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My mother’s family stopped talking to her because her husband was too dark: Holding

Written by Abhishek Patil

West Indies legend Michael Holding on Thursday broke down in tears while addressing the racism faced by his parents in the past during an interview with Sky News’ reporter Mark Austin.

Holding admitted during an interview with Sky News’ Mark Austin on Thursday that he was thinking about his parents when he became emotional on TV.

“To be honest, that emotional part came when I started thinking of my parents. And it’s coming again now,” Michael Holding said.

Holding paused, before continuing: “Mark, I know what my parents went through.

“My mother’s family stopped talking to her because her husband was too dark.

“I know what they went through, and that came back to me immediately,” Holding said, wiping tears from his eyes.

“Well, it’s going to be a slow process, but I hope. Even if it’s a baby step at a time. Even a snail’s pace. But I’m hoping it will continue in the right direction. Even at a snail’s pace, I don’t care,” Holding added.

Earlier on Wednesday, Holding had said the society has not gotten over the problem of racism yet and it’s important to acknowledge that Black lives matter in the current climate. The documentary and the subsequent interaction with Holding was aired in the lead up to the first Test between England and West Indies in Southampton on Wednesday.

“Education is important unless we want to continue the lives we are living in. When I say education, I mean going back in history. This thing stems from a long time ago, hundreds of years ago. The dehumanisation of the black race if where it started,” Holding said while speaking about his documentary to Nasser Hussain on Sky Cricket.

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Abhishek Patil