Fly in the Buttermilk

Can past circumstances about social justice and racism continue to be relevant in this era? That is the core question addressed, and answered, in Fly in the Buttermilk, a poignant memoir by Rev. Dr. Robert L. Polk about his time, 1955-1960, as the 48th official Black resident (as he was told) in the state of North Dakota. Fly reveals the amazing story of a freshly minted, young, Black, urban, seminary graduate who dared to accept his first call as a pastor in the nearly all-white state of North Dakota. Polk has always had a deep and innate passion for race relations and social justice, all of which he endeavored to blend, both in his ministry to a tiny and decidedly rural parish and, later, as youth director in the Minot YMCA for over three hundred teens. The author revisits these days through wonderful and revealing stories, detailing how he was always seeking a deeper personal understanding as to why he was there, and constantly questioning whether his presence there was impactful. Essentially, Polk's memoir is exploring whether his Black presence had life-changing currency in the realm of social justice or was it just an anomaly? This candid memoir explores the highs, lows, joys and sorrows, daily routine, and lack of encountering his own people. Racism, although mostly muted, was, nevertheless, a significant ongoing presence and what he experienced then lives on in today's much less muted and increasingly divisive attitudes and encounters. His insights shed a light on the past with relevance to today as he wonders whether his presence made a difference, then and onward into the rest of their lives, of the White youth and adults he met. Fly In the Buttermilk answers that question with a resounding yes. The validity of his quest is confirmed by the many, who experienced the journey with him, who have remained in touch with him through all the years since.