HUM 2 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Septima Poinsette Clark, Theodore Roosevelt, Frostbite
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Hum 1
Introduction to Humanities
Septima Clark: Brief Biography
● Father born a slave; Joel Poinsette family
● Mother, freeborn to an American Indian and Haitian, was raised in Haiti and educated in
the European tradition
● Parents valued education, mother was unintimidated by racial prejudice displayed
towards blacks
● In Septima’s youth illegal for black teachers to teach black children in public schools
● 1920: married a man she barely knew against her parents wishes
● Infant daughter died followed by spousal infidelity
● Taken in by-in-laws
● Second child, a son, experienced serious childhood illness; sent son to live with paternal
grandparents
● Eventually cared for elderly mother
● Lost teaching job after 40 years due to membership in NAACP
● Risked beatings/injury for civil rights work
● Was arrested and taken to jail due to alcohol in her boss’s basement found during a raid
Teaching on St. John’s Islands
● After graduating high school, 1916, she taught school in primitive conditions (no lights,
no chalkboard, no paper)
● Developed frost bite walking to school the first winter
● She and one other teacher shared responsiblities for 132 students
● Worked for $35/month ($9600 yr) for 132 students
● White teachers received $85/month ($24,000 yr) for normal sized class
The Seven Sister Colleges
● In 1880s, 13% and in 1960, 10.5% ; 0.0015% of total blacks were graduating from these
● 1.5 black females per every 100,000 people
● The One Drop Rule
Teddy Roosevelt
● Teddy Bear
● Just 36 hours after the birth of their only daughter, his wife (kidney disease) and his
mother (typhoid) died in the same house
● Gave infant to his sister and went West àNational park System
● “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are”
● Arrogant Beggar Discussion
● Maurice Young The Advocate
● Ted Talk: Homeless by design
● Maurice Young - Homelessness
○ Irish Hill
○ 67 homeless individuals in tents