A Bronzeville Story
Elementary: Grades 3–4
Story
Page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
)
"Race riots?" Penny said, surprised. Until that moment, she had not thought things like that happened up north. The Defender articles always seemed so positive. Why hadn't she heard?
"Don't you worry, Penny," Obie said. He looked at Daddy and Mama and continued. "Bronzeville is growing and changing, so of course there are some problems. My daughter has a sensitive nature, especially when it comes to what's difficult." Lurlene scowled but said nothing. Glancing at her, Penny thought she looked about as sensitive as a hornet.
"State Street's pretty much been Bronzeville's boundary all along," Obie was saying now. "But people are pushing east and south to live. Just too many people coming in to keep cramming them into these few blocks. It breeds anger, frustration, all that. They can't be living all on top of each other like this too much longer."
"Can't they just move on out to somewhere else then?" Cleet asked, full of sense as usual. "I never seen such a big place. Must be plenty of room in other parts."
Lurlene spoke up before anyone else could. "Can't move anywhere," she said, angry as ever. "No matter how much money you got, might as well forget it. A body cannot buy a house anywhere that whites live. Poppa could afford a house practically anywhere, but nobody will sell to him!"
Lurlene was upset, for sure. But Penny felt plenty troubled, too, maybe even more so. If you had money, at least then you should be able to move. Weren't they in the North, the freedom states?
)
"Whites want to contain the growth outward much as they can," Uncle Obie informed them. "They got this thing called a covenant—an agreement white folks make not to rent or sell to Negroes."
"I seem to remember reading about that in the Defender, Obie," Daddy said. "Didn't the Supreme Court outlaw covenants just last year?"
"Indeed it did, Luke. Ruled unconstitutional," Obie replied, nodding slowly. "But people are still being pressured not to sell to black folks. Maybe just not so obviously."
"But this is the North!" Penny burst out. "What about equal rights for folks?" Even down south, teachers made sure their classes understood what the rights of black citizens were, even if they weren't getting them.
"It's a shame," Mama said. "From all we read, things seem to be so much better up here than down home."
"Oh, that it is, to be sure, Grace!" Obie replied quickly. "When it comes to how blacks and whites get on together here, well, there's a lot to be hopeful about. But at the same time, you still got the segregation, in neighborhoods, schools, jobs. People are fed up."
"I'm happy to be here, just the same," Daddy said. "Down home we got much farther to go."
Downloads (pdf)
