10 Black women bought first-class airplane tickets, and it revealed a lot about race in the U.S.

Software developer Angie Jones’ recent girls’ trip revealed that America still has a long way to go regarding race. To most, that’s not surprising. But what’s unique is how the specific experience Jones and her friends went through revealed the pervasive way systemic racism still runs through our culture. Jones is the Senior Director of Developer Relations at Applitools, holds 26 patented inventions in the United States of America and Japan, and is an IBM Master Inventor. On July 27, she tweeted about a flight she took with nine other Black women, and they all sat in first class. “People literally could not process how it was possible,” she wrote. “Staff tried to send us to regular lines. Passengers made snide remarks. One guy even yelled ‘are they a higher class of people than I am?!’” this weekend I went on a girls trip. 10 Black women flying first class. People literally could not process how it was possible. Staff tried to send us to regular lines. Passengers made snide remarks. One guy even yelled "are they a higher class of people than I am?!"Stay mad.— Angie Jones (@techgirl1908) July 28, 2021 What happened on that flight was telling Jones and her friends were the targets of racism that ranged from the seemingly unconscious, people who assumed that Black people don’t sit in first class, to the blatant, those who were seriously bothered that Black people were being treated as having a higher status. It’s interesting that she didn’t mention anyone saying “good for you” for succeeding in a world that often holds people of color back. Instead, she was greeted with incredulity and jealous rage. There are a lot of white people who can’t stand the idea of a Black person being elevated above them. It’s disturbing that there are still some who will admit it publicly. Jones’ tweets inspired a lot of people to share their stories about the racism they’ve experienced while flying first class. I sit up front just feed on those tears. Two weeks ago, the lady at the United Club west in DEN felt she had to tell me, “this is a private club”.— Bryan Liles (@bryanl) July 28, 2021 REAL TRUTH!! 👏🏽👏🏽One time in first class the flight attendant who *just served me orange juice* asked me if I was in the right section when a little later I stood up to use the 1st class restroom. That means: 1) she didn’t actually see me 2) I looked like I don’t belong there. 😏— Farzana Nayani (@farzananayani) July 28, 2021 I feel you. I’m brown and this happens to me all too often. Recently, before a flight from LGA to Key West for my sister’s bachelorette, a white woman pushed me aside in the first class boarding line and said, “excuse me, I’m first class.” I turned around and said, “so am I.” 🙄— SVH (@pizzacartel) July 28, 2021 Not everyone believed her story Jones’ tweets also angered some people to the point that they denied her story. She responded, “To those saying I’m lying, you’re a huge part of the problem,” she wrote. “You tell yourself a notable person is lying (for what reason, I cannot figure out) before you believe there are actual racists in…America.” don't have the spoons to reply to everyone but to those saying I'm lying, you're a huge part of the problem you tell yourself a notable person is lying (for what reason, I cannot figure out) before you believe there are actual racists in…AmericaFYI, yall look really foolish— Angie Jones (@techgirl1908) July 28, 2021 One Twitter user gave the perfect retort to the person who asked, “Are they a higher class of people than I am?!” fuck I wish I would've thought to say this!!!— Angie Jones (@techgirl1908) July 28, 2021 Their success was the real problem The sight of 10 affluent women of color was upsetting to some, probably because it upset their sense of racial hierarchy. To those who have the ingrained feeling that white people should always be above Black people, it had to be a shock to the system. Especially when they are sitting in economy and the Black women are in first class. To those who harbor racial resentment, they probably had to confront their own feelings of insecurity when seeing that these Black women have been able to succeed in a world where they’re supposed to be on the bottom rung of the social ladder. This article originally appeared four years ago. It has been updated.