The Best of the Brownies' Book

I really enjoyed reading this book. The pieces of writing in this book were lively and entertaining which allowed me to paint a vivid picture of what life was like for young African Americans in the twentieth century. The writing in this book addressed important issues for children that are still around today. It teaches children to respect and love everyone; that color should not matter. Since I am majoring in Childhood Education, this book would be an incredible book to have in my classroom to foster multiculturalism and diversity.

Many of the passages in this book had a range of issues that all children and young adults can relate to, such as dealing with parents and friends ("Turkey Drumsticks"), school work ("The Heritage"), and much more. This book also provides children and young adults with stories of African Americans who were influential during a time of slavery and struggle. For instance, "The Story of Harriet Tubman" provides the reader with an understanding that "The tributes to this woman whose charity embraced the whole human race, the slaveholders as well as the fugitives, were remarkable" (96). Through the biographies of historic African American figures, African American children are better able to comprehend their heritage and develop a sense of pride toward their race.

The variety of writing in this book was also intriguing how it addressed the intellects and spirits of African American children and young adults. Short stories are separated with fun poems about jumping rope (Salt! Vinegar! Mustard! Pepper!), and other games that children played during this time period (The Teasing Hoop, and The Runaway Kite). There are also sections devoted to "Little People of the Month," praising children for their heroic acts, "The Grown-Up's Corner," with letters and comments from parents, and "The Jury," featuring letters from young readers.

Overall, this book provides an accuracy of culturally centered images, stories and information about African Americans.

After reading the first seventy pages of Passing by Nella Larson, I could not help but think of how similar this book is to The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man. The sense of not knowing your true self, as well as, a persistent sense of loneliness is evident throughout both novels. Perhaps it is best portrayed in Passing on page forty-six when Irene is at Clare's house for tea. Surrounded by women who are "passing" to be white, Irene begins to have "...a feeling of being outnumbered, a sense of aloneness, in her adherence to her own class and kind; not merely in the great thing of marriage, but in the whole pattern of her life as well." As the narrator in The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man continuously questions whether he should accept that he is "negro" or simply pass as a white man, Irene begins to question her life as well. Being in the presence of her passing friends, she discovers that she was the only one out of all of them that married a "negro," and had a dark child.

If this book is anything like The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man, the questions penetrating Irene's mind will continue throughout the novel. I suppose we will have to wait and see.

Ethnic Notions

The film that we watched in class was based primarily around ethnic caricatures of African Americans. These specific caricatures depicted extremely hurtful stereotypes of blacks. Black women were portrayed as a "mammy" figure, who was viewed by the general public as fat, ugly and asexual. Talk about degrading! If I was in a black woman's shoes during this time period this image of ugliness would definitely make me feel useless. Not only were women portrayed as ugly, but men were stereotyped as irresponsible and stupid, while children were often compared to animals.

This film bothered me a lot. It boggles my mind to think that these images were used to justify slavery, lynchings, and other violent acts against blacks. Although many people are too ignorant to see the hate and racial hostility in a lot of these black caricatures, it is clear that the blacks were extremely dehumanized.