St. Rosa Parks Cyber-Assignment
Today we will have guests visit the class to talk about Mrs. Rosa Parks, her Detroit years. Dr. Juanita Alexander was born in Birmingham, but moved to Detroit at a young age. Her husband, Mr. Alexander, was raised there. He is a retired high school history teacher.
Everyone is welcome to join us for the 10-10:45 minute conversation/dialogue in D-205.
Please respond to the conversation today in a short three paragraph essay. Talk about Detroit and the tale of two cities depicted in the couple's differing experiences? Public vs. private education?
How did the talk personalize Mrs. Rosa Parks's work and the impact of her activism on ordinary people especially the youth?
Everyone is welcome to join us for the 10-10:45 minute conversation/dialogue in D-205.
Please respond to the conversation today in a short three paragraph essay. Talk about Detroit and the tale of two cities depicted in the couple's differing experiences? Public vs. private education?
How did the talk personalize Mrs. Rosa Parks's work and the impact of her activism on ordinary people especially the youth?
posted by Professor Wanda's Posse at 9:20 AM
2 Comments:
Jacky Christie
Professor Sabir
English 1A, 10-10:50
Guest Speakers Reflection (Reginald and Juanita Alexander): Impact growing up of Detroit and Rosa Parks
I found the presentation of our guest speakers to be very informing, interesting, honest, and inspirational. It truly opened eyes to the impact of Rosa Parks' position as a rebel in Detroit, by providing a firsthand-experience-perspective from the time. For one thing, much was noted about how much Rosa Parks's "bus stand", that lead later to the bus boycott and overall civil rights movement, was a real wake-up call for many who'd been blind or sheltered to the racial injustices that had been happening right in their backyards for years. Juanita noted how she personally was raised in a private Catholic school-environment-- which, along with her protective parents, guarded her from the harsh realities of the world, such as the poverty and racial injustice they faced. For the most part, Juanita states that her eyes were opened to the problems of her community when she attempted to visit home from college. She lived on 12th street in Detroit, and around 1967 (when she tried to come back home) Juanita described that very neighborhood as a very dangerous hotspot during the civil rights movement, where many burnings and violent riots occurred. Hearing about all this motivated her in college to start becoming a dedicatedly involved activist, including her and others' overthrow of the university union, and fighting to finally get the employment of African-American professors.
Interestingly, Reginald and Juanita informed me that Rosa Parks was not actually born in Detroit. I found this interesting because it shows how motivational and inspiring one can be fighting for any cause they believe in, not necessarily restricted to their birthplace-although she did plenty in her hometown of Alabama as well. I learned that it was her initial bus rebellion in Montgomery, and the fiery uprising that followed, which caused her siblings to fear for Parks' safety and persuade her to move near them in Detroit. Once people in Detroit heard about Rosa Parks' story of where'd she'd come from and what she'd done, many of them were inspired. This was primarily Reginald's generation, as he points out. Reginald recalls him and many others around him being culture-shocked and in awe at the prospect of this heroic figure coming from a seemingly distant land, telling stories of rebelling for a future where there wasn't segregation. Reginald agreed that living in Detroit had a sort of insulating, sheltering effect on him from the harsh truths of injustice that were happening at the time, just like Juanita. Reginald, being actually born in Detroit, also felt much of his earlier years were blinded to just how unfair and extreme segregation was in his world, and that he could do something about it. In the "North End" community, where Reginald lived, African-Americans were satisfied, though also quite poor, and hardly saw whites. It was a thriving community, he said, bursting with personal music and talent of Motown, and other things that only Detroit could have, but it was kind of cut off from everything else.
By the end of the presentation, I was quite impressed. In my life, I'd never heard much said about Detroit, except that Rosa Parks went there for a period of time. I had no idea what the inside of that "dome" of Detroit was like, neither could I imagine what kind of effect Rosa Parks, as a rebel on the run at the time, could have on people facing just as bad (if not worse) racial segregation problems. I feel like the guests gave a very fresh, very real perspective that helped me visualize Rosa Parks as not just a rebel with a cause, but specifically a rebel for people all over. I am grateful Reginald and Juanita were able to come to our class and tell their stories.
Saleena Carpenter
Professor Sabir
October 2013
English 1A 10-10:50am
Guest Speaker Reflection
Having the chance to hear about The courage of Rosa Parks from actual witnesses, Reginald and Juanita Alexander, was actually exciting for me. I was able to actually visualize the impact Mrs. Rosa Parks had in Detroit. I found it interesting that her bus stand opened the eyes for many people who were blinded and distanced from racial inequality. Juanita explains how growing up as a child who was raised by strict parents, did not suffer from poverty and attended catholic school, she was very much unaware of racial injustice. The moment she realized the racial problems in her community she was visiting from college. Her community had become what she called a "dangerous hotspot" during the civil rights movement because of numerous violent riots. She decided to join the movement becoming a civil rights activist at her university so that African Americans could become professors. Something I learned that I was previously unaware of was the fact that Rosa Parks wasn't born in Detroit and I think it says a lot about her character that she would continue fighting for her cause no mater where she was, it further shows her dedication. People were inspired and empowered when they saw and heard about what she had done in Montgomery, she was seen as a hero. Like Juanita, Reginald was also raised in Detroit where he was sheltered from the harsh reality of segregation. He lived in the North End community where they rarely saw white people, they were somewhat poor but satisfied; he described it as being isolated from everything but the community was full of life and music from Motown. Though out the presentation I couldn't stop smiling because being able to learn and appreciate those who have helped all people of color. Also just being able to learn something new about a place I've never been makes me feel good, new knowledge is everything to me. I feel very lucky to have had a chance to experience something like this and I am very appreciative of the opportunity.
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