Convenience Stores

What is the historical significance of the relationship between black men and convenience stores?  My father nearly banned me from them or monitored me closely as I went inside.  He would yell,  "Take your hands out of your pockets!"  They have been the site of beatings,  brutal armed robberies, and a refuge for homeless men looking for a handout or second chance at life.

What has caused the strain between black men and the corner store?  Jim Crow undoubtedly played a role.   African Americans,  particularly black men,  received poor service if at all,  which built resentment and a sense of caution of what to expect over the years.  A black man could have been killed or seriously injured for questioning the clerk or stepping out of line.

The unfair treatment continues today, with the best black male patrons treated like second-class citizens.  They are made the butt of jokes or chronically overcharged, known as "pulling prices out of the sky." A confrontation usually develops, with the consumer being misjudged or hauled off to jail by biased law enforcement.  In the end,  no one wins.

Do black men contribute to the problem?  Yes!  Some linger, sell drugs on store property, or harass store employees.  Others fight fire with fire instead of filing a report,  shopping elsewhere, or starting a business.

Nevertheless,  it may seem difficult for some to grasp that one group of Americans cannot shop without being harassed,  marginalized, or made to feel less than a citizen of the United States.  It happens frequently. I remember having a cash register slammed shut in my face by an angry white female store clerk after I questioned my purchase.  I lived to tell about it.  

The ugly history between black men and local store clerks has been years in the making that peaceful dialogue,  respect, and economic expansion can heal.