Literacy
Written for AST 313. Hope you enjoy this...
Sometimes the most important history lessons are hidden by teachers, school system, and history books. It being Black History Month, what better time is there to explore the hidden history of the Black struggle for literacy in the United States? While African Americans have been through many struggles in this country, none has been more taxing than the struggle for literacy. It is a history which has been internalized by those that fought for it. From slavery through the Civil War and beyond, literacy has had a unique meaning for Black Americans. A meaning perfectly summed up by Fredrick Douglass, one of the great literate men of the 19th century, when he discovered and first understood the importance of literacy. He spoke these words, “I understood the pathway from slavery to freedom” (Douglass, Narrative of the life of Fredrick Douglass, 34), and they have been repeated many times over by others that toiled for the right to read and have gone to extreme and necessary lengths to obtain education. The only way to expose the hidden history is to tell these stories and reclaim them for the black community. Reflecting on this history can give our community a direction to enrich and fortify future generations of Black Americans who will be able to claim literacy and mental freedom for themselves.
The best place to begin reflecting on the meaning of literacy for Black Americans is slavery. Even though learning to read was outlawed as early as 1740 in South Carolina and subsequently in other southern states, at least 15% of slaves managed to achieve literacy by the end of the civil war (“Anderson lecture”, 3.14.07, 9). How did slaves achieve literacy if it was illegal? Easy: Creative learning strategies. Blacks were able to achieve literacy in various ways including: trading boxing lessons for reading lessons, playing ‘school’ with the master’s children, memorizing news and repeating it back to literate slaves, attending ‘pit’ schools- yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like, tricking white children into teaching them through games, trading food with poor whites, and sacrificing Sundays to attend Sabbath schools. While unorthodox, slave did this because they “equated wanting to write with wanting to be free” and additionally, literacy was beneficial for many slaves as they attempted to attain physical freedom (Williams, Self Taught, 22). Overall, the desire for literacy is perfectly articulated by free women Mattie Jackson, “I now began to feel I was free I could learn to write, as well as others” (Williams, Self Taught, 29).
Writing to achieve mental freedom was nice but once the Civil War began, physical freedom became more attainable. As the war began slaves and freed blacks ran away from the plantations and towns and continued the fight for literal freedom. The desire for literacy carried on as well. The soldiers were dedicated to their own literacy believing that, “education would help them to throw off that smear of inferiority that whites had inscribed on them at slavery” (William, Self Taught, 65). In addition to furthering their own literacy the men began to start schools for those they liberated. In 1866 African American soldiers in the fifty-sixth United States colored infantry completely financed a school which later became Southland Institute. Despite their hard work, the soldiers were snubbed and literally written out of history when Quakers recorded the inception of the school. This is an example of why the black struggle for literacy is a hidden struggle. However, by building schools the soldiers ensured that future generations would be literate leaders. As Harry McMillan put it, “with the children that are coming up no white men will not be needed” (Williams, Self Taught, 43). Literacy was the hope for the future, a future which would be fought hard for.
Dedication to literacy did not die with slavery and isn’t dead today. Post civil war Black Americans took it upon themselves to staff schools and provided hundreds of books for their pupils. Additionally, they spoke openly about their desire for public education, an idea that would have incited scandal in the antebellum south, (William, Self Taught, 72). There was a strong sentiment to “do it yourself” which has held true throughout the 20th and 21st century’s. Southern black’s financed their own public schools into the 1960’s, sometimes donating their entire life savings in order for the younger generations to attend school.
However, these inspiring stories are largely untold. This is a hidden history, an amazing legacy that has been buried and is glossed over by school systems. Yet, the message still must be passed: attaining an education can free you to be whatever you want to be, in any community. It’s imperative that we connect with children and teenagers to pass on the message of literacy and freedom. I propose a three pronged approach to this end which involves material culture, institutional changes and popular culture. First, we should utilize material culture and create street banners to place in communities such as Dorchester and Roxbury. These signs will be designed by middle school students and convey their ideas about literacy while integrating quotes from slave narratives. Second, changes to the high school and middle school curriculums need to be made. Teachers should incorporate slave narratives into English and history classes. This will enable teens to learn about their history, be proud of what their ancestors achieved, and empower them to do the same for themselves. I propose that each ninth grader in the Boston Public Schools read slave narratives and share the story with their classmates. Finally, with the support of the government and Ad Council we should create a multimedia campaign targeted at middle and high school students. This campaign will feature popular entertainers speaking about how literacy has empowered them. Through this campaign, teens from all over the country will be able to identify with the advantage that literacy provides. The history of the Black struggle for literacy is important, too important not to be passed on to younger generations. By implementing these three proposals the message of literacy will be passed on and the freedom that so many fought so hard for will never be forgotten.
Posted: February 27, 2008 11:08 pm by Katherine Swanson | 0 comments
Tags: african american, history, literacy, opinion