A Mason-Dixon Memory, is a memoir written by Clifton Davis about his friend Dondré Green’s experience and his [Clifton’s] own experiences as an African American living during segregation. Dondré Green is a golf player who is in an all white team that originated from Louisiana. Dondré’s team is at a tournament when the coach tells them that Dondré can’t play because he is black and the facility they are at is an all white facility. As he tells his story, Clifton has a flashback of his past life, when he was 13, and how he was denied the chance to go to a park because he is black. Clifton recalls the pain it caused him as a chaperone explained why he couldn’t go there. As the story unravels, we see the similarities in both stories and how they differ from one another. In both stories, the main character, Dondré and Clifton receive support from their friends and teammates. However, the influence of the stories are different. A Mason-Dixon Memory is a memoir about Clifton’s past and fellow friend Dondré’s story.
Racial discrimination is the act of discriminating someone based on the color of their skin. One of the many forms of racial discrimination is segregation. Segregation is the act of the action or state of setting someone or something apart from other people or things or being set apart. In A Mason-Dixon Memory, Dondré and Clifton both experience racial discrimination because they are black.When Dondré and his team came to the facility for a golf game, Dondré wasn’t allowed into the facility because Dondré’s skin color is black and the facility it’s a “Whites Only” facility. In Clifton’s flashback, he isn't allowed to go to the park because it’s a “Whites Only” park. During that time, there was much segregation of colored people, especially black people, and white people. Especially in the South, many places were “Whites Only” meaning only white people were allowed. Because both Dondré and Clifton’s story took place in the South, forms of racial discrimination is observed. Racial discrimination and segregation are bad acts, for we should never judge someone by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.
Maintaining a good friendship is important because friends are who we turn to for support during hard times. Having someone out there looking out for you and knowing that there is someone who is willing to support you is a feeling everyone should have. Friends are your back up when you’re in a tough situation. When Dondré was told that he wasn’t allowed to play in the tournament, his teammates and friends stood with him and all decided to not play, a form of protest. Dondré later remarks the feeling of having support from his teammates and friends and how good it felt. Clifton also experiences this in a similar situation when he was told he wasn’t allowed to go to the park and his friends all decided to not go and stay back and hang out with him. Having the support of a friend can help you get through hard times and help you move on in life. Friends are also allies who understand your struggles and stand up against those who harm you. Having friends and having support is like an extra layer of strength one can have.
Freedom is something everyone is born with, but could be taken away or granted throughout one’s lifetime. Freedom power to do anything one wants without restraint or restrictions. Having freedom shouldn’t be a privilege in life, like it was in the past. During the Civil War time period, African Americans/people of color, didn’t have freedom/same rights as white people. Even after the war, there was still segregation in the South. The title of the story, A Mason-Dixon Memory, symbolizes the freedom and rights of colored people after being fought for for a long time. During Clifton’s flashback, the purpose and history of the Mason-Dixon line is mentioned. The Mason-Dixon line is the line that separated the North and South during the Civil War. It is the line that separated free Pennsylvania from segregated Maryland. The Mason-Dixon line played a big part in America’s history. It determined the life of colored people and how they would be treated. Freedom is something that was once a privilege even though it should be granted to every living thing on Earth.
Through the story of the past of Dondré and the flashback of Clifton’s early childhood, we get to see and explore how life was back during the time of segregation. We experience what it feels like to be racially discriminated against. We also experience what it feels like to have the support of a friend. The gift of a friend can never be underestimated. The Mason-Dixon line also has a symbolic meaning of freedom that contributes to the story. A Mason-Dixon Memory tells the story of two people and how to cope with life. Through hardship and struggle, the gift of a friend carries us up and beyond.
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