Having our say and black men and public space (education) - Essay Example

Education The novel “Having our say” is one which talks about the life of Bessie and Sadie two African American sisters. The book is the memoir of the two sisters who faced spiteful experience in childhood but grew up to be a successful people in future. In the article “Black Man and Public Space” is about the stereotyping of black men and how American white community was scared of black people. The two writings explicitly talks about the way in which education can change people’s lives and they way perceive life.

The potential of education is a theme of both the stories. The African American life is detailed in these stories. The stories have a purpose of promoting the value of education and knowledge in life. Getting less chance to acquire education in childhood the two sisters were motivated to get highly educated in futureIn the story, the sisters were having hindrance in getting education because of their black race, They had to face discrimination from white people however they stood through all bad experience and went on to get highly educated and created a niche for themselves in the society .

In same way, Staple is also educated and understands that he is mistaken for a criminal because white has a misconception of Africans that they are of dubious or immoral nature. Both the story tells that education change the way we contemplate issue. The authors being educated became strong about their identity and personality and were proud of their race. Staple being an educated person always remained calm and relaxed to all negative reaction from white people. Staple chose to perhaps unconsciously, to remain a shadow-timid, but a survivor ( Staple).

Both the sisters and Staple think that education can be a weapon with which we can shield any attacks from discriminative people. They show us that education and hard work can overcome poverty .The education has changed the attitude of all the characters in the stories. The sisters acquired high education and they get good profession too. It was courageous during that time in history for women to be educated when there was no reason for blacks to be educated ( Delany 5) . They give a message that people need to get educate and fight for their rights.

The negative remarks from people should not stop us from achieving our goals. Life is supposed to be something which needs to be constructed with education and hard work. The sisters are a role model to all young black people who face discrimination at educational institution. The sisters Bessie and Sadie think that if one has education then they can feel confidence and will power. Education has great power and people can change their lives by acquiring it.The author Staple being educated thinks that acting intelligently to the racist criticism is the best way to deal with such attitude.

The author shows that education can brings self – dignity and respect in people. They show us the education can make us more humble and wise. It is better to avoid people who are ignorant and seem that such criticism does not affect us. Education makes us more refined and there is something else we need to notice that education alone can change a bad person. A good person whether educated or not act in a respectful manner. There were many people in the past who were racist but there were few who were humane and good to black people.

So education is important but for the victim education can give a different dimension of seeing problems.Work CitedDelany, Sarah L. Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters First 100. U.S.A: BookRags Inc, 2007. 5. Print.Staples, Brent. Black People and Public Space.