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
Reading over how she was upset in the way white people would address her grandmother reminds me of a scene in "Why the Caged Bird Sings," the autobiographical film of poet Maya Angelou. In this scene young Angelou say two white children disrespect her grandmother by doing a hand stand in from of her, revealing her naked lower body. This infuriated young Angelou but her grandmother reassured her that African Americans pride themselves in maintaining a mild manor when faced with adversity. I’m sure Soremekun's grandmother felt the same way.
ReplyDelete-Jasmine E. Williams
As in today, I believe that it is very importantee that we attend school to get an education. Our ancestors were killed and recieved their hands chopped off, when they were trying to read and write. They experienced many harsh things in order for us to stand where we are as in today. Segregation was a major input that effected our factor into learning, but we still manage to go to school, and become just as smart than the white man. I take education very seriously because my ancestors fought for me to attend the colleges that I will attend.
ReplyDelete- Sa'Myra Bradford
I agree with the fact that the majority of formal literacy was thought of as "problematic" because whites did not encoruage any type of education even if it did include reading for pleasure in an African American text. They believed that it would not only aid them in learning how to read, but also give them someone or something to relate to on paper. Unlike the whites, African Americans did not have characters in books he looked like them or resembled their lifestyle and black children were left to look up to white characters. Without African American text, the African American race continued to have low self- esteem and believe that they were flawwed in comparison to the white men, women, and children.
ReplyDelete-Saba Tesfamariam
As I read House-Soremekun's reflections on her upbringing and how she acquired literacy, I was able to make a personal connection. I too grew up around educators and it was at home where I first began my literary journey. I was encouraged to attened college just as my parents, grandparents, and aunts, and uncle had. House-Soremekun shows how important literary aspects are whether you are learning it in schools or in the home. Reading her section "Formal and Informal Literacy" shows how one can obtain formal literacy in school but also how important informal learning can be for an individual as they are able to learn historical aspects from a family member about history as it pertains to them. This also reminded me of how I had formal litercy training in school as I learned reading, writing, and arithmatic but it was at home where my parents and grandparents taught me about African American history. I enjoyed reading this essay because it strengthened my confidence in the importance of teaching in the home.
ReplyDeleteKirah Brace