Lessons From Down Under: Reflections on Meanings of Literacy and Knowledge From an African-American Female Growing Up in Rural Alabama

This selection is by the author Bessie House-Soremekun. "It examines the development of several forms of literacy in rural Alabama during the years immediately following the civil rights movement."The civil rights movement affected the lives of thousands during the late 1950's and was centered in Alabama. When the topic of the civil rights movement is brought up i get goosebumps, the numerous counts of injustice and suffering of those that came before me highly upsets me. I hate seeing the pictures and hearing the sad stories of the terrible things the white people did. The historical factors that were incorporated with the slave-ocracy caused a major gap in the literacy well after slavery ended. This major set back was mostly seen in the southern societies who still after slavery made it very difficult for African Americans to vote, become literate, or get a job. Another example of the set backs can be compared to that of the black and white televisions. This portrayal of the "black & white" image just emphasized the society and how it was at the time. Dr Martin Luther King Jr. said "Negroes have been intimidated and humiliated and oppressed because of the sheer fact that they were Negroes." This quote made me so inferior to the topic of the civil rights movement and the unfair treatment blossomed in response to slavery. Finally "changes" were being made, things like the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the establishment of Affirmative Action started the chain effect for the equality of all citizens.

As House-Soremekun reflects on her childhood she remembers the strong emphasis on the learning professions and the importance of learning how to read and write. She was offered to skip a grade because of her strong academic work and ability to read. The offer was declined in spite of her mothers knowledge and how she thought it would be better for her to stay in her age group of peers. She then goes into detail about formal and informal literacy. Formal literacy is knowledge gained from educational modes and activities. Informal literacy consists of knowledge gained from family and storytelling. In addition to these literacies it is clear that our culture uses storytelling as its most trusted form of communication. I feel as though the knowledge of the different types of literacy help to determine what path you would like to endure in your journey to gaining your literacy. I enjoyed this passage and was very touched by the back round information and facts that were stated supporting the thesis of relationship among race, knowledge and power. African Americans have triumphed through so many difficult times. The idea of race and the "equality" of all people is still very controversial today. The racism, sexism and stereotypes fill the mass media, and somewhat "mirror" the same inequality that was seen during the civil rights movement just not as drastically.