He and the girl had almost nothing to say to each other. One thing he did say was, 'I ain't got any tattoo on my back.'' What you got on it?' the girl said.' My shirt, ' Parker said. 'Haw.''Haw, haw, ' the girl said politely. Flannery OConnor
About This Quote

This quote, by Zora Neale Hurston, is a classic in civil rights history. The girl is referring to the tattoo on Parker's back. The scene takes place in the mid-1920s; this was around when African Americans were still not allowed in public places with whites. Parker had to share seats with the white people but he also had to sit at the very back of the bus, away from everyone else. But that wasn't enough for him; he also had to sit under a tree because his skin was black and therefore "dirty." It's that sort of prejudice that forced him to get a tattoo as a way of symbolizing his pride as an African American.

Source: The Complete Stories

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