“It was pretty tough as a kid growing up, especially right there in Mobile and the state of Alabama,” John Mitchell recounts, reflecting on his formative years. His experiences offer a stark reminder of life during segregation, a reality that shaped his childhood and perspective. Mitchell’s narrative sheds light on the pervasive nature of racial discrimination in the American South, particularly in Alabama, during his youth.
Mitchell vividly recalls the omnipresence of Confederate flags, symbols that today are widely recognized for their divisive and racist connotations. “People talk now about confederate flags. At that time confederate flags were everywhere, in the stores, shopping centers.” For John Mitchell and other African Americans, these flags were not just historical emblems; they were blatant signals of exclusion and hostility. “If they had a confederate flag in the window or outside the door, that was a sign that people of color were not welcome,” Mitchell explains.
The segregation extended to every facet of daily life. “At that time schools were segregated. There were black schools and white schools. Transportation was segregated,” Mitchell states. Even basic necessities like public transport were divided along racial lines. Black individuals, despite paying the same fares, were relegated to the back of buses and forced to yield their seats to white passengers if needed. “Black people would pay the same as white people but had to sit in the back of the bus. If the bus was crowded, they had to get up and give their seat to a white person.”
This discriminatory system permeated commercial spaces as well. “They had separate restaurants, shopping,” Mitchell remembers. Even leisure activities were segregated. “Black people, if you went to the movies, you had to go through the back door to get in and then you couldn’t sit in the front of the theater. You had to sit in the balcony.” These experiences instilled a deep awareness of racial boundaries from a young age.
As a curious child, John Mitchell frequently sought to understand the racial disparities he witnessed. “As children are, Mitchell was inquisitive at a young age, and his questions often were about why things were the way they were.” His inquiries led him to his parents, John Sr. and Alice Mitchell, who provided him with honest and crucial insights into the realities of racial inequality.
“I asked my parents (John Sr. and Alice Mitchell) questions,” said Mitchell. “They told me black people were treated a lot different than white people. You had to be aware of your surroundings and the things you did.” Living in Mobile, Alabama, meant navigating a landscape riddled with unspoken rules and potential dangers for Black residents. Mitchell recounts a particularly striking example of these restrictions: “Right there in Mobile, where I went to high school, there is a railroad track that goes right through the city. When I went to the other side of that track, if I was there after 6 o’clock, black people were arrested for trespassing because they were in a white neighborhood and most of the time, they said you had no business being there.”
His parents played a vital role in protecting and guiding him through this challenging environment. “My parents were cognizant of me not being where I shouldn’t be at certain hours of the night. When I would go out as a young guy, dating in high school, they told me places I could go, places I shouldn’t go.” Their vigilance extended to ensuring his safe return home each night. “They would stay awake until I got home to make sure I was OK, that I came back the same way I left.”
John Mitchell emphasizes the profound difficulties faced by African Americans in Alabama during this era. “There were a lot of things back then that were really, really tough for African-Americans, especially in the state of Alabama, especially in Mobile where I grew up.”
Despite the pervasive racism, Mitchell harbored a love for Alabama football. However, the Southeastern Conference’s segregation at the time led him to pursue opportunities elsewhere. He accepted a scholarship to Eastern Arizona Junior College and excelled, earning Junior College All-America honors. His talent caught the attention of USC Coach John McKay. In a noteworthy connection, McKay, with friendly ties to Alabama’s legendary coach Bear Bryant, informed Bryant about Mitchell, a gifted defensive lineman from Mobile who was set to play for the USC Trojans. This marked a significant step in John Mitchell’s journey, taking him from the segregated South towards new horizons in football and life.
