The Gold Cadillac

The trip to Mississippi becomes reality because ’lois’s father is determined to do what he wants. He is “tired” (26) of being cautious because of racist people and laws. “I got that Cadillac because I liked it,” he says, “and because it meant something to me that somebody like me from Mississippi could go and buy it. It’s my car, I paid for it, and I’m driving it south” (26). Mother asserts that she and the girls will go on the Mississippi drive as well. When the uncles and aunts announce they will go as well in cars of their own, “so we can watch out for each other” (26), an intense flurry of preparations begins. Mother-Dear and the aunts all begin preparing an array of foods to take on the trip.

Once the elaborate picnic is packed in the car, the girls feel excited. As they begin driving, Daddy cautions Wilma and ’lois that once they get farther South, they cannot speak if there is an interaction with white people. ’Lois begins seeing more and more signs that say “white only” (29), and, confused, asks what they mean. Her father explains that the signs mean they won’t be allowed to use any of those services, and ’lois feels suddenly that the picnic they had packed “did not seem so grand” (30).