Citizen Reflection & Reading as Writers

Please respond here with your first impressions of the section. What surprised you? What resonated with you? What are you confused about?
Please look up Jim Crow (Jim Crow was initially a person and a caricature of a person, then they became Jim Crow Laws). What was Jim Crow and Jim Crow Laws?
Why do you think Rankine placed the photo called “Jim Crow Road” on page 6? What does this add to her message?
At the end of Section I on page 19, please look at the art piece, called “Little Girl.” This is quite creepy and disturbing! What do you think Rankine wants the reader to think or feel after reading this section with this image at the end? Does this image help explain the previous scenario on page 18?
Also here is a library research guide (Links to an external site.) that you can explore to help you understand more about the context of the book: Link (Links to an external site.)

Then post two replies to peers.

Responses should be thoughtfull with real insite. At least 4 Sentence.

Respond to

*Elisha

In the beginning, she mentions that she is 12 going to school and I find it crazy that 12-year-olds actually went through this a long time ago
Jim Crow was a character in a minstrel show and Jim Crow Laws were made to basically tell African Americans where and what they could do
I feel like the Jim Crow Road picture is a regular white neighborhood during that time and I feel like its meaning is to show the fact that the little African American girl is confused about why her teacher barely notices her or why the little white girl cheats off of her since they are “different”
I was very confused about the picture at the end and I don’t know how I feel about it

Respond to
*Jahzale

1.) The first impression of the first section of the book was a little confusing because it’s not a regular read it’s more of a variety of poems about race that force you to use your imagination at least that was my understanding. I’m still a bit confused about what some of her main points are, the part that resonated with me the most was the emotion behind her stories.

2.) Jim Crow was not an actual person from what I know they were laws that enforced racial segregation

3.) I believe Rankine placed the photo of Jim Crow road to remind us that racism is still present, I think her message emphasizes the struggle of African American history by it still being there.

4.) I’m not sure if the scenario of section 18 relate with the picture, however the feeling I received from the image was humiliation because of being a person of color and that we are preyed upon like animals.