Interviews
Encountering racial discrimination at a public swimming pool
I've had some horrendous experience, or shocking experience. I would forget that, you know, there are moments that you forget that we are racially different. And there was a time where Tony's parents had a stall at the Public Market and we would go there after some activities. And then there was one day that Tony and Vito and another fellow, it was hot, said, Hey, let's go swimming. The pool is right up here. Crystal Pool and we looked, at, it cost a dime so I said, Hey, that's a great idea.
So here we go, we, it was only a couple of blocks from the market, so we went there and they paid and I'm in line and when they came to me, they said no. They just, they didn't say, they just waved their hands and said, Out. And it just caught me by surprise. And the others, they were shocked. They didn't know, they couldn't understand, but I understood right away what it was about. And they, they start arguing with them, with the clerk there, or the cashier and at the same I was already halfway down the block.
Date: August 18, 1997
Location: Washington, US
Interviewer: Lori Hoshino, Stephen Fugita
Contributed by: Denshō: The Japanese American Legacy Project.
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