I really enjoyed reading this reading. I always find it interesting to read about things that happened in the past that involved segregation and such. I thank god everyday that times have changed! I know as a black woman now, during those times, I wouldn't have the life that I have now. When I think about all segregation and hate that went on in those times it upsets me a lot! I like how growing up Clarissa always wanted to be an independent woman! I think that this is something that everyone should strive for. It's nice to be a woman and not have to depend on a man or anyone else for anything. I don't like how her father told her that if she becomes independent no man would marry her. It seems like every parent would want what’s best for their kids and want them to be independent, and not the opposite. And especially during those times, it seems like that’s what parents would want the most for their kids, and he wasn't being much of a supporter of that. I couldn't believe how during that time, only a high school diploma was necessary to get a decent job. Growing up black during that time made it harder to get that, and that’s why I give props to her parents because they both received high school diplomas and were hard workers. It disappointed me reading about the conditions of her old school. It was unfair that their school was in such poor conditions)! I believe that if you pay money to go to school, then you should at least be in an educational environment that's in decent condition. Reading the part in the reading about Emmett Till was really sad! I remember reading about the case a few years ago in high school. I felt like his death deserved more attention than what it received from the media, and the men who killed him deserved more punishment than what they received. It was ridiculous! I also thought the Virginia Legislation called the," Massive Resistance Laws" was dumb! I can't understand why a law would be pass to close down school that didn't wanted to desegregate. I thought it was neat that Clarissa got the chance to have her picture in a newspaper and to be featured in the story. Many blacks didn't get to experience that opportunity, so that’s why I found it neat that she got to do so. When asked why she wanted to go to a white school she said for equality and to end being a second class citizen. I agree with those reasons of why she wanted to go! Those are things that everyone hopes for and wants. I kind of feel how Clarissa felt when looking at her picture, and feeling dissatisfied! At first I thought maybe she was complaining because she didn’t like the way she looked, but I realized what she was talking about. She feels like the whole article didn't really focus on the black’s involved but rather the whites. Overall I liked the reading.