You know, it’s funny the little things a person remembers sometimes. The day Dr. King was killed (or rather, shortly afterward) I was riding somewhere on the interstate with my parents, en route to the maternal grandparents’ house in Madison, Indiana. I can’t tell you why except that it wasn’t for Easter, although we did go back to their house for Easter about 10 days thereafter – somewhere there’s a Polaroid picture of me suited up and posed with a basket of goodies at their house dated Easter, 1968.
Anyway, we were on the road when an announcement was made over the radio that Dr. King had been shot and killed in Memphis. I don’t recall any specific reaction from my parents in that moment one way or the other, nor from my grandparents over the next few days. I knew enough though to know that – well, when someone dies violently, it’s appropriate to feel some degree of sadness, which I did. (Moral grounding I suppose that’s born of, I’m not sure what else to call it.)
I did honestly wonder, though, whether when the time came for us to return home we’d be able to get back safely. I’d suppose that a reaction fairly typical of a not-yet 3 year old youngster.
I understand what you’re saying about Roger I think. (The whole banjo and blackface episode from the party of a few years earlier still sticks with me.) Could it be perhaps that the writers or Weiner or whomever wanted to imply that his attitudes had changed at least somewhat by the Spring of 1968?
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Holloway_Harris
8 years ago
I understand what you’re saying about Roger I think. (The whole banjo and blackface episode from the party of a few years earlier still sticks with me.) Could it be perhaps that the writers or Weiner or whomever wanted to imply that his attitudes had changed at least somewhat by the Spring of 1968?
Ha! I had forgotten about Roger's blackface. Also, I remember in season 1 when discussing The Apartment movie with Joan --- "Give me a break ---a WHITE elevator operator -- and a girl at that --- I wanna work there!
Anyway -- maybe his attitude had changed a little....but for some reason I think the writers want to whitewash (pardon the pun!) the reactions of white people --- re-write history a little! Remember how racist he was about the Japanese --- wonder if he calmed down over that?
Little tidbits here and there on the show never really rang true for the time period. An example -- Hollis saying to Peggy and Don in the elevator -- "Did you hear about Marilyn? Poor thing." I don't Hollis would EVER initiate a conversation with white people or anyone for that matter in his role as an elevator operator and a black one at that.
Change was much slower in mainstream America than what is shown on Mad Men.
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doug65oh
8 years ago
Well, I’d like to think that Roger was at least able to come to terms with (or step back from) his hatred of the Japanese. It’s pretty much dime store psychology, but carrying baggage around like that for years afterward simply isn’t healthy – particularly given its potential effect on business situations, as illustrated in Mad Men. If he was unable though, that would put him in the same boat as so many others of his generation and experience. As for other racial attitudes, I think being around Dawn and/or Shirley did him a world of good in the intervening years between ca. 1964-1970.
I see your point about Hollis, but I do wonder: What harm was there in that little scene? Hollis was simply being human, expressing himself in the same way so many others had and did. Think about that courtroom exchange between Bill Windom and Brock Peters in To Kill a Mockingbird: “Well, I – I felt right sorry for her… You…felt sorry for her - a white woman?”
I don’t think it’s entirely fair to lay the whitewash or soft-pedaling of certain things portrayed in Mad Men solely in the lap of the writers, either. The fact that fecal matter tends to roll downhill given proper terrain and sufficient incline notwithstanding, said fecal matter may very well have originated elsewhere – in Matt Weiner’s office, for instance.
I don’t necessarily disagree with your central point, but I do think a fine-toothed comb sometimes gets in the way of enjoying things. As good as Mad Men is, it's certainly not chapter and verse accurate across the board.
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maggimae83
8 years ago
Well said, as usual, Doug. I've been chuckling about how some people are so picky about MM being accurate of the times, especially in terms of language. I don't think the main goal of MM is to depict history accurately. It is to entertain. Frankly, if the writers tried to accurately depict the way people spoke at the time, it would be distracting. As for interaction between blacks and whites, there was plenty of that. During the 1967 riots a young black man who worked with me told me not to worry because when they (blacks) took over, he would make sure I wasn't hurt. I took it as a joke and thanked him for his concern.
maggimae83
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catbookss
8 years ago
That's a sweet story about your coworker, Maggie.
But you have to admit that hearing Pete say "Hell's bells!" was pitch-perfect for his (somewhat old-fashioned) character and the times. I appreciated it, anyway.
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