In many ways, growing up on Mozley Place was beautiful. The street was wide, there were a lot of trees, and our house was set on two lots, which meant my siblings and I had a lot of room to play.

I didn't realize how lucky we were at the time. Years later, my brother, who now lives in Chicago, said to my mom: "We didn't realize we were poor." To which she replied: "You weren't. But your father and I were."

That should give you some idea of what they went through during those years of segregation to ensure we had a good childhood.

Thanks for reading.