Ezra Awumey and Sam Harmon

Ezra Awumey and Sam Harmon

Interview transcript

EA: What was the saddest moment of your life?

SH: Early in the navy, I was stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, one day my shipmates and I decided to come to Washington to visit the capitol. I drove the car. I didn’t drink at the time so they always used me to be the designated driver. While they were at the bars I decided to sight-see. I walked around the monuments all day and was just tired out and decided that I would go to a movie, rest and then pick them up later. It was right here on Pennsylvania Avenue. There was a movie house there and I went up to buy a ticket, there was a glass there, the ticket seller behind it, and off of the glass reflected the capitol dome and I just thought to myself, “What a great way to end the day… drinking in all of this democracy”. I called for the ticket, she was reading, she punched the machine, I reached my hand to get the ticket and lay down the money, and she pulled it back. And said, “You can’t come in here”. She saw my black hand. And refused to sell me a ticket. The capitol dome was superimposed on her angry face, angered that I would have the temerity to ask to buy a ticket. And I just walked the streets crying all night. That’s the saddest, without any exception, it’s the most painful recollection of anything that’s ever happened to me that I have.