Embedded Files
Visit the spotlight page on the Flint water crisis to explore maps and readings that illustrate how the drinking water crisis has impacted the literacy skills of children growing up in Flint, MI.
by Mara Lee Grayson (PDF)
"Racial literacy requires that students develop a discursive toolbox with which to examine and respond to the functions of race and racism in society and in their daily lives. This chapter explores why reading, writing, and talking about race and racism matter in first year composition courses, previews some successes and struggles students may face, and offers strategies students can use to work through rhetorical and affective challenges of writing about race and racism."
by Jimmy Santiago Baca (web page)
In this literacy narrative, Jimmy Santiago Baca describes how he taught himself to read and write during a five-year prison sentence. Today, Baca, who is of Chicano descent, is an acclaimed poet and writer.
BONUS: You can watch Baca describing the writing process he used for his memoir, Stories from the Edge. You can also read some of his poetry here.
by Joy Harjo (web page)
Harjo reflects on the ways that Native Americans' stories and voices are often suppressed or revised by mainstream culture in this personal essay. Harjo, the first ever Native American U.S. Poet Laureate, is the author of many acclaimed works of poetry and the memoir Crazy Brave.
BONUS: Watch an interview with Harjo from the American Academy of Poets here. Read some of Harjo's poetry here.
by Vershawn Ashanti Young (PDF available via JSTOR - SHU login required)
In this article, Young shares his experiences teaching Cam, a black male student, in his first-year writing class. Young reflects on Cam's writing and history to make a broader argument about racial identity in the academy and the place of BEV or Black English Vernacular.
"June Jordan." Poets.org. 25 June 2020, https://poets.org/poet/june-jordan
by June Jordan (pdf via JSTOR - SHU login credentials required)
When Willie Jordan's brother is murdered by the police, his classmates in Jordan's Black English course write letters of protest. Jordan recollects their writing and discussion processes and their choice to use Black English in formal writing. Throughout the piece, Jordan also shares the rules of Black English that she and her students collaborated on to demonstrate how Black English is just as rule-bound as Standard English.
by Jamila Lyiscott (video)
In this spoken word performance, Lyiscott explores the three ways she speaks English in various contexts. Through her performance, the poet poses questions about what it means to be "articulate" and how we make unfounded judgements constantly about others based on how they speak.
by Linda Darling-Hammond (web page)
In this article, Darling-Hammond examines educational inequalities in the United States. She highlights the lack of resources and trained teachers in minoritized school districts and argues that educational opportunities for black, indigenious, and people of color (BIPOC) youth are not equal to those provided to white students.
BONUS: Review this Historical Timeline of Public Education in the United States compiled by the Race Forward organization.
by Jennifer Cunningham (PDF e-book - article begins on page 88)
The author of this piece breaks down several common misconceptions about African American Language in the United States. She contends that AAL is rule-bound and just as sophisticated as other languages and is effective in certain contexts.
by Carmen Kynard (PDF e-book - article begins on page 88)
Kynard explores the politics of white language policing in the academy, particularly in writing courses. She posits that asking students to "put some stank on it" when they write allows them to speak and write in their own language and shows them that their language practices have value and can serve as a counter-poetic mechanism in the face of white language supremacy.
by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell (comic)
This excerpt from the March graphic novel series (book one) was published on The Appendix. In these panels, Congressional Representative and Civil Rights icon John Lewis describes applying to an all-white college and seeking help from Martin Luther King, Jr. when his application is ignored.
by Siobhan Bivens (video)
In this interview, Bivens explores how gender identity, race, and literacy intersect in her life, especially in public spaces like on social media.
BONUS: This interview is part of the Digital Archive of Literacy Narratives (DALN), a digital collection of videos, essays, and podcasts of people around the country talking about their literacy histories and practices. You can search the DALN by subject to find similar narratives.
by Frederick Douglass (webpage)
From OpenStax Writing Guide with Handbook: "In the portion of the text included here, Douglass chooses to represent the dialogue of Mr. Auld, an enslaver who by the laws of the time owns Douglass. Douglass describes this moment with detail and accuracy, including Mr. Auld’s use of a racial slur...Douglass gives an account of Auld’s exact language in order to hold a mirror to the racism of Mr. Auld—and the reading audience of his memoir—and to emphasize the theme that literacy (or education) is one way to combat racism."Page updated
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