

In my 6th grade year, I finally entered our school’s oratorical contest, that annual event where kids in my grade wrote and then delivered a speech on what it means to be a good citizen. Such a worthy endeavor. There were only two boys who entered that year: me, and my good friend Randy. I have no idea what I wrote, and I know I stumbled over my own words even though I had rehearsed at home several times. Maybe I didn’t fully buy what I was…