Was it racism?
Continued from Page2
Well, if you got this far, you deserve a medal. So I will end this topic on a positive note. What follows is my favorite story:
During the early eighties, I was working as a customer service representative for the AARP Group Health Insurance Program which was underwritten by Prudential Insurance Company. I answered phone calls from the elderly regarding their insurance policies. I needed the job to attend evening college classes. I wanted to be a graphic artist. Unfortunately, Prudential would not pay the tuition expenses because the curriculum did not relate to my job.
A job was posted for Artist Assistant. I applied for the job. I also informed my friend, an artistically gifted co-worker about the job opening. She was a white woman from Alabama. She said that she had seen the posting but decided not to pursue it. She was frustrated with the lack of opportunities within the company. I persuaded her to apply anyway, because she had nothing to loose.
When I told this to a black co-worker, he was astounded! He called me a fool! He asked me if I realized what I had done. He said that I increased the ranks of the competition. He said that the white woman would get the job, simply because she was white!
I felt stupid. He was right. It was a dumb thing to do.
A few weeks went by without any word of an interview. I was getting depressed. One day I saw her. She was well dressed and was wearing make up. I approached her.
She looked at me curiously, and said, “Did you get your interview yet?”
I told that her I had heard nothing and that I was worried.
Then, she told about this story about her interview. She said that she asked the Art Director if he had seen my portfolio. The AD could not find my name was on his list of candidates. She told him that I was very good and that I had definitely applied for the position. The AD said that he would look into it.
The Art Director asked the personnel office for my records and the job transfer application. The personnel office contacted my manager. Somehow, my files were never sent to the Art Director.
It was soon after that incident, that an assistant manager (a white woman) was replaced. She was replaced by a black assistant manager. The new black assistant manager was the only black high ranking employee on the floor of over 300 people. There was no official explanation for the shake up.(Coincidence?)
In any case, I got the interview. The Art Director's socks were blown off. He was impressed with my portfolio. He gave me the job.
And that is how I started in this career. Prudential paid for most of my tuition at Philadelphia College of Art, Evening Division.
Moral of the story? If I had the same inclinations as my black friend, I would not have told my white friend from Alabama about the job. She would not have been there to ask the AD about me. And the AD would not have inquired about my job transfer application.
A sincere thanks to my friend, the “Alabama Southern Belle.”
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