I think one of the major things that keep hitting me hard
as i read through this book, sentence by sentences, lines by line, word by word, Ella,
is that i never knew you existed until now.
i have read pages and pages about Martin Luther King Jr. and your name never crossed
my mind. I learned about the Civil Rights Movement and about Rosa Parks and
your name never entered my thoughts. Where have you been?
Is it the fault of my mother, that she never taught me about you? No, i doubt even now at the
white age of 60 that she has ever uttered your name. So it must be the educators
in charge of my education right? They must of spoken your name before right? But then why didn't they teach me about you? Was it because you were born a women instead of a man?
As i read this biography about your life, i like to ask myself the question, "if you had been born a man would i have known who you were. Would i have known the impact of your fearless mind and words?"
The ordeal in Atlanta, makes me think about how hard you worked; how much you cared. How could anymore even think of wanting to compromise. To compromise the hard work, the struggle that generations have had to suffer. How could Rauh believe that what was best for the community was to accept once again inequality? But there you are again Baker, with your strong voice, passion vibrating in your chest, without a single ounces of weakness your ripped him to shreds. You let everyone know that no, two seats were not enough for the representation of people that had been brutalized, raped, lynched, killed. So i want to thank you for putting your foot down. For speaking the words many did not know how to say, that many were too fearful to utter.
Ami,
ReplyDeleteI also feel disheartened that I have not heard about Ella Baker until recently. When we learn about Civil Rights Movements, whether it be from school, family, or a combination of both, we often hear about key male figures: Dr. King, Malcolm X, Ralph Abernathy, and John Lewis, but rarely due we hear about critical female figures that were invested in these movements, especially behind the scenes. Although "Ella Baker and the Black Freedom Movement" is empowering and informational, I can't help but think about how Baker's planned memoir, "Making a Life, Not Making a Living" would have been much more impactful. We have insight from documentation, interviews, and quotes, but we will never be able to truly understand the magnitude of Baker’s work and her personal feelings about the movements. Without autobiographical accounts, we formulate historical figures with respect to a certain lens or purpose.
From our reading, I can observe how not only sexism, but her approach to activism plays a role in Baker’s lack of acknowledgement. Baker defined her goals as, “to politicize the community and empower ordinary people” (270). Although a visible figure in organizations and certain movements, to the public, Baker was an invisible hand the guided and invested in young leaders from SCLC to SNCC through key decisions. Despite her critical roles in SNCC, Baker was a behind the scenes leader and may never truly receive the acknowledgement she deserves. I respect Baker’s impact and glad to learn more about her, however, like you, I wish I had known of her at a younger age and understood more about who she is.
Sincerely,
Sydney