"To Protect and Serve" by Elaine RIchardson

The quote “to protect and serve” is referring to the languages and literacies of the African American female being recognized and preserved in society. Richardson speaks on the term “mammy” which refers to the faithful, obedient servant, a language policy black women use. Most black women relate themselves to this term, a term used during slavery. Terms like “mammy”,” bitch”, and “wench” all belittle black women. Black women still continue the mindset of inferiority in society by using terms like these. I feel this is sad because it is true. I know many black females who have called themselves “bitches”, or have called another black female a “wench” or “bitch” as well.
Richardson says some literary policies black women use are: storytelling, code style shifting, signifying, and silence and speech. Unfortunately, when we do come across a black woman that is eager or “persistent”, she is avoiding the normal black woman’s’ fate. So really a black woman’s fate is usually the opposite of persistent, which is lazy, relenting, surrendering, and yielding. These policies are looked down upon in society.  All forms of literacy within the black, female communities show signs of inferiority, wrong, or not good enough. We are taught to change our speech, the way we act, hobbies, etc…Likewise,  “African culture forms adapt to meet the needs of this racist society” Richardson states. The way a black woman dances, acts, styles something about her, and sings isn’t attractive to the rest of society or liked because it is different.
But why should any culture have to conform, or change its ways, to any society, as long as that culture’s ways are safe, and abiding by the laws of the land? I believe the African-American woman’s traditions and culture does need to be preserved. It has a right to be given a chance just as any other culture in the American society.

To be Black, Female, and Literate

'To be Black, Female, and Literate' is a narrative written by Leonie C. R. Smith. This narrative was written to detail the life Smith encountered and her relationship in gaining an education throughout the complete journey. Smith begins explaining to the audience of her born life in Antigua. While living in Antigua, Smith reflects on the importance of education her parents enforced on her because of the limitations and restrictions they were faced with, as well as those before them. Smith draws her audience into the story with captivating expressions detailing the trials and tribulations she and her family were forced to overcome. Despite the countless hurdles life had thrown at Smith and the rest of her family, education was still highlighted and maintained.

Later in the narrative, Smith explains the transition she made when she moved from Antigua to America. Smith moved to Brooklyn, New York to live with her sister for better opportunity and an escape from the British English education system. Smith explained that she had always excelled and remained in the top three percentile throughout her educational career in Antigua, so when she arrived in New York she had expected to be admitted into the corresponding grade according to her age, or otherwise advanced a grade. However when she was denied this, and rather demoted, she refused to attend school until she was admitted into her rightful grade.

Endurance and challenges Smith made such as this shows her passion for education and in my opinion, a subconscious way of proving herself adequate. Smith expressed the overlapping combination of being black, female, and literate and how important it was to emphasize all three correctly and accordingly.

While reading this article, there was one question that came to mind. The first thing I could think of is how I would feel and react if I were in the situation Smith lived and endured. Honestly, I could not begin to fathom how I would feel if I were in the situation Smith lived. I can only simply applaud her for how she handled every situation that was thrown at her. I feel that Ms. Leonie C.R. Smith is an excellent example of how to live while maintaining the importance of being Black, Female and Literate. 

Storytelling

This text was about how African Americans use storytelling as a way of teaching. The author went into different reasons of why people told stories, the points they were trying to get across. Most of the stories were told in reference to the bible.

One story I found interesting was the story about a boy who got in trouble for staying out late and lying to his mother about it. As a punishment she made her son stay in his room and ask God for forgiveness; he wasn’t allowed out until she felt he was forgiven. This story reminds me of the movie, “For Colored Girls”. In this movie, a young girl, about eighteen years old, got pregnant and snuck to have an abortion. When her mother found out, she made her pray to this God they worshiped until she was forgiven, like the boy in this story. While the girl was praying, her mother began to poor oil all over her to wash the sin away. In both cases the children were forced to ask God for forgiveness several times. I believe that you only need to seek forgiveness from God one time, seeing that he is very forgiving. The mothers do not know whether God has forgiven their children, so they shouldn’t have forced them to ask multiple times.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. made a speech about being a Good Samaritan, and how important and life changing it is. In this sermon he used the quote, not “What will happen to me if I stop to help this man?” but “What will happen to the man if I do not stop and help him?”. Do you believe that in this day and age, we can follow this way of thinking? With all the crime and schemes people in this world commit, I don’t think we can follow this way of thinking. It’s too risky. Many people have tried to be good Samaritans and got tricked and hurt in the process. It’s unfortunate to say, but it’s hard to help strangers at this time, especially with the economic downfall we are experiencing.