Celebrating The Legacy

Birney was motherless at the age of two years of age. She felt as id she was out of place, and without a value. She was mentally abused. It was not until she went to college that she recieved a cultural, and spiritual awakening. This opened up her point of view to have a passion for education, her mind, body, spirt, past and present, and future. Attending college, and having the most influential professors, she also recieved a cultural uplifting that she stillo celebrates despite all the negativity and downsizement we recieved as African American women. Overall, I had a connection, because it was not until I came to Spelman until I found my purpose. Spelman gave me a cultural, economical, and networking awakening. Spelman College gave me the opportunity to become more open with people of my background. Even though we all come from different angles of the world, we each serve a different purpose. Economically, Spelman influenced me that education is very important, and even though I am not financially stable, that SCHOLARSHIPS are very important. Networking became a big thing to me because this is a very big campus. In the long run, you never know who you might run into, and might need a favor.

Lessons From Down Under: Reflections on Meanings of Literacy and Knowledge From an African American Female Growing Up in Rural Alabama

This chapter by Bessie House-Soremekun was split into four different sections, Historical and Political Context, Knowledge and Knowing, Formal and Informal Literacy, and Explicating the Race Rules. The Historical and Political Context section begins mentioning the Montgomery Bus Boycotts and how it was the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement. “Through written and oral modes of communication,” African Americans were able to make fundamental changes that occurred under the umbrella of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, resulting in Affirmative Action, which evened the playing field in American society.

In the section, Knowledge and Knowing, House-Soremekun talks about growing up in a small southern town in Alabama. She grew up with part of her literacy being religious. She learned to read and understand the Bible, and also learned to understand issues regarding morality. Education was an important aspect because her mother, grandmother, uncle, and father had gone to college. The three latter were all teachers.

The section, Formal and Informal Literacy, explains that obviously, formal literacy was important to her family even though it was “problematic” for African Americans during the time of segregation and outright racism. Lack of written texts by and about African Americans left the race with low self-esteem. However, informal literacy was a strong part of the African American community. Her Grandma Bessie passed down stories and information from her life and her family’s history. This oral tradition was a form of literacy that many African American people inherited.

The section, Explicating the Race Rules, explains how Jim Crow laws institutionalized “separate but equal.” These laws kept Blacks and Whites separate in schools, restrooms, restaurants, buses, etc. House-Soremekun reflects on how she resented how her grandmother was treated by whites; and how it upset her that they refused to address her in a respectable manner by calling her Mrs. Fannings. She explains that this is how whites were able to elevate themselves. She also resented being racially categorized instead of being looked at as a person who was a credit to the human race. She also mentions that in many ways literacy took the backseat to a person’s race and did not help their chances of becoming an equal. By reaching her goals and being a literate woman who teaches and writes published works, Bessie House-Soremekun has been able to positively impact the lives of many.

~Alaina Walton

Hidden Literacies In ACotton Field

Throughout the chapter, the author, Lillie Gayle Smith, talks about her memories working in the cotton fields as a minor even though it was not in the 18th and 19th century. She valued lessons from cotton picking during her childhood. Her lessons in the cotton field taught her how to "unearth" her true understanding of life, and how it is a privelage to stand where we are today. I feel like the over all message she gives in the chapter explains that there are literacies that can be taught better outside of the classroom. However, I related two of my past life stories in the chapter. There was a quote in the chapter that stated, "Marganilized and stigmated through the triple realities of race, class and gender." Even though we are not working in the cotton field, us, as African American women, are still being dehumanized in our communities, society, and even in public places. I can relate a personal life story to this quote to prove that it still goes on even in the 21st century. My senior year, as I was working in a clothes store in the mall, a mid - age black woman asked if she could used the restroom. I politely told her that our store does not provide restrooms for customers and there nearest one was in the food court. As I saw her circle the store, I could see that she was trying to find another sales associate, or maybe even a manager. When she found another sales associate, near me, she explained how she really needed to go to the restroom. As I looked down at her legs, I could see that she was menstrating, and then I glanced at her stomach. I begin to think if she was having a miscarrage because she was pregnant. As I went to get the store manager, I begin to explain to her what was going on, and how an abulance needed to be called. Without no hassle, she ran to the back, and grabbed brown paper napkins, and asked the lady may she politely wipe up the blood from the floor. What if it was another race? My second connection with the author is how her mother taught her how to value a dollar bill. Without spendong money unwisely, my mother always taught me that everytime somebody gave me some money, I should not want to just spend it so fast, and rather budget my money. I should be able to put some away for savings, and an emergency stash. She also taught me that any size amount that I did recieve, I HAD to put 10% in church. She explained and broke it down to me that in order to recievce you have to give.
-Sa'Myra Bradford

Reel Women: Black Women and Literacy in Feature Films

-Joanne Kilgour Dowdy

In this reading Dowdy talks about how she uses films to teach her students about literacy and Black women. The women portrayed in these films possessed different forms of literacy, such as being a nurse, caretaker, stay at home mother and a teacher. Not all of these women were literate and they all faced problems that came directly from their lack of “book sense.” However, the majority of the time, the woman’s greatest trouble came from their race and being Black. Without book sense combined with other forms of literacy, it is difficult to survive and thrive as a Black woman.

“Passion Fruit”, “The Color Purple”, and “Music from the Heart” are three films that I would like to focus on for this blog. Each woman faces different issues and has different levels of literacy. In “Passion Fruit”, the Black nurse, played by Alfre Woodard, was an addict in recovery that left her child to take care of a crippled white woman. Her literacy was not “book sense” but common sense. She was able to form a relationship with her mistress where there is a mutual respect; “a republic”.

In “The Color Purple”, Celie – played by Whoppi Goldberg – learns to read and write and is able to make enough money to live independently. She “makes a way out of no way,” but we realize that there are other factors or realities in this woman’s life that are not easily cured with “book sense.”

“Music from the Heart” with Angela Bassett and Meryl Streep, shows a Black woman with an education and power as the principal of a school. However, we come across the fact that an education only goes so far in a “Eurocentric society.” “Literacy, in the Black woman’s hands, is trumped by the wider political pressures” (Dowdy, 173). This means an education does not always merit power.

Dowdy uses film to teach her students about Black women and literacy. With these films students are able to see how Black women are viewed throughout Hollywood. Many of the issues brought to light in these films are realities of Black women in America. On the other hand, this is not our only reality. Dowdy is trying to teach her students to “analyze the stereotypes propagated by mainstreamed scriptwriters.” We have to write about the positive experiences of Black women to undo “the damage that negative film images have contributed to our society.”

~ Alaina Walton

'She was workin’ like foreal’: Critical literacy and discourse practices of African American females in the age of hip hop

In Elaine Richardson’s ‘She was workin’ like foreal’: Critical literacy and discourse practices of African American females in the age of hip hop”, she discusses the manner in which black females are portrayed and depicted in hip hop music videos. The work also includes an interview with another black female, which shares her opinion of the issue. Richardson highlights both the negative and the positive connotations of the black women’s role in music videos. On the one hand, many view these women as seductive and slutty, individuals that are objectified and sexually exploited for male gratification. However, one of the interviewees argued that in some aspects, because the women are capable of doing what they want and deciding if they want to be portrayed in that light, it gives them a sense of sexual domination and authority. In essence, society looks at these women in either one of two ways, as described in Richardson’s article. Black women in hip hop play the roles of either the sexual objectified, loose female, one who is looked down upon with eyes of pity and shame and called a hoe, a slut, or everything but a child of God; or she plays the role of the hypersexual, dominant figure, who’s power comes from sex and is often more admired than the women who is simply called loose. However, Richardson’s interviews bring up the question of who is responsible for these women’s portrayal in the media.

It is not the responsibility of a man to tell a woman not to portray herself as a promiscuous individual. However, it is also not right for that woman or any other woman to be exploited for her sensuality. In essence, Richardson works to ask whether or not the women in videos like Nelly’s Tip Drill and the like are responsible for the manner in which they are portrayed, ABSOLUTELY. However, that does not mean it is acceptable for a male artist, or any other artist, to portray them in that way, especially for monetary progression. I feel that both parties are equally responsible. Granted, these women do not have to choose to be in these videos, nor do the “brothas” that claim they love “their women”, black women; have to choose to exploit them. Black women have been sexually exploited since before our ancestors were enslaved and this exploitation seems to haunt us like a nightmare from which we cannot seem to awake.

As women of Spelman College, we have made a choice to save the world. What better place to begin to change than right here, with ourselves. We cannot simply change the way black women are stigmatized, exploited or objectified from the confines of our classrooms. Though it is very important to dialogue and share thoughts, we must work outside of these walls and act on our thoughts. If we see our sisters or fellow African American women being portrayed in a manner that is unacceptable, it matters not who’s at fault or to blame for this portrayal. What’s important is what we are to do to change and impact this problem. It’s not simply the fault of the women. But the media and producers are to blame as well. EVERYONE is responsible and should be held accountable, even ourselves for not intervening. However, regardless of who’s responsible for creating this problem, it’s our choice o fix it. And as women of integrity, action, servitude and pride, we should start by choosing to save our world.

Taylor Hawkins

Lights Camera Action

....And the winner is? The strong black women of the movie screen. When discussing the triumphs of women, it is quite easy to overlook the accomplishments made while in the movie theater. We laugh, conversate about, and enjoy viewing many films but how often do we realize the lead actress is a black woman? Names like Halle Berry and Goldberg were mentioned in the reading, The Reel Women, and little descriptions of some of the best movies, such as Losing Isaiah, remind me of how powerful black women are. As I enjoyed this text, i thought about the many movies that I had viewed and how black women had a lot to add. For instance, this weekend I enjoyed the movie Valentine's Day, and one of the characters was none other than Queen Latifah, an actress who has had her own sitcom and appeared in countless movies. It reminds me of the fact that once women were not even allowed anywhere near the set of a movie. Instead, males played their part, and as for a black character? They were not allowed nowhere near stage, unless they were workers of course. To combine both very oppressed races, and put them behind a camera screen is a dangerous bet, but has only produced remarkable outcomes. The picture of the Emmy posted is to signify excellence, for the best movies and actors/actresses receive this award. I very much enjoyed this text because I really never thought about the type of influence black actresses had on the TV screen.

In the essay “Going Against the Grain,” author Jacqueline Jones Royster sets a strong tone of empowerment to provoke the uplifting of African American women. Focusing on the opening lines of her essay, she quotes author Maria Stewart by saying “Oh yea daughters of Africa, awake! Awake! Arise! No longer sleep nor slumber but distinguish yourselves…Knowledge would begin to flow, and the chains of slavery and ignorance would begin to melt like wax before the flames.” This quote was meant to speak to and encourage not only the young women of the past, but the young women of the present and future as well. Our foremothers so diligently worked to ensure that we would understand the importance of becoming intelligent literate young women to break free of the chains of oppression. However they also knew that simply being able to read and write was not enough. We as black women had to be literate in many other forms of literacy in addition to the obvious to even measure up to the white community. That is why we as a black community set up schools specifically for our youth so that they would not be mislead by their biased white master instructors and African American history would not be neglected. Having institutions especially for African Americans (HBCU’s) sparked inspiration, motivation and a desire for education. As a young black woman, I aspire to continue this legacy of intelligent black women that so many powerful and intellectual black women and ancestors have set forth for me. I understand the importance of opening my eyes and why we as black women have to go against the grain and “distinguish ourselves “As an active and aware member of society and I believe that as a student at Spelman College I am on that path of excellence.
-Saba Tesfamariam