I get the segregation. In the early 80's while stationed on a ship in Norfolk, VA, I was invited by a black friend in my division to visit his in-laws for the weekend in a small North Carolina town near the Virginia border. I was very reluctant, these were his in-laws and they didn't even know me, let alone come into their home for the weekend.
But he insisted and I went. It was like I stepped back into time, the 20's?? They had a large home with a built on store, complete with penny candy jars and Coke in the old chest refrigerators. It was on the black side of the tracks, I never saw a white person the whole weekend. The hooker across the street sitting on the porch on a swinging couch also selling moonshine. There was a wake for someone, and I thought it was a large party. On Sunday after church, there must have been about 30 people who stopped by for a short visit, always polite, saying Miss this and Miss that. A Sunday spread of soul food that I only got to experience on major holidays. What a culture shock! I've never since experienced such hospitality in any neighborhood in this country. Absolutely amazing. So I guess it isn't all that shocking after all now that I think about it. But what I really don't understand is segregation, it doesn't make any sense.