Analysis Of Hidden Figures By Margot Lee Shetterly

Maggie L. Walker, an African American woman who lived in the 1800 hundreds, she was a woman that would fight for anything that she believed in. Walker was an activist who brought social change to other African American slaves. Maggie Walker was the first female president ever to own her own bank, she worked to help run down charities, and she was an Activist. Maggie Lena Draper also known as Maggie Lena Walker was born on July 15, 1864 in Richmond virginia. Her parents names were Elizabeth Draper, who was the former slave and cook for Elizabeth Van Lew.

Stacy Davis, self-proclaimed activist for feminism and womanism, is a “scholar trained in feminist theory and African American biblical hermeneutics” (Davis 23). In her article, The Invisible Woman: Numbers 30 and the Policies of Singleness in Africana Communities, Davis argues for a prominent place for single woman (specifically those who have never married) in biblical scholarship, and as leaders in the church, with questions of their sexuality left alone. Davis argues this viewpoint from the perspective as an unmarried black woman. Davis establishes the foundation for her argument in Numbers 30, a text that altogether omits reference to single woman, rather each group of women mentioned in the text about vows refers to them in relation to men (21). Thus, Davis establishes the omission of single women in the Hebrew Bible as the invisible women.

Turning Points are often when something unexpected or something you can’t control happens in your life. The texts that concluded this idea was the Autobiography “ Warriors Don’t Cry’’ by Melba Pattillo Beals, the poem The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost, and the Drama excerpt “Dragonwings”by Lawrence Yep. Melba Pattillo Beals, The Main Character of The Road Not Taken, and Moonshadow all faced life changing experiences, that changed a big part of their lives. “Warriors Don’t Cry’’ by Melba Pattillo Beals is an Autobiography about how Melba Pattillo Beals was being escorted to go to school by fifty uniformed soldiers because of the color of her skin. The Turning Point that Melba faced, was when she was walking up the steps into Central High school were angry segregationist mobs had forbidden her and other students to go.

“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives,” Greatly known for being the first African American to ever play professional baseball on a team of all white players, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball (MLB) after battling the complications that came along with segregation, and inspired a generation of African Americans to question the doctrine of “separate but equal”. Being born in Georgia in 1919, Jackie battled discrimination all throughout his life (Mara 6). When Jackie was one year old, his family moved to an predominantly white neighborhood in California. His neighbors didn’t want his family living there, so Jackie often got called him names and had rocks thrown at him (Mara 9). Jackie

In “The Common Elements of Oppression” by Suzanne Pharr, she writes that isolation is a “major component” to the oppression of “minority groups”. The LBGT community depicted in the Harvey Milk film were disowned by their own communities that they lived, worked and were even born in. They were treated as “others” and had no say-so, no voice, no authority- that is until Harvey Milk decided enough was enough. Just as Pharr stated, it wasn’t until those afflicted by these actions, came together and created a movement, a uniformed voice for a call to do something to change the wrongdoings of those who were considered a

All throughout the beginning half of the 20th Century, Blacks, who were still in the full-fledged war against oppression, were finally starting to make some progress. By the year 1941, through legal battles, blacks were able to organize individuals on the ground, Executive order 8802(first federal action to promote equality and prohibit employment discrimination) and even the educational system had begun to desegregate. Despite the fact that there was a huge push back against Jim Crow through legal action, the south was not willing to concede. With new legislation in place, that was designed to promote equality, individuals are known as the Freedom Riders entered the south to challenge segregation at its very core.

Many years later, African Americans still had not achieved equality. Keeping facilities segregated resulted in a long history and a

Winter of 2008, Black History Month, and my third grade music teacher, announces, “Stand up if you would have been a victim of segregation,” following with, “Now, everyone look around.” February. The month of Rosa Parks, “I Had A Dream,” marches, and sit-ins. The month I had begun to despise greater each year. The month where I would be chosen to lead many readings and join classroom discussions, as if my being ‘black’ would provide some clarity that would enhance the learning experience for my fellow peers.

Hidden Girl by Shyima Hall (with Lisa Wysocky) tells the story of Shyima El-Sayed Hassan, who was sold into slavery when she was eight years old; however, she learns how to use her experience for good, and spreads the awareness of how slavery is still a huge problem today. Shyima was born on September 29,1989 in a small town near Alexandria, Egypt. She was the seventh of eleven children, causing her family to live in poverty. In Egypt, not going to school, being poor, cheating on your wife, and selling your children were seen as normal, as okay. After her sister Zahra was accused of stealing money from the family she worked for, Shyima was sent in her place.

In fact, the only way that a problem is solved in our day and age is with our voice. Will that be your voice? During the years of racial segregation, there was a woman who altered history by being courageous. Rosa Parks is an amazing example of someone who was not fearful of breaking the chains of our racial country. One day Rosa Parks was taking the city bus from her working place back home.

”(McGill) Since the blacks had little education, they couldn’t go against the constitution. So this made segregation permanent for now but not forever. Segregation even spread into sports.

In order to change history, people must learn from their mistakes. Segregation in North America has been a big issue in North America that unfortunately still happens in the world today, however, it is not as bad as it once was. In the poem “History Lesson” by Natasha Trethewey, the author uses mood, symbolism and imagery to describe the racial segregation coloured people faced in the past compared to more recent times, where equality is improved and celebrated. The author uses language and setting to influence the mood and meaning of the poem.

The seemingly endless battle for civil rights was one fought long and hard and during the 20th century a time of fruition occurred that allowed for concrete and tangible progress though the efforts of many, including key black intellectual revolutionaries. The call to freedom, and the fight for civil liberties to be bestowed upon people of color, who for hundreds of years were perceived as subordinate was happening. Change was fought through self-determination, and a burgeoning of powerful ideologies that laid the foundation for movement to be made. The admirable actions of women have been slighted, as they are almost non-existent in the pages of our history books. The contributions of the civil right movement have many a time excluded the contributions of prominent African American woman who tirelessly fought.

Cotton Mather: Wonders of the Invisible World In this writing, Cotton Mather, a Puritan Theologian and a renowned reverend talks about his fears of the Christian religion being slowly obliterated from the country, which he believes is being taken over by the devil and his minions by the use of Witchcraft. In 1963 Cotton Mather was asked to create a literary piece, in defense of the persecutions, one year after the events of the Salem witch trials actually took place, where questionable events happened were depicted. This work was called the Invisible Wonders of the World. Throughout the writing, Mather is always depicting the devil as a real and tangible being (e.g. “invisible hands” and supernatural happenings).

It’s 1921, segregation is at its peak. Could you survive? In my novel “White Lilacs” Rose Lee had to face many challenges. She survived by learning to contain her emotions and remain respectful.