Blog for Week 6

My favorite reading was Richard Wright's passage from Black Boy. What stood out to me in this piece particularly was the idea of how much one incident can change the way a child views society. Although the passage ends with he and his mother moving once again, I am left with the feeling that the way he viewed whites after that incident will forever be changed. I think it's really telling when in the beginning of the passage, it shows him as a curious child, seeking answers from his mother, who, having had more experiences with whites, was afraid. I can only imagine how much his opinion of whites changed or was formed based on the incident with his uncle. Also the fear he must have carried with him since that day.

Homework Question #6

In Jay David’s "Growing Up Black", I most enjoyed the excerpt from Claude Brown’s "Manchild in the Promised Land". I was captivated by his story because it discusses an important part of the Migration I think many people overlook. During his childhood, Brown and his family moved from North Carolina to New York as many Southern African-Americans were doing in search of more freedom and more opportunities. However, moving up North to the “Promised Land” didn’t magically end the problems he’d faced in the South. In fact, Brown stated life in New York turned out to be much more difficult than he or his family had ever imagined. After a rough and rambunctious childhood, which he describes very vividly, Brown met his future mentor at fourteen while in reform school. In the years following his mentor inspired him to get his act together, Brown realized his gift for writing, and even got a law degree from Stanford University. I think Claude Brown’s story was not only great for young African-Americans during the Civil Rights Movement but is still influential because it is a timeless inspirational story. His autobiography brought to light the culture of violence and drugs that gripped most of the impoverished youths in Harlem. Even though Brown too was once immersed in that culture, his autobiography symbolizes that hard work, time, and dedication can take anyone anywhere.

Blog 6

I think the most powerful thing I read in Jay David's book was the piece by Gordon Parks. His account on the everyday happenings he had to deal with and the sense of almost accepting these things as part of everyday life really stuck with me. This isn't to say section's like Booker T. Washington's weren't powerful, rather, this everyday account from a normal guy more out of the limelight seemed to hit more at home. These auto-biographical accounts are so gripping because they are written first hand. These aren't stories written by someone doing research, they are actually stories written by people who saw all this happen and had all these things happen to them. Gordon really put up with a lot psychologically and physically and it's truly amazing to read accounts by people such as him.

Weekly Blog 6

There were actually two readings that I really enjoyed and those were Walter White and Frederick Douglas. These two stories stood out to me more than the others because of the violence witnessed in their lives. In the first story I couldn't believe how people could act out of jealousy or hatred. I was also astonished at how children in all the stories were thrown into racial discrimination without prior knowledge. In the Fredrick Douglas story it moved me to see how determined he was to obtain knowledge and how that almost seemed more important to him than freedom. I think that this repsesents a lot of the struggles other african americans faced at this time and tried to overcome.

Blog #6

I really enjoyed reading all of these stories from autobiographies. The first one, by Walter White, stood out the most to me and I learned the most from this one. He said a great quote on page 6, "when I was thirteen, we were taught that there's no isolation in life." I always thought that blacks and whites went to their separate neighborhoods, and nothing was really happened unless both parties crossed paths. In hindsight, this was really naive of me. I was imagining that the races would 'do battle' like something out of West Side Story, where they would meet up at a park or a playground and fight. I learned from this story that whites were basically hunters, and according to White, they were trying "to clear out the blacks". There was really no safe place for blacks to like in the early 1900's. Whites would go where ever they lived and force them to move out. The story was short but it was suspenseful for me. It really gave me some insight on how African Americans had to live a lifestyle that was always clouded by fear and how hard it was to live a normal life in the early 1900's.

Weekly Blog

Overall, I enjoyed reading the different autobiographies because each was a different story placed around different time periods and of course different experiences. I have never been drawn to reading autobiographies before reading this anthology of autobiographies other than reading President Obama's book but I think the root of that comes from when I was a child doing book reports on Dr. Seuss, someone I didn't feel had a very interesting life. Anyway, I actually enjoyed reading Richard Wright's piece because he describes the incident with his uncle in a way that I think many people can relate to when faced with fear and as a child not understanding what is going on or what an adult's intentions are and then holding a grudge thereafter. His autobiography was very tantalizing and I definitely want to read more. Through a child's perception Wright didn't couldn't comprehend why his uncle slept with a gun until after he heard of him being killed. Wright, like many children, had questions about his people and became frustrated when he wouldn't express what he meant or the kinds of answers he was looking for from his mother which is common with young children. It is even common with everyday people because I feel at times I can't express myself the way I want to because of my lack of vocabulary or knowing the right words to say at that time. I believe the reason I found this piece so intriguing is because of how he felt as a child and acknowledges that and is able to better express those feelings while being an adult writing his story. I just think it was a nice read that told a lot in only a few pages. It grabbed my attention from the beginning and kept it.

Blog 6: Growing Up Black

Out of the various autobiographies in "Growing Up Black", I was most interested in the autobiography from Gordon Parks from A Choice of Weapons. It seemed like all of the things that he was able to recall were all about death or had a connection with death, the fact that they're all about death isn't really interesting but because death and the idea of death had such a great impact on him that stuck with him, was the interesting part. He was able to remember some fairly fine details, which allowed me to kind of be able to actually imagine what it was the he was talking about or refering to. He did go into fine detail like what they were wearing but that wasn't that important because he was able to still set up the scene.

What I also found interesting is how he was able to always have hope and that little prayer that everything will turn out positive. An example of this is when he is talking about his cousin who murder two men and shot another; Parks hoped that his cousin wasn't caught or murdered, fantasizing that he is able to help his cousin get away from the mobs that were after him.

Blog # 6 Booker T. Washington

I enjoyed the Booker T. Washington autobiographical story the most because it was interesting. I loved that he had so much ambition and how much he was interested in learning. He had a drive in him like no one i have ever seen before.He went through so much on his journey of find a education but he never gave up. This puts in my mind that I dont have it as hard as I think I do and I am very lucky to be in the place that i am now. I also love how is mother stuck behind him no matter what. Many children back then wasn't able to have a mother figure around. He was a determinded individual and work as hard as he could to finish his dream of having an education. Showing everyone that any and everything is possible.

Blog 6

After reading excerpts from "Growing Up Black," the story that I most enjoyed was Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings."  This story really struck me because it is a good indicator of the institutional racism that many African Americans were subject to, both then and now.  This was made clearly evident in the speech made to the graduating class by Donleavy.  In the story, he goes on to state that the children of the predominantly-white school across town were going to be given great improvements such as new microscopes and chemistry equipment.  Conversely, he assumed that giving Angelou's school a paved playing field would appease the schoolchildren's needs and was, somehow, on the same level as giving the white kids improvements in areas such as the arts and science.  Although many African Americans were and are now given educations, this story is a good example of the unequal nature of many of their schools when compared to more affluent, white schools.  

Jay David Blog Post

I liked the White piece the best for a couple of reasons. I thought it showed an interesting perspective of black childhood that I have never read about before. I had never considered the issues that arise when there is a divide between race and color. White's family was so pale-skinned that they easily could have passed as white, he says, but the family chose the identity of black. This made me think about what it would be like to be able to choose an identity instead of having it projected upon me. The bravery of the family also struck me, because they chose the identity of black Americans fully knowing the hardship that would come with it. It also made me think about the relationship between race and class in America, because the rioters attacked their house because they had a nice house. I think this issue carries on into today, with laws that make getting loans difficult for African Americans, housing discrimination and poor schools. I don't think that, put in their position, I would be brave enough to choose the identity of Black.
The essay also got me thinking about why we as a society can project a certain race on people from a huge range of color tones, a range that only gets larger. One thing I hope for America is that all the races will be mixed together in so many different ways that race becomes less relevant.

Richard Wright Autobiography

I found Richard Wright's autobiography to be the most interesting because it showed the intrigue and confusion of a young boy trying to understand race. Wright continued to ask question about his grandmother and her race which puzzled me, what made him so curious (11). Wright had to know that his grandmother was black but the idea that her skin color did not match that of other blacks kept fueling his interest. I also felt a sad sense of empathy for Wright when he revealed he could not let go of the habit of stealing food for the fear of not knowing if food would be available later (13-14). It was a realization that blacks had more complications than just race to worry about. Wright's autobiography brings to light the struggle of a family that had to deal with the problems of race and poverty. His aunt Maggie was not struggling but because of race and the power struggle she had a new fight of "poverty" to face (16-17). I feel that Wright's autobiography depicts a tale of hardships that we sometimes forget about when we think of African American history (the aspects of poverty and societal problems that African Americans had to face while being considered "negro").

Blog 6

After reading many stories in "Growing Up Black" I would have to say that I enjoyed Elizabeth Adams, Dark Symphony. In the story Elizabeth is called the N word and after learning what the word meant, she was kind of confused and it impacted he life majorly. I think for Elizabeth being so young when this happened it was harder for her to understand exactly what was going on around her.I have to say that after someone says something so derogatory as this word, it makes it hard for a person to not get back at them. Even though I do no think that fighting is the answer.I think that the lesson about not striking back that Elizabeth's mother told her was a good one. I can say that I have been in a situation similar to this one and my mother told me the same thing.

Blog 6

After discussing the topic of reading someone's autobiography versus listening to a secondary point of view, I believe these stories from Jay David's "Growing up Black" are a lot more powerful coming from the person's own experiences. It gives a better picture and understanding of the different actions and emotions that happened during these horrid occurences.

I thought the Gordon Parks story was the one I was able to connect with the best. The way he introduced the struggles of everyday life and the horrible things he whittnessed really put a vivid picture in my head of what these times were like for him. Being able to push through the struggle of being beaten and outcasted and almost coming to believe these instances were in fact normal was really a strong statement by him. It's hard to imagine the feelings that Gordon and others were dealing with on a daily basis.

Professor Whaley Post: Jay David Discussion Questions For Week/Next Week

Jay David Discussion Questions to Finish, pp. 5-42

1. Adams writes that every African American child remembers the first time they were called a racial epithet. Do you think that is equally so for non-African Americans, that is, do you think they hold with them the first moment they heard or said the common epithet used in reference to African Americans? Why/why not? (19)

2. How do you think Gordon Parks’ experiences as a young man shaped the decisions he made with his art, and in particular, with his photography (recall that Parks was a FSA photographer that sought to bring attention to poverty)?

3. What conclusion did Parks come to about the best way to fight racial discrimination? (31)

4. Why do you think Angelou’s friends, family, and teachers put what some might consider “flamboyancy” into their 8th grade graduation procession?

5. What happened at the graduation that had a lasting effect on Angelou? (38-40) How did the students and parents recoup/recover from what was said? (41)

Jay David, Growing Up Black Discussion, pp. 55-62; 82-105

Lorene Carey, 55-62

1. David writes that Carey confronted an educational system that had low expectations for African American students, and that she too had internalized ideas about Black American intelligence. Do educators and students today have low expectations of African Americans’ scholastic competence?

2. Carey wrote that she shared a lot with her classmates and they had many similarities, but they also had concrete differences in worldview. What were the similarities, what were the wedges that drove the girls apart, and how did she seek to overcome this wedge? (56)

3. Why did Carey feel she could not “talk” about race? When she did, how did her classmates respond, and how did Carey view this response? How do you view it? Why did she find it problematic or troublesome to reduce racial difference down to green, purple, and the color of “muppets?”

4. When the topic turned to sexuality and the difference between black and white “boys,” why did Carey shy away from the discussion? Her classmate remarked that her reaction made whites feel silenced from asking questions about race. What is the appropriate response to such inquiries? How can different groups engage in discussion without fear of judgment?

5. Why did Carey feel that her teachers and schoolmates only expected her to “survive?” What would doing more than surviving mean? (60) This particular story made me think about a painting by Karin Turner called "Survival Skills." Do you see any connection between Carey's story and what the image below presents?:

6. What was the soccer game, for Carey, a metaphor for? (61-62)

Douglass, 82-93

7. According to Douglass, what did the parentage system of slaves enable? In other words, if slave children were to bear the status of their mothers, in what dual way did slavers benefit? (84) How were the children of slavers and slavewomen treated by their masters, male and female? (84)

8. Why do you think Douglass finds himself unable to fully commit to words the horror of being a witness and participant (whether literally or figuratively) to slave whippings? What does he mean when he says the events constituted “a spectacle?”

9. Douglass said that as a youth, he had more leisure time than most older slaves. What did this leisure time constitute? Was it leisure, or does his account point to how work on plantations is seen vis-à-vis other work? What other conditions did Douglass face while with Lloyyd?

10. Why did Douglass feel his moving to Baltimore was divine intervention, and what did he feel was his responsibility once freed? In other words, what responsibility did he feel his good fortune bestowed upon him? (89)

11. How did slavery change the mistress that once encouraged Douglass to read? (92) Does this story make you think of education differently? What strategy did Douglass employ to learn more? (92-93) Douglass writes that in contrast to his small amount of comfort as an urban slave, some of the young white children were hungry and poor. What does this say about the economic structure of the slave system? Why were the young boys troubled by Douglass proclamation that he would “always be a slave?” Why did they think he would be free by the age of 21? What does this say about a child’s ability to process slavery, and, moreover, the different ways white and black children experienced and understood slavery?

Washington, 94-95

12. We have discussed Washington in juxtaposition to DuBois over the past couple weeks. Did reading his story make you feel differently about his ideas or did it reaffirm your position?

13. How did the labor of Washington as a slave differ from Douglass? (96) How did those who were enslaved keep informed about the war and ensuing freedom? (97)

14. Washington at first struggled to obtain an education. What was holding him back, and how did he react (102)?

15. What does Washington’s story of the “school hat” mean to signify? In other words, why does he include this story—what work does he hope it will do?

16. Do you think education has different meanings for different communities historically and currently? Washington says he was determined to obtain an education “at any cost.” Do you think this is a widely held objective today for youth? Why/why not?

Jay David, Growing Up Black
Group Work for 3/03/09

Directions: Break up into groups of 4 and answer as many of the questions below as possible. Take 25 minutes (total) to complete this assignment. We will convene together as a larger group and discuss the questions for the remainder of class time.

Angela Davis

1. Did you find it ironic that “Black people from far away” did not seem to threaten the store clerks and manager? Why do you think this was the case? 210
2. What were the advantages and disadvantages of the segregated schools Davis went to? 213
3. How did the Board of Education’s visits affect students and teachers? In what ways were the Board of Education observers condescending to teachers and students alike?
4. In what ways did color gradation affect Davis and her interactions with other young school children? 217
5. How did Davis “escape” Birmingham? 222

Bebe Moore Campbell

1. What did Clarence’s defiance signify for the other African American students? 227
2. Why do you think Miss Tracy found Campbell’s book report inappropriate? In other words, was there more going on then Campbell’s alleged inability to “follow directions?” 229
3. Campbell notes at the end that her summer would deliver a “heart break and a promise.” What did she mean by this? 230

Anne Moody

1. What changed the way Moody viewed her neighborhood friends who were White? 232-233
2. How did Mrs. Burke rationalize segregation? Do you think she really viewed Moody’s family as “different” from other “Negroes?” 239
3. Do you think Moody’s childhood experiences affected her activism? If so, why, if not, why not?
4. What was one of the first activist actions that Moody involved herself in? (explain the events) 244-246
5. Why do you think the crowd referred to Moody and other activists as “communists? 246

Audre Lorde

1. Why did Lorde’s landlord allegedly commit suicide? 249
2. How did Lorde’s teachers perpetuate myths about the African American students? 250
3. Why do you think Lorde’s mother warned her not to run for school president? What did her mother mean when she said Lorde should not chase herself behind White people?
4. Jay David notes that Lorde’s excerpt is a “biomythography.” What does this mean? 248

Autobiography Blog #6

After reading through Jay David's "Growing Up Black", I found Gordon Parks' story to be the most interesting and compelling. The title gave me some inclination that the violence from his childhood would be discussed, but I never thought it would be as gruesome as it was. The descriptions of the acts were so vivid that I could not help but picture the violence in my mind. It is still shocking to me that people would do this to others and that no one around would stop it. The story was compelling because of the courage that Parks displayed and despite all of the traumatic beatings he witnessed he still turned out to be a successful composer and photographer. I also never realized how much hatred and violence that African American children were exposed to. I do not think that a lot of children today could be as strong as Parks was and that is why I find his story so amazing.

-Sarah Pergine

Elizabeth Adams

Although I have enjoyed reading all of the stories in Jay David's book, I think that my favorite was by Elizabeth Adams from Dark Symphony. It reminded me of how I was when I was a little girl. I can remember the first time that I heard swear words. I would question my parents until they told me what they meant. Of course, all they would say is, "It is a bad word, and don't repeat it." It is a very traumatic and difficult idea for a child to handle. It made such an impact on her life, that she could describe in detail exactly how she felt. Until reading this story, I never really thought about racial or color differences affecting a person's life at such a young age. Also, I chose this story because I do not believe in fighting, much like Adam's parents. It does not solve anything. If anything, the racial fighting at the playground would just make more of a separation and more of a disaster. Overall, it was a very meaningful and powerful story.

Blog #6 Growing Up Black

After reading "Growing Up Black", I found Gordon Parks story to be the most interesting. This story was extremely hard for me to read due to all the intense description of the horrible murders, but it really showed a lot of courage from Parks. I found one quote that really made me think about what African Americans went through as children, "I was stoned and beaten and called "n*****," "black boy," "darky," "shine." These indignities came so often I began to accept them as normal." This is shocking how a young child was almost forced to except these awful, harsh, names. Later on in the story he even states, "that he is just lucky to be alive." I can't even picture anyone even saying that just due to the color of their skin. I liked Gordon Parks story the best because of how brave Parks really was as a child. Also how he had such a harsh childhood and then was still able to be very successful later on as a photographer, and composer. 

Blog about Lorene Cary

While reading the different excerpts from this book, one of the stories that really stood out to me was the story of Lorene Cary, From Black Ice. She stepped out of her comfort zone and her boundaries to attend St. Paul's boarding school. This had to take a lot of courage because the population of this school was mostly of Caucasian descent. She had a lot of strength to go through this and step into a new world where she would experience different things and new ideas. She learned many things about basic things like tollhouse cookies and rock groups. She made an instant connection with the girls when they were talking about how their calves killed because of sports and they could barely walk up the stairs without aching pain. This was important that she felt comfortable because she felt like she could finally be herself and not be worried or scared about her skin color. They had a little altercation when the conversation of black and white came up but she kept her mouth shut becasue she did not want to start a big fight but the girls knew she was upset. She seemed to accell in school and this was good because the sole reason she went to St. Pauls was to get a good education and become a better learner. At the end of this story, she explains how she was playing a soccer game and she was playing so hard that she knocked a boy over and caused him to break his leg. This just shows how determined she is in whatever she does and that is always a good quality to have because one should always try their best at all times. I thought this story was very inspiring because it was not usual for people of African American descent to do such a task like this and she did and she never gave up.

Blog #6

The work of Elizabeth Adams from Dark Symphony makes quite an impact on the reader and this is a reflection of the impact it has on Adams herself. Within the work, Adams is called "the n word" for the first time in her life and it is at this moment that she realizes the separation within society. It is the first evidence of an "Us vs. Them" perspective based on race in her life. This abrupt initiation into the world of racism is dramatic for a young child, especially when the source of said prejudice is one of her peers. It is difficult for a child to be so abruptly introduced to the realities of life but it is more hurtful when that reality is a shallow hatred based on skin color. It has to be even more traumatic for a child as the feeling of not being "good enough" based on something out of your control leaves a deep emotional scar on the victim. It is hard as a reader to relate to such an instance but one can tell of the impact this made on the author and their perspective on life. It is sad that it had to have happened to a child but, as a reflection of the times, none were safe from the cruelty and ignoranc eof racism.

Blog 6 Autobiography Response

So far many of the autobiography's I have read really were interesting and representative of the time period that these people were in. I did have to keep in mind the things we talked about in class and to make sure and read these critically, given that people are more subjective instead of objective. Many autobiography's were based on emotions and feelings relative to that time, but they still painted a picture of the magnitude of reactions resulting from racism. Its hard for me to pick one autobiography out of the many since they were all so interesting, however I did decide to pick Maya Angelou's section out of her novel I know Why The Caged Bird Sings. I really enjoyed how she described her graduation in great postive detail before the ceremony, with a sort of innocence and appreciation. I thought that during the graduation, what the white man was saying really represented the feelings that whites had towards blacks in education at that time. Whites felt that African Americans were only good at sports and could never really achieve the prestige and honor of excelling in science, math, or etc. I feel that this is partly the reason why many African Americans were halted in their education through having run down schools and being basically left on the back burner. I really liked how Maya's class regained that sense of power and resistance to this oppression, when the white man left and the class valedictorian got up and spoke words of a poem. This poem gave hope and power to African Americans, and let them know that nothing was going to stop them from achieving their goals. I really liked this autobiography because it showed African Americans resisting this oppression through education and hard work.

Autobiographies, blog 6

I really enjoyed reading the autobiographies because it helps give a more personal in depth look at what was going on. When someone tells you something from their personal experience and viewpoint it is a great insight.

I liked many of the stories but the one that I enjoyed the most would have to be Walter White, and it is because, like others have said it was just a interesting viewpoint. First his name, and to have the word white in your name is something of a challenge in itself, and I think this presented differant struggles for him that others never faced. He had a great message of hope and community that I enjoyed and gave a sense of what he wished for others, and to not let race be an issue.

The autobiographies touched on many differant things about growing up black and how that impacted their life. As we discussed in class how you grow up and the experences you have make you who you are. Any event or experience can make a differance in who you are going to be.

Week 6 blog- autobiographies

The autobiographical story that I enjoyed the most was the excerpt from Frederick Douglass' Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave. I have read the entire Douglass autobiography. There may be some of the more contemporary stories that have more powerful words, but Douglass gives a powerful accounting of slave life in the 1800's. His was an important "slave narrative" at the time and the "work" this writing performed during the abolition movement is unmatched. He writes of not knowing his exact date of birth or his father's identity, lack of enough food to eat, and beatings. All of these issues are written in history books but not with the poignancy and urgency that Douglass writes. He also spoke about the degradation of the slave owning family. Even when the mistress of his new slave owner stopped teaching him to read, he never gave up the quest to read, for he realized that was the ticket to freedom. As we write our midterm papers about black resistance, Douglas gives us evidence that slaves never accepted their plight and further evidence of their tenacity even under extremely dire circumstances. While history books may reveal these same phenomena, reading from the pen of someone who has been there makes a more lasting impression. Not many slaves could read or write, so there is not a large body of writings called "slave narratives" and for that reason, this makes Douglass' accounting unique. With little other information to draw upon, his becomes an important historical text.

Autobiographies

I really enjoyed the autobiographies by Walter White and Gordon Parks.  Some of the words White says towards the end of his portion are really powerful.  Overall, however, Parks' passage was even more powerful.  He seemed to have more frequent and violent experiences than some of the other African-Americans in the book dealing with discrimination and racism.  It seems like he tells story after story about the deaths of blacks in his town.  And yet, he still seemed to develop a strong character that, as his brother told him, eventually fought with his brain instead of his fist.  I also found the set-up of the passage interesting from a literary standpoint; he was on a train to a new life, reminiscing about his past life and the experiences it entailed and how things would be different in Minnesota (despite the cold welcoming of his brother-in-law when he finally arrived).  I admired his mentality and was fascinated by his experiences growing up.

Blog Six

I was captivated by the passage written by Walter White. Immediately beginning with the description of his family being "light-skinned" matched with his last name created a sense of inner conflict much deeper than is often found in real life. Then, to add to the conflict, by describing his immediate identity with his race despite the slight dissimilarities he held with the peers of that race was truly fascinating. Furthermore, the sense of community he described within the black community, despite his family's lack of "color," added a sense of what future societies should be composed of with color not being a matter of importance, rather placing importance on the people who surround you.

Brian T.

Blog 5

I chose the image taken from Martin Luther King Jr's speech in Washington D.C. because it epitomizes freedom, in my mind. There aren't too many other countries where someone can get up in front of that many people and give a speech of that magnitude without being a politician. Freedom to me is really the right to do whatever you want, as long as it doesn't harm others. That's a very simple and blunt definition; however, it is what I think of when I think of freedom. Part of what makes our country so special is something we take so much for granted. The right to free speech and assembly are two things that many other places in the world can only dream about. The fact that all these people assembled to hear a man talk about something that was very much controversial at the time was pretty miraculous to say the least.

To me, this is freedom. Freedom is the ability to stand up for yourself and justice. Freedom is the right to choose whether or not you think our government is right or not. Freedom is the right to do something about it. That's freedom to me.

Weekly Blog # 5

To me, freedom means being able to do what you want in accordance with law. Freedom means having the same rights and protections as any other person. If your 'free,' you shouldn't have to worry about what you do, or another group of people having superiority over you. A free individual should have the ability to act according to his or her own will. During the civil rights movement African Americans obviously did not have all of this. They may have been considered free on paper, but in reality still faced many issues. This picture was takien during World War 2.

This picure above shows 6 black men along with 2 white men posing outside one of their planes during WWII. I chose this picture because I think it gives us somewhat of an idea about that time period and equality. I do think there is some positive things about this picture, you see black men standing next to white men, and both colors of people have the same position in the war as a pilot. On the contrary, it does show 6 black men and only 2 white, possibly meaning that more African American's fought than whites did. This also goes back to the idea of the "double V," or the Double VEE strategy, meaning that during this time period, Africans had to face the domestic problem of civil rights in America as well as the global problems and threats that go along with war, and fighting the enemy by putting their life at stake, in hopes that their life could be better in America after the war.

Blog #5

I chose the song, "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody turn me Around". This song was made popular by the SNCC Freedom Singers, a group of students that traveled the nation and sung at rallies and protests. Here's a couple of the stanzas..



Ain't gonna let nobody, turn me around
Turn me around, turn me around
Ain't gonna let nobody, turn me around
Keep on a walking, keep on a talking
Marching up to freedom land

Ain't gonna let segregation (Lordy), turn me around
Turn me around, turn me around
Ain't gonna let segregation (Lordy), turn me around
Keep on a walking, keep on a talking
Marching up to freedom land

Ain't gonna let no jailhouse (Lordy), turn me around
Turn me around, turn me around
Ain't gonna let no jailhouse, turn me around
Keep on a walking, keep on a talking
Marching up to freedom land

Ain't gonna let no Uncle Tom (Lordy), turn me around
Turn me around, turn me around
Ain't gonna let no Uncle Tom (Lordy), turn me around
Keep on a walking, keep on a talking
Marching up to freedom land

Ain't gonna let nobody, turn me around
Turn me around, turn me around
Ain't gonna let nobody, turn me around
Keep on a walking, keep on a talking
Marching up to freedom land


Freedom to me means that you can do what you want, as long as its legal and moral, and not have anyone tell you how to do it. This song, like other songs in the 50's and 60's, has repetitive lyrics and a tune that is hopeful and happy. These both were key to inspiring confidence in the African American society. Songs helped them stand up for what was right. It helped them resist the status quo. These inspirational songs helped African Americans fight for their rights and let them realize that no one really stand in their way.

Civil Rights

1.
We shall overcome
We shall overcome
We shall overcome some day
CHORUS:
Oh, deep in my heart
I do believe
We shall overcome some day
2.
We'll walk hand in hand
We'll walk hand in hand
We'll walk hand in hand some day
CHORUS

3.
We shall all be free
We shall all be free
We shall all be free some day
CHORUS

4.
We are not afraid
We are not afraid
We are not afraid some day
CHORUS

5.
We are not alone
We are not alone
We are not alone some day
CHORUS

6.
The whole wide world around
The whole wide world around
The whole wide world around some day
CHORUS

7.
We shall overcome
We shall overcome
We shall overcome some day
CHORUS

The reason why I picked this song because it states what the African Americans were thinking back in this time. These are the types of songs that verbalizes how they felt. These were very rough times for African Americans and they knew one day they would truly overcome all of this as said in the lyrics. As for freedom, I think that is the most important thing anyone could have. I believe that we were all brought on this earth as equals and no one individuals should be able to take that away. Why should anyone have to work for another person without pay and receive torture everyday of their lives because another person doesn't think your worthy enough to be free. Freedom is everything to me and ones most valuable thing because it wasn't that easy to say centuries ago.

blog 5

After researching several aspects of African American and civil rights artwork, I decided to discuss Faith Ringgold's "Dancing at the Louvre".  This image struck me as very interesting.  It seems to represent years of African American history while continuing to look into the future.  The people illustrated in this piece seem to be fairly wealthy because of their dress.  I am unsure how to interpret the fact that they are in Paris.  Are these people African American?  I assumed they are because of other aspects of this piece.  Because the artwork is in the form of a quilt, I see it as significant to African American history.  Using the quilt as an indicator of the characters' identity, I was intrigued as to why Ringgold chose to set the scene in Paris.  I believe that this artwork illustrates the idea of "the new negro".  By celebrating fine art and success while still hold true to their roots (the quilt), the characters in this piece of artwork are finding success in their new ideology.  Because of the fact they are dancing, it is safe to assume that they are all quite pleased.

Weekly Blog

I chose this image because the first time I saw it I felt that it said a whole lot without much illistration or words and I think Gilbert Young did an excellent job of this. I see the wall as an obstacle such as getting equal rights and opportunities for African American's were. The black man who has overcome the wall represents all of those who have paved the way for African American's today who are living as "equals" finally in America. The definition in his arms resembles a strong culture and people who have been through a struggle but are coming out on top and not forgetting about the future generation and others to come after them. Overall I just love this painting and think it represents African Americans in a gratifying way.

Freedom, to me, means being able to live life without restrictions due to race, creed, gender, hue, or sexuality. Having the opportunity to hold positions with power and not being judged based on your genetic make up, religion, or sexuality. Being able to express yourself freely and go and do anything without feeling as though your well being is in danger or paranoid about what could happen if someone who doesn't like you, because of your make up, will harm you. Freedom is a word that has multiple meanings and I could go on for days trying to make sure I include every possible thing but the bottom line is having free will and not being confined or restrained from being happy, successful and living a natural life.

Homework Question #5

“People Get Ready”
The Impressions


People get ready
There's a train a-coming
You don't need no baggage
You just get on board
All you need is faith
To hear diesels humming
You don't need no ticket
You just thank the Lord
Yeah yeah yeah

People get ready
For the train to Jordan
Picking up passengers
From coast to coast
Faith is the key
Open the doors and board them
There's room for all
Among the loved and lost

Now there ain't no room
For the hopeless sinner
Who’s hard on mankind
Just to save his own
Have pity on those
Whose chances are thinner
Cause there's no hiding place
From the Kingdom's Throne

Ohh people get ready
There's a train a-coming
You don't need no baggage
You just get on board
All you need is faith
To hear diesels a- humming
You don't need no ticket
You just thank the Lord
Yeah yeah yeah



I chose this song first because it’s beautifully peaceful for such a soulful song with such a strong message. People Get Ready came out during some of the most publicized violence of the Civil Rights Movement. Its release closely followed the Birmingham Church Bombing and the assassination of President Kennedy. Still, its lyrics convey a very important message of freedom, redemption, and forgiveness as a necessary component of both. The persistently inspiring message of this song is another reason why I chose it. “People get ready, there’s a train a coming” symbolizes hope for a change that’s coming, although there are clearly a number of stops or obstacles to experience before getting there. The lyrics also say the train is open to all and to “have pity” on certain passengers. Lines like that symbolize the forgiveness that’s necessary for redemption and true freedom.

To me, freedom is much more than the literal emancipation of the slaves. It’s more importantly their mental and spiritual freedom. The still segregated South and even North kept African-Americans imprisoned to the same feelings of inequality and fear that accompanied slavery. Because of that, the Civil Rights Movement and its results, in my opinion, involved the true emancipation of African-Americans.

Blog Question #5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHmUPqI6w9g

I chose the song "Oh Freedom" because it always makes me think about he dreams that not only the slaves had, but the blacks struggling for their rights during the civil rights movement. The song reminds me of the hope they had for a better future and the overwhelming desire they had to be free. In the song there is the lyrics, "and before I'd be a slave, I'd be buried in my grave, and go home to my Lord and be free." This section makes me think of the terrible present they were in, and the pure joy that freedom can bring, even if that means taking your life to receive that freedom. To me, freedom is the ability to be your own person, to be accountable to yourself. To be able to live out your personal hopes and dreams, it's being allowed to feel fully any happiness, joy, or sadness in your life. In Langston Hughes poem, "Dream Variations" he uses the phrase, "to fling my arms wide in the face of the sun," this is how I would describe freedom feeling. Light, happy, and weightless.

Week 5 Blog

When thinking of famous civil rights photographs, this photo by Bob Adelman comes to mind. It was taken in 1966 of Reverend Joe Carter who waits on his porch after he registered to vote in Louisiana. He was the first African American to register to vote in his area, with 2/3 of the population being African American, and expected a visit from the Ku Klux Klan.

While we often think of important characters such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Stokely Carmichael, and Huey Newton, people such as Reverend Carter played a huge role in the Civil Rights Movement by building up the courage to be the first people to register and vote in their areas.

To me, this photo represents a huge part of the Civil Rights Movement. It represents the bravery and courage of African Americans who had to protect their family just to have the right to vote. It shows that although African Americans had the legal opportunity to vote, they still had to fight for what they believed in and had to be prepared to suffer the consequences if need be. This photo represents the start of freedom for many African American families.

I would highly suggest looking at some of Adelman's other photos which can be seen in his photo essay book "Mine Eyes Have Seen: Bearing Witness to the Struggle for Civil Rights".

Week 5 Blog

I chose the song "We Shall Overcome" although this song is said to have been around before the civil rights movement it became more popular during this time. A man named Pete Seeger and a lady names Joan Baez made this song popular. I chose this song because it was a peaceful hymn that united people with the same beliefs. they believed that they "shall overcome someday and walk hand and hand". I really like the ending of this song, the last verse is "We are not afraid". I feel like this quote was a key way for African Americans to peacefully state they are not afraid. During this time they faced cruel and hateful brutality. This verse ties up the song well. They were sure they would overcome and would not back down because they were not scared. This song was not only a popular hymn but a popular poster quote as well. It was a universal goal, to overcome the inequalities and obtain equal freedoms.

To me freedom is the ability to do what one desires without punishment. It is the rights of an individual that does not interfere with the rights of another. It is equality among all people regardless of differences and accepting all as human. It is the ability to enjoy all the rights guaranteed as a U.S. citizen. The liberation of not having to fight for respect and basic liberties.

Blog #5 Civil Rights Artwork

The image that I found that really caught my attention is a painting of a little girl going to school and having the US marines escorting her while people are throwing things at her. I chose this image because it really captures what African Americans going through the civil rights movement and in the 1960's had to deal with. Most of us know of the Little Rock 9 and how those African American Children went to school in fear of being attacked by whites or even being killed. To imagine what those kids went through is hard. I really feel that this image captures freedom at its worst being that a child, had to worry about being attacked just because of the color of her skin. People at that time were so threatened of desegregation and of African Americans gaining equal rights, that they lashed out in horrible ways. Freedom to me is having the right to make your own choices and having equal human rights. Freedom is not being afraid to do something because of a quality that makes you different, such as the color of your skin in this case. Every human being should have the right to freedom, although we know that this was not always possible and still is not perfect to this day.

Week 5 Blog

http://www.bobdylan.com/#/songs/blowin-wind

I chose to post the lyrics to the song "Blowin' in the Wind" by Bob Dylan as representing African Americans and their struggle for civil rights. I did not post the actual recording of the song because I feel that the lyrics, seen and not heard, really touched me more and I was able to make a connection to them by just reading them. Just from looking at the first line of the song, one can make a direct connection to the civil rights issue.

"How many roads must a man walk down before you call him a man?"

He answers in saying that "the answer is blowin' in the wind". I think that this refers to the struggle that African Americans endured during the civil rights movement to get their opinions heard. It was there, but was not completely gorunded... "blowin' in the wind". The symbol of a dove is also used in the song which is a symbol of peace and refers to what African Americans wanted to accomplish amongst themselves and Whites.

The last stanza and the imagery that it created really touched me. It made me truly feel the struggle that African Americans felt at the time of the civil rights movement.

"Yes, 'n' how many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free?
Yes, 'n' how many times can a man turn his head,
Pretending he just doesn't see?"

Freedom means to me being able to exist, like this last stanza refers to and not having any restrictions or higher class coming down on me because of the color of my skin. It is being able to live your life to the fullest depsite of your background and ethnicity. This song stirs an anger in me that makes me want to do something great!

-Sarah Pergine

Week 5 Blog

For me this picture represents a big part in the cival rights movement because african americans were fighting for their right to be educated and allowed in school. They wanted to stop segregation and have equal laws for everybody but in order to achieve this african americans had to be educated in order to understand the process.

Freedom to me means making your own decisions while keeping in perspective the decisions and opinions of others. If you have freedom sometimes people tend to make stupid choices which they may learn from later, but if somebody gives you advice to help you I think you should always take it into consideration. With freedom it is not just freedom of making choices though, it is also the freedom to grow, the freedom to learn, and the freedom to express yourself however you want to.

This is a picture of high school students being hit by a high-pressure water jet during a protest in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963.  I chose this photo because it is a good representation of a number of important aspects of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s.  For one, this is an obvious example of the persecution that protestors were subject to in their quest for greater rights.  Though they were peacefully demonstrating, their passive actions were met by violence and brutality.  Furthermore, this photo shows that African Americans' struggle for civil rights during this time was against institutional oppression and racism as they were subject to brutality not only at the hands of white citizens, but also local governments.  Additionally, this photo also shows a reason why some African Americans became disenchanted with the nonviolent approach to achieving civil rights.  As many African Americans were continually subject to this kind of violence, they became fed up with this philosophy and turned towards more militant approaches.  Ultimately, freedom for me is the ability to express oneself.   Whether that be politically, culturally, or religiously, one should be able to fully express themself within the limitations of decent laws regardless of one's difference from societal norms or the majority.  Furthermore, I believe that freedom is also economic in nature as for one to be truly free within a society, they should be able to live comfortably and without having to worry about feeding themself or their families.  

Freedom Blog

I chose this image beacuse it says a lot about how the people felt about civil rights during this time. The image shows both black and white men and woman marching for equality and freedom. Most people are holding up signs that display a specific quote or short message that does a good job of suming up the basics of what they want to say, and the reason for them marching. These marches were the peaceful ways to protest the inequality, and show that the people wanted a change. Freedom to me means the ability to run your own life and do what you want without specific restraints based on certain things such as race. Though there are many laws and rules that are made to restrain people from doing certain things, people are free to choose whether or not they want to follow them. No one has total freedom because there will always be things that are keeping everyone from attaining total freedom.

Question Week 5:

Not many of us are asked to sacrifice our lives in the name of freedom. Military members are some of those people. My husband is a Navy war veteran, so sacrifice was required from both of us early in our marriage. But, military families volunteer for that sacrifice.

I chose this picture of the sculpture in front of the Civil Rights Memorial Center in Montgomery, AL. as my representation of the Civil Rights movement. I actually took this picture when I recently visited the center. The round wheel is a granite slab inscribed with the names of those who gave their lives for civil rights. Those names are recognizable to those of us who have studied about Civil Rights, probably unfamiliar to those who have not. The inscriptions are in chronological order and water quietly flows over the wheel. There is a space on the wheel left unscribed, to represent those unknown names. The inscription on the back wall says, "..until justice rolls down like waters....", a Biblical quote used by Dr. Martin Luther King. The movement had great leaders but the real warriors of the Civil Rights movement were the nameless individuals who marched, sat at lunch counters or registered to vote, even when they could not be sure their efforts would result in any improvement during their life time. They represent what freedom means to me. Freedom is the ability to say, be and do what I want, within the confines of the law. It means reaching for my full potential. That is what this movement was about and why it was so important to the countless individuals who were willing to step forward in the name of freedom.

Blog #5 Freedom

I chose this picture of African American civil rights because I think that it provides a clear image of how African Americans came together to try and fight for their freedom. This picture is taken in Seattle, and did not just rely on African American activists but also Filipino Americans, Japanese Americans, Chinese Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans. I found that to be very interesting. This picture also shows just how hard this must of been, and all the struggles that African Americans and other races had to go through to get rights. Freedom to me is being equal and having the right to believe in what you want, and being able to be whatever you want to be. I believe that human beings of all races deserve the right of freedom and a chance to follow their dreams. 

Freedom

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PaoLy7PHwk

I have chosen to address the song "Fight the Power" by the group Public Enemy. From the opening lines, the song is delivered in an aggressive manner that closely mirrors the Black Power movement.  This song serves as a plea to African Americans to stand up and become aware of what is going on around them in order to advance themselves in society.

"People, people we are the same

No we're not the same

Cause we don't know the game

What we need is awareness, we can't get careless"

These lines symbolize the message of the song which is for African Americans to cease from listening to what they've been told and start becoming aware of their own situation in order to make things better.

To me, freedom is the ability to conduct oneself and any matter while meeting no resistance from an outside party in response to acting in a certain way. To a certain degree, I feel African Americans have yet to access this right. 

-Brian

blog 5

 I picked this picture because of the overall message trying to be stated by these African Americans: Equality. If you look closer, you can actually see Martin Luther King Jr. amongst the crowd marching with African Americans men and women, along with white men. Standing for freedom in large numbers like this group was something that really got people's attention, as it should have. The signs are asking for equality in jobs, something that is even sadly still found in today's society. As great as an effort that these protestors, I'm still so upset to think that this can still happen today. Freedom is a born given value to any human being, and to have to protest like the picture is showing makes American at the time look like an awful place to be. People who still might only hire certain races need a wake up call with pictures like this; working in America is a right every citizen, no matter what race, should be granted. The struggle for equality at jobs has gone on long enough, and to still be going on is ridiculous. 

I have chosen the Black National Anthem "Lift Every Voice and Sing"
Lift ev'ry voice and sing,
Till earth and heaven ring,
Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise,
High as the list'ning sky,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,
Let us march on til victory is won.

I chose this poem/song by James Weldon Johnson because it is a symbol of freedom and it shows African Americans celebration for freedom. Music was such an important thing to African Americans. It was the way to express themselves. This song raises the spirits of those saddened by the struggle. It lets them know that slavery is finally over. What does freedom mean to me? The list can go on and on, it is freedom from oppression, we are able to live like humans, we are able to make our own choices and decisions, freedom of speech, we can live like everyone else, we are Truly Americans, and we are no longer second class citizens, I’m able to work where I want, eat where I want, the ability to choose your own religion and just have opportunities we once didn’t have and now do.

Freedom and Art

I selected this portrait of Frederick Douglass for a few reasons.  First, photography is my favorite art medium.  Secondly, Douglass was someone who escaped slavery and became a dominant abolitionist and human rights activist.  The look of discontentment and determination on his face represents what civil rights movements stand for and the strength needed to dedicate oneself to this cause.

Freedom.  I see freedom as personal rights.  It means being able to express oneself and have the rights and opportunities that the other people of a country share (i.e. freedom of speech, of choice, protection by law enforcement, etc).  It also means equally sharing the responsibility of other citizens of a nation like keeping the streets clean, obeying laws, and paying taxes.  

Blog Five- Freedom to me

The image i selected to me represents African American Civil Rights movement, because when I think about the movement I think of the people who walked and protested to fight for their rights. This image taken from the South in 1966 is how I imagine walks, families and friends and neighbors all coming together to unite and fight for freedom.

Freedom to me is the ability to believe what I want religiously, work in an enviornment and culture that is equal, and choose to live and go where I want to be. Religion should be an individual decision based from your cultural and enviornmental experiences, whether from growing up with your family or friends you made at school, you should have the freedom to believe what you want to. I want to have the freedom to work in an equal setting with men and women, where ideas, and creativity flow freely and I am not discriminated upon because I am a women, this is an important freedom to me. Finally I think I should have the freedom to live wherever I would like and travel and go to wherever I would like to go. No restrictions based on race, gender or class, just the ability to travel and settle where I would want to.

These are freedoms I get to enjoy everyday and it is because of the past and those who fought to give me these freedoms, that I try to respectfully and thoughroughly enjoy these everyday.

African Americans had to fight everyday to get to enjoy these freedoms, and that is why this picture illustrates to me the struggle and daily efforts they went through to obtain these freedoms.

Oh Freedom

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcNN5SEb-Kg

For my civil rights song, I chose the song "Oh Freedom", which was originally recorded by Odetta in 1956, but it was redone by Joan Baez on the morning of Martin Luther King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech. She opened this ceremony with the singing of this very song.

Some of the lyrics of this song include:

Oh-o freedom.
Oh-o freedom
Oh freedom over me,
(Over me.)
And before I be a slave
I'll be buried in my grave.
And go home to my Lord and be free.
(and be free.)

No segregation
No segregation
No more segregation
Over me
(Over me)
And before I be a slave
I'll be buried in my grave.
And go home to my Lord and be free.
(and be free.)

I chose this song because it is so meaningful and deep. The fact that freedom was finally granted for the African American population was something that changed everyone's life for the better. There would hopefully be no more racial hostility and everyone would have an equal chance to apply for jobs or get the chance to have equal pay. The line that got to me the most was "and before I be a slave, I'll be buried in my grave". I think you can interpret this line in various ways. The way I interpreted it was that no one could make anyone of African American descent be a slave anymore. The individual would rather be buried in their grave than to go back to the time of slavery because this time was unbearable and torture. This song raises the spirit of the population and stresses that freedom has finally come and it is here to stay. It was a good choice to sing it before the ever so famous "I Have a Dream" speech because it was a happy, delightful precursor to this speech that will live on forever.

Freedom

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxmEd9lcn0k

For this blog, I chose the song Waving Flag by K'naan. In the refrain, he sings:
"When I get older, I will be stronger.
They'll call me freedom, just like the waving flag."
He compares freedom with a waving flag, which I believe symbolizes the American Flag. Our flag represents freedom... freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom to live your life as you want it. I chose this song for its view on freedom and for the strength that the performer has when he talks about freedom and fighting for his rights. He sings that they need to "move forward like buffalo soldiers." I liked this line, because it reminded me of all of the black soldiers that fought so hard during the Civil War, and of course because it reminded me of the song Buffalo Soldier by Bob Marley. K'naan also says "we fight they're battles, then they deceive us." I think that this is another reference to the Civil War, because even though African Americans fought in the war, they were still not given freedom or as much freedom as white Americans. This is a great song and I hope you all enjoy it!

Professor Whaley Post: Media Examples for this Week

Above Image: Gil Scott Heron

Hi Everyone,

These are our music examples for this week that we will discuss in class. You need not respond to this post, it is just for in-class use.

A Change Is Gonna Come - Aretha Franklin

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised - Gil Scott-Heron

See also an interview with Heron here.

Fight The Power - The Isley Brothers

A Song For Assata - Common

Week Five Response

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBa55sDTIiA&feature=related
The above link is to the video for Common's rap song "I have a dream". I chose this particular song because I think it does a really good job of highlighting the ways in which the freedom of African Americans continues to be restricted even in a post civil rights movement era. As embodied by the law, it would seem that Dr. King's vision has been completely realized, but that is clearly not true. Now there is a much more difficult set of restrictions on the freedom of the Black community, including poverty, classism, stereotypes in popular culture, and more subtle discrimination in the school systems. I think Common conveys these ideas very powerfully, saying, "Struggle is my address, where pain and crack lives, Gunshots comin' from sounds of Blackness...Born on the Black list, told I'm below average...Tryna make it from a gangsta to a godlier role". To me, freedom means not only that people have the same civil rights regardless, but also that everyone has an equal opportunity to improve their situation, to rise above poverty. I don't think that this exists for the Black community in America today in the way that it should. Poverty in the Black community is compounded by discrimination in, and underfunding of, public schools, making it extremely difficult to rise out of poverty.

Without Sanctuary

After watching the short clip, I found myself embarrassed and upset at the history of our nation. The fact that we built a country off of the notion that a minority race was unequal and that African Americans were to be wielded as a mode of production is disgraceful. It's really hard to believe that people would take pride in lynchings. I was shocked to see the crowds that would gather to witness such a terrible event, and furthermore, show joy and happiness in it. Absolutely appalling. I knew a little bit about lynchings from high school but I didn't know the extent and scale of them. I always thought it was a couple members of the KKK, they make the death fast...but now that was so naive of me to think that because I didn't realize that they made it slow; there were hundreds of people watching; and the bodies were mutilated after the lynching; disgusting. I don't know how people could have satisfaction in doing such things. Sending them on postcards to family blows my mind too. What a sad time in our nation's history.

Without Sanctuary Blog

I had no idea people took photos of the lynchings and used them as postcards which is quite disturbing but not too much of a suprise given the time period this took place. I learned they used to trade and sell these post cards as well. Allen mentions how the people standing around the lynchings looking like a pack of canines surrounding the victims which is true because it was a very inhumane act and to stand and gawk over it is something only animals would do. I also learned that everything they did (putting oil on them, setting them on fire, painting their faces) was with the intent of it getting displayed.

I knew about lynching but it was always very difficult for me to look at the actual photos of it. This was the first time I looked at the photos closely and of course it still hurt to look at them. I remember watching the Billie Holiday story and her first time ever encountering a lynching made her sick and it brought her back to reality while she was on tour which is why she wrote, "Strange Fruit."

Blog Without Sanctuary

Watching Without Sanctuary confirmed the reality of lynching for me. I knew that lynching had occurred and had been virtually ignored by the government, but I could never fully understand the fear it evoked for the African American population. Our discussion in class on Tuesday caused me to being to consider what lynching meant to African Americans and the meaning of it today. The narrator in Without Sanctuary evoked an emotion I was not expecting. I felt the fear so many African Americans feel.

I was also shocked by the amount of spectators at the lynchings. That made me think about how different ideologies are passed down through generations. By seeing children at the lynchings, I began to understand how naive some people are. How is a child supposed to understand equality if all he knows is what his parents teach and show him? Even though some of the most horrific brutalities of racism were before our time. It is easier for me to understand how some of the racist thinking has survived the generations. It confirms the power of education. It is important for all of us to educate ourselves on the REALITIES of racism and prejudice. If we do not do this, we are only as smart as our predecessors. It is time that we start the change.

Blog 4

I came into the class not knowing a to of African American History, but I did know a lot about lynching. I knew a decent amount about some of the old individual more famous cases, and I knew a lot about the crowds that gathered. With that being said, the video was very much right on track with what I believed to be true and kind of re-opened the thought process on the subject. No one likes to think about a subject so disgusting, so I think it's important to open a topic with something like this to remind people. I knew it was terrible and a gruesome sight, but it's something one doesn't like to remember in vivid detail, and these pictures really gave me that picture again. I actually have the stomach flu, and watching this really didn't make my stomach feel any better.

As far as the crowds go, this just added to the whole "desensitization" of society theory. It was like people gathering around to watch an event, but it was actually someone getting killed. I watched a discovery channel show on the wild west and they talked a bit about hanging. There was very much a science to it to make sure the kill was quick. The idea of hanging is to break the neck, but if this wasn't done correctly, people often were decapitated, bled to death, suffocated, or other gruesome things. I'm sure the lynchings weren't given much thought, so the sights were certainly quite bloddy and disgusting. People brought their families to these things and I feel that much of what we can see today is partially spurred by stuff like that. Fascination with the blood and gore, such as movies like SAW, show how much our society has been desenticized.

Blog 4

After watching this short clip, I am left almost completely speechless. The only sound I could manage to mutter was a "oh my gosh!" in disbelief. I was so stunned by these powerful images I didn't quite get a grasp on what James Allen was talking about, so I'm really glad they had the narrative so I could go back and really understand this message. Lynching is something that has always bothered me; I grew up in a small town in Iowa and have heard countless stories of lynching rope being hung at schools, or threats to minorities of death. Hearing and being scared about lynching is one thing, but looking at actual pictures of it is another. At some parts of the movie I could barely watching. Was it really necessary to burn and scorch the victims after they'd already been hung? Was it really necessary to cut off the limbs of a dead innocent man? The heartbreaking thing is the joy that these pictures display in doing such things. I found it so disturbing when James Allen says that these pictures were actually in family albums. What kind of family album would want to celebrate the death of a unjustified man? The impact and weight these pictures had on me made me realize that not only am I scared for this to happen again, but how ashamed I am to be related to people that believed this was OK. 

Week Four Blog

Before watching Without Sanctuary, I knew a decent amount of information about lynchings and what went on in relation to them. Not only did this video reinforce my thoughts of lynching, but it also gave me a stronger idea of what lynching was all about. Hearing the narrator and seeing all the photos proved how brutal and disgusting the act of lynching truly was. Lynching never seemed so real to me until I saw this video, because of all the images of people being lynched. It was also very interesting to see all the spectators during the event, and how the narrator compares them to "packs of dogs, circling after the kill". It would be interesting to find out how James Allen researched this topic and how he was able to find all these photos. Did he find them in libraries and archives? Or did he personally find families who have these in old photo albums? Were there any particular stories behind some of the photos?

Week Four Blog

Honestly, I did not know much about lynching before this class. I honestly thought that whites only lynched Black men and I did not think that it occurred as much as it did. I mean the thought that they had postcards with those horrific images on them made me sick. I almost find it shocking that something like that could happen. I guess I would compare the person that committed killings as an "electric chair executor," but worse. It must become so routine for them that they do not even realize their actions. But, for me, there is no excusse for treating people like that. In Professor Whaley's article she states a quote by James Allen, "Even dead, they are without sanctuary." It is so sad to me, because that person was attacked by society for years and then belittled and murdered in front of a crowd. The video has taught me a couple things. It gave me more knowledge on lynchings. Now I know that women and children were also part of this hateful deed. It made me realize the importance of small acts of kindness. We need to be respectful and considerate to all people...always.

katie

Blog 4

Through a few classes I have taken here at Iowa as part of my History major and American Studies minor, I have some knowledge about lynching.  Nevertheless, despite the fact that I had previously seen most of the photos in this film, they are still as powerful as they were the first time I saw them.  Needless to say, when I saw these photos (both then and now), I came away with feelings of horror, disgust, and embarrassment that such atrocities occurred within our nation.  Additionally, when I viewed this video, it reminded me of my initial reactions to similar photos I viewed in other classes.  In one class we were shown infamous lynchings that occurred in places such as Omaha and Duluth.  Before this, I knew that racism spanned across the county; however, I was surprised to learn that such racist violence was not confined to the Deep South and that it had occurred in a city less than two hours away from my hometown.  Furthermore, when I saw these photos for the first time in other classes, I was also especially shocked to see that these lynchings were made into community events where parents brought their children.  In the end, this really opened my eyes to the extent in which racism was embedded in the American culture at the time as generation after generation was raised to hate African Americans and believe that lynching was an appropriate form of “justice.”    

With/Out Sanctuary

The blogs thus far have been fantastic. Thank you so much for your hard work. As always, for those who will write after what has already been posted, try to say something a bit different form other posts.

I am including a link to an article I wrote on lynching which seems like many, many moons ago. Anyway, in it, I describe what a lot people had questions about: stories of women being lynched, and what does the commodification of lynching postcards mean. I also wrote a poem about the psychology of lynching that may be of interest:

http://www.lesley.edu/journals/jppp/10/index.html

One of the things we might discuss (and I don't want to dwell on lynching too long) is how one particular artist, Dwayne Wiggins, says about contemporary manifestations of lynching. Is his analogy in this song appropriate? Is the discourse of psychological lynching and the reality of police brutality an example of what Billie Holiday called Strange Fruit?

Blog 4- Response to Without Sanctuary

In high school as well as throughout my life, I have heard about stories of lynching and the horrible and disgusting ways African Americans we tortured and killed. In the movie "The Great Debaters" I saw a fictional lynching taking place, although it was based on true events. The short movie "Without Sanctuary" really opened my eyes to seeing actual photos of real people killed by lynching. I was disgusted to even see other human beings looking at this and not showing any sort of reaction. Whites at that time must have forced themselves to view African Americans as non human and the "other" to be able to desensitize them from feeling any emotion whatsoever, however it really shocks me to imagine human beings doing this to other human beings and not feeling any remorse whatsoever. I felt so much anger and pain watching the video and knowing that this happened for as long as it did. To imagine what those African Americans who were lynched went through at that moment, is impossible. They must have felt so many emotions and have had so much fear. I was shocked to find out in the movie that postcards were sent out to announce a lynching so that people could come. People at that time made lynching an event or some sort of spectacle, and that is what disturbs me the most. The fact that people enjoyed watching this and even brought their own children to the lynchings is horrific. Although this movie sturred up my emotions, it really opened my eyes and exposed the horrible details and images of lynching.

Blog Question #4

Without Sanctuary was very interesting. While I had previous knowledge of lynchings, seeing all photographs and hearing the narrative really made me think about what it means to be human and the caution we must take as individuals to make sure we are never coerced into justifying just troubling behavior. When the narrator says that he began to caution whites, the majority, the young, religion, and the accepted I began to think about the power of obedience and majority rules. Many times people find it hard to speak up with they know an injustice has occurred and will even participate if told to (for example the Nazi treatment towards the Jews). The idea that a human can so easily become an object in the minds of so many scares me. The photos in Without Sanctuary emphasize this point by depicting so many people who justified and celebrated their actions as though nothing was wrong. If I could take anything from the movie it would be that as humans we can't just stand by and watch injustices occur, we have to do something about it.
BB

I didn't learn much from the short movie. Most of the images and the facts they were stating I have heard in prior classes. The one thing that I didn't know was that they put the photos they had taken of the lynchings on post cards. That is the most rediculous thing I have ever heard of. I did have a small amount of knowlegde about lynching. I knew that they started the lynching of African Americans because they had gained their freedom and they was gaining to much power in the whites eyes so they called themselves teaching them a leason and showing the blacks that they was still in charge.Lynching didn't become illegal un

Without Sanctuary Response

Before watching this movie i knew what lynchings were, i just do not think that i have ever seen images like the ones shown in the movie. The beatings, stabbings and humility the victims were faced with before being hung is just wrong. I feel like everyone else did watching this movie... disgust and anger. I cannot fathom these photos being postcards! postcards?? I honestly do not know exactly to say in response to this video, i am speechless and i feel as though all i can do is relish in the anger i feel towards the people who can do such acts to humans regardless of race. I feel a deep sadness towards the victims and their families. I feel disgust towards those in the audience who see lynches as entertainment for the family. The video and the topic of lynching itself causes an array of emotions not easily summarized and described.