Using the links I gave you last week, your text, and your VoF readings, take on the perspective of the personage you chose. You will need to produce a (750 word minimum) letter or diary entry, suitable for publication on your blog. While creativity is encouraged, your writing must be factual and show evidence that you’ve done your readings. You should reference any major events or legislation that would affect your character directly.
This assignment is worth 20 points. It is due Friday, 27 February at 10 p.m.
April 28, 1917
Dear Chicago Defender,
As a new reader, I am greatly surprised that such a paper as yours exists and I would like to thank you in advance for the great information you disperse to all of those seeking it. Your paper has given us down here in the south a reason to hope for a better future that can help us thinking positively of what we could do with our lives. We are currently living in poverty and can barely support ourselves in a meager living. We stay in this close net community and help support each other but are all looking for a better life in any community that might offer it.
That is the reason I am writing to you. My wife, two children, and I are lucky enough to have a roof but have a difficult time finding finances for food like the rest of our neighbors. We can not continue to live this way; we simply will not be able to survive. There is little more for me to do then back breaking work and to be given near nothing sustainable for it. Luckily this close knit community comes together in times of hardships and we all help support each other; however, there are times where we are short of food. In addition we are treated badly by the others in this town who have no respect for us. Some of the whites threaten us and attack us, but we have nothing down here to protect us and it is usually unprovoked. Their behavior towards us is in no way comparable or worthy of the respect we are forced to give in fear of retaliation.
Surely these laws protecting men and preaching equality that were made in the north are enforced in the north since they are not in the south. We have not been able to vote, which has been promised by the constitution, in fear of all sorts of retaliation. This democracy we are fighting for across the waters should be fought here at home. We have been promised rights and supposedly given the opportunities but none of us have seen it or benefited from it. It is because of this that we can not even have elected officials that care about us. Nobody will speak on our behalf in fear of being ousted as an elected official. How is it that not even the government that has made such grand promises can not even fight for us, but can fight for strangers who they have promised nothing? How is it that we are asked to serve our country in this war but once again nothing in return? We continue living this horrible life in the south.
In addition to these rights, I believe both my children have the right to be able to learn in a school that is worthy of teaching. They should not go to a small building that is on the verge of collapsing with nothing but a few tables filling it while the others have their great facilities that are supposedly separate and equal are surely separate, but are in no means equal. I refuse to allow this future to be the only option for my family. I will not allow my children to follow in my footsteps, that is all I am looking for, an opportunity to better the life of my family.
I have seen your ads and promises of a better life in the North; however, we have little money and could make the travel if we sold everything. We would have nothing left but the clothes on our backs. I ask you, in these times of desolation, do we have a chance at creating a better living for ourselves up in Chicago or a surrounding city? I have read of many job opportunities that promise higher wages than anybody has seen down here, but I can not believe my own eyes. If such a place is true, why would any of us stay here living in poverty? Is there any chance of us being able to venture to this new home and possibly start afresh and support ourselves?
Chicago Defender, please respond to my letter. I ask for a response so I may know if I should pack up my family, sell our belongings and embark on a journey to better our lives. Is this possible through your means? Will we be able to live truly self-sustainable lives? Will we be given the liberties promised to us as Americans? Is there anybody up there that is willing to help those of us down in the south that are in need of help?
I’m patiently awaiting a reply in hope of a better future.
Thank you,
William
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This letter was very accurately portrayed. My only problem is that the person writing the letter is a little too informed, but then again you need to prove you took the project seriously - and it looks like you did a lot of research. :)
ReplyDeleteI liked how you said that they would have nothing but the clothes on their backs to get up to Chicago because it demonstrate how much African Americans were willing to sacrifice to leave the south.
Good job! :D
This would probably be a typical response since they're desperately looking for any way out of their hardships. However, even though it has no real significance: Would the communities in the South be so close knit and help each other if they have a hard enough time providing for themselves?
ReplyDeleteI like the information you provided in your blog. It's very historically accurate and had a lot of good emotional points authentic to the struggle of African-American community. Only thing I would have added was for it to sound a little less formal. Other than that, Great Job!
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