Students were assigned this essay as an inside look at oppression and racism
from the last one hundred years, told by two elderly ladies in the book, Having
Our Say. 100 Years of Degradation There are several books that have to be read
in English 095. Having Our Say is one of them. My advice is to read this book
while you are still in 090 or 094, just to get the advantage. These are some
things that you will discover in this extraordinary biography. This book is
tough to take as humorous, because it?s heart-wrenching to look at racism in
America, but Having Our Say, manages to pull off the feat. Having Our Say really
makes you think and tries to somehow reflect on the past as if you were actually
there. As a white male, I am amazed at how these two African American sisters
were able to live through over one hundred years of racism and discrimination,
and then be able to write about their experience in a humorous, yet very
interesting way. Having Our Say chronicles the lives of Sadie and Bessie Delany,
two elderly colored sisters (they prefer the term colored to African-American,
black, and negro), who are finally having their say. Now that everyone who ever
kept them down is long dead, Sadie and Bessie tell the stories of their
intriguing lives, from their Southern Methodist school upbringing to their
involvement in the civil rights movement in New York City. Sadie is the older,
103 years old, and sweeter of the sisters. The first colored high school teacher
in the New York Public School System, Sadie considers herself to be the Booker
T. Washington of the sisters, always shying away from conflict and looking at
both sides of the issue. Bessie is the younger sister, 101 years old, and is
much more aggressive. A self-made dentist who was the only colored female at
Columbia University when she attended dentistry school there, Bessie is the
W.E.B. Dubois of the sisters, never backing down from any type of confrontation.
As the sisters tell the stories of their ancestors and then of themselves, and
how they have endured over 150 years of racism in America, they tend to focus
mainly on the struggles that they encountered as colored women. Bessie brings
laughter to the book with her honest, frank, and sometimes, confrontational take
on life. Much of the humor arises from the interactions between the sisters
because of their opposite personalities. The Delany sisters were greatly
influenced by their father. With their father being a minister, the Delanys
learned excellent moral values. These morals played an important part in their
lives. They faced many hardships and trials in over one hundred years. Their
father?s influence played a major role in their survival. Other people in
society did not know how to react to the Delany sisters. They were different
from most other negro women of their day. They carried themselves with great
pride, and they demanded respect everywhere they went, whether they got it or
not. Although they were very different in many respects, they both possessed a
zest for life. People showed many different reactions to that. I believe that
Sadie and Bessie can teach us all a lesson in life. They were confident, life
filled women. They always tried to put forth a positive outlook on everything,
as if even the struggles were a blessing. For this we owe them a debt of
gratitude. Having Our Say can be somewhat confusing to read at times, but I
truly believe that it is worth the effort. This book will be part of my
collection for a long time. Since we do a bit of research into the times and
circumstances surrounding the books we read, I?ve discovered some interesting
things about their early life environment that might contribute to their
longevity. Harlem offered some amazing creativity in the early nineteen
hundreds. Much of this creativity was referred to as the Harlem Renaissance.
This period gave birth to such figures as Langston Hughes, Bill ?Bojangles?
Robinson, renowned writers such as Zora Neile Hurston, and many others. The
Renaissance also gave way to organizations such as National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People, the Urban League, and the Universal Negro
Improvement Association, several of which are all still operating. My view is
that the poetry was the best thing about this time. It was filled with emotion
and conviction. During my research, I read quite a few of the poems from the
Renaissance. In doing so, I had found a favorite. This poem is entitled
?Nocturne of the Wharves? by, Arna Bontemps. It reads: All night they whine
upon their ropes and boom against the dock with helpless prows: these little
ships that are too worn for sailing front the wharf but do not rest at all.
Tugging at the dim gray wharf they think no doubt of China and of bright Bombay,
and they remember islands of the East, Formosa and the mountains of Japan. They
think of cities ruined by the sea and they are restless, sleeping at the wharf.
Tugging at the dim grey wharf they think no less of Africa. An east wind blows
And salt spray sweeps the unattended decks. Shouts of dead men break upon the
night. The captain calls his crew and they respond– the little ships are
dreaming?land is near. But mist comes up to dim the copper coast, mist
dissembles images of the trees. The captain and his men alike are lost and their
shouts go down in the rising sound of waves. Ah little ships, I know your
weariness! I know the sea-green shadows of your dream. For I have loved the
cities of the sea, and desolations of the old days I have loved: I was a
wanderer like you and I have broken down before the wind. I believe that 090 and
094 English students will probably enjoy this type of reading. There is so much
more to this book than just the required reading. If you really look, there is
an all new type of culture that our generation has never experienced. These are
the things that make reading fun.
Delany, Sarah L. and A. Elizabeth. Having Our Say. New York: Dell Publishing,
1993. Poem by Arna Bontemps. ?Nocturne of Wharves?. nku.edu/~diesmanj/bontemps.html.
Другие работы по теме:
Khufu Essay Research Paper Around 2610 BC
Khufu Essay, Research Paper Around 2610 B.C., the king of Egypt, Sneferu, had his first son, Khufu. Khufu ruled from 2589-2528 B.C. While he ruled, he decided to build a great
Writing A Poem Essay Research Paper Writing
Writing A Poem Essay, Research Paper Writing a Poem It is beyond reason; there is no motive, no explanation Why it is, I do not know because there is cause, no clarification.
Nine Guardians Essay Research Paper Nine Guardians
Nine Guardians Essay, Research Paper Nine Guardians Throughout time man has oppressed his own kind. In The Nine Guardians man, in this case the Spanish man is oppressing the Mexican Indians. Just like history before the oppression of the Mexican Indians the oppressed revolt. In The Nine Guardians when the Indians revolt it causes death, degradation of a family, mental strain to the point of insanity and property damage, just as revolts before it.
Worlds Population Essay Research Paper The worlds
Worlds Population Essay, Research Paper The world?s population is an important issue. The earth is a sphere, which means that it has certain limitations and in particular, there are limits to growth of things that consume the earth and that live on.
Pyramids 3 Essay Research Paper Pyramids are
Pyramids 3 Essay, Research Paper Pyramids are one of the world s greatest mysteries, which are located in Egypt. There were a lot of theories of how the pyramids were built, but no one was sure. The Greeks came up with the theory, that it took 100, 000 men and 20 years to build the Great Pyramid of Gizeh. That theory was proven wrong because it was believed that it took 5 times that amount of men.
Dad Essay Research Paper DADHe left me
Dad Essay, Research Paper He left me when I was a baby Before I was even born But to think he never tried to find me Makes me shiver through the bone. Wondering year after year
Das Kapital By Karl Marx 1818
– 1883) Essay, Research Paper Throughout the last few centuries, according to Marx, it has been the common worker’s fate to suffer the “maximum of working time and the minimum of wages” in order to supply Capitalists with
Taking On Responsibility Essay Research Paper Taking
Taking On Responsibility Essay, Research Paper Taking on Responsibility When I was diagnosed with diabetes I had to take on some responsibilities. Lately I had been feeling sick, drinking a lot, and going to the bathroom a lot. So my mom took me to the doctor to see what was wrong. I don?t remember much of it because I was only three years old.
Sustainablity Essay Research Paper What is an
Sustainablity Essay, Research Paper What is an unsustainable city? An unsustainable city: Requires continual input of non-renewable resources uses renewable sources faster than the rate of renewal
Saxophone Essay Research Paper The Saxophone is
Saxophone Essay, Research Paper The Saxophone is probably one of the most popular instruments to date. there are 13 different types of saxophones, but only four are regularly used. This instrument has a sound all of
Space Program Essay Research Paper Should Money
Space Program Essay, Research Paper Should Money be spent on the Space Program? I think that tax dollars as well as government money should go to the space program. I feel this way because the more we learn about space in general, the more technological advancements we will acquire in the years to come. If you think about everything we have learned as a result of space travel in the past 40 years alone, than just to think of what we could learn in the next 40 years to come.
Hamlet Essay Research Paper ally funny man
Hamlet Essay, Research Paper ally funny man. Hamlet: why are you throwing up another skull. It could be a skull of a lawyer. So who grave is this man. Clown: It?s all mine.
Cloning Essay Research Paper A couple that
Cloning Essay, Research Paper A couple that had been married for only two years was in a terrible car accident. The husband, however, was unconscious when the paramedics arrived. He went into a coma shortly after arriving at the nearby hospital. He came out of the coma but never was the same again. It turns out that when he was in the accident, he had severe head trauma, and would be a vegetable the rest of his life.
Space Report Essay Research Paper Space and
Space Report Essay, Research Paper Space and the technology to study space have improved rapidly over the years. Space travel also is a big deal in the way we get our sources for galaxies and nebulas. The Hubble Space Telescope has been the best way to get our information for everything from millions of light years away from Earth.
Cukoo Essay Research Paper McMurphyMcMurphy 35 years
Cukoo Essay, Research Paper McMurphy McMurphy, 35 years old, plays the role of a mental patient. He was brought into the ward because he pretended to be crazy and everybody believed him. McMurphy was arrested for assault (fighting in bars), drunkenness, disturbing the peace, repeated gambling, and statutory rape.
Leaving You Essay Research Paper i must
Leaving You Essay, Research Paper i must leave you for a short while please do not grieve and shed wild tears and hug your sorrows to you through the years but start out bravely with a gallant
Sea Lion Essay Research Paper The Sea
Sea Lion Essay, Research Paper The Sea Lion is found in the West Coast of North America and the Galapagos Islands. The name of the sea lion is the California Sea Lion or the Zaluphus Californianus. The phylum is the
Memory Essay Research Paper As we all
Memory Essay, Research Paper As we all grow up and mature, we come to wonder how we have come to being the person we are today. This path of life was not predetermined rather created
Desert Tortises Essay Research Paper Desert tortoises
Desert Tortises Essay, Research Paper Desert tortoises are found on flats, alluvial fans, bajadas and rocky terrain. Historically, flat terrain has lent itself to human. Skewing population estimates towards this gentler terrain. – But evidence exists that desert tortoises also frequent Rocky slopes, perhaps for protection from the desert heat.
The Swing Essay Research Paper every summer
The Swing Essay, Research Paper every summer i go to my grandpa’s house it was when i was six years old that we first took the walk across the old bridge that bridge was a special bridge
Time Travel Essay Research Paper The Twins
Time Travel Essay, Research Paper The Twins Paradox uses Einstein’s Theory of Special Relativity to explain that time travel is possible. Let’s say two twins are on Earth. They are both twenty years old. One leaves in a spaceship. She is gone for sixty years. When she returns the twin that remained on Earth is eighty years old, she on the other hand appears to be about thirty.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Essay Research Paper Ch 1
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Essay, Research Paper Ch. 1 introduction: sustainability, stewardship, sound science A. The global environmental picture – population growth, degradation of soils, global atmospheric changes, loss of biodiversity
Secrets Of Life Essay Research Paper There
Secrets Of Life Essay, Research Paper There is one part of my life that no one knows about. This secret has caused me to act in ways I thought I wasn’t capable of doing. For the past five years, I
Our 12 Year Hell Essay Research Paper
12 long years we go through this Hell, The Man just takes us down. Then we have 4 more years, and The Man just takes us down. We slave over over our desks day after day,
And They Obey Essay Research Paper I
And They Obey Essay, Research Paper I chose the poem “And They Obey” by Carl Sandburg. The poem is addressing the human dualities that we have. Since thousands of years ago
Hope Essay Research Paper Hope What do
Hope Essay, Research Paper Hope: What do you guys hope for? I hope that the Dodgers win. I hope I do okay on the finals. I hope the teacher doesn^?t catch me. You
Client Essay Research Paper The Client
Client Essay, Research Paper ?The Client? / John Grisham 1. I enjoyed reading this interesting book. It talks about eleven years old Mark Sway and his younger
Poem Essay Research Paper Four Years Ago
Poem Essay, Research Paper Four Years Ago Today Today is the anniversary Of my brothers death Four years ago today God layed him down for eternal rest Four years ago today