And so we have entered the desegregation era at UGA. We get a much greater glimpse of Charlayne as a student and as an individual in these chapters. For example, after her high school counselor discourages her from pursuing a career in journalism, Charlayne decides to venture on despite warnings that she could face oppression in doing so (pg. 109).
We also read more description about Hamilton Holmes, whom we now know went on to become the first African American male enrolled at UGA. Hamp (as Charlayne referred to him) was a fellow high achieving student.
Charlayne also introduces the notion that school (at least Turner High School) was a place of protection for her and her friends (pg. 114). The segregation they experienced served as a way of shielding them from many societal wrongs, though Charlayne and her mother did experience some oppression in some of the most every day occurrences, like shopping at Rich’s (pg. 114). The Emmett Till murder was another reminder that segregated safety was only relative (pg. 115).
As Charlayne goes on to college at Wayne State, we see her first experience with desegregation in the form of her residence hall living experience (pg. 133). However, a “racial divide” was still present in the form of dining hall patterns and Greek life (pg. 138). The Black students at Wayne State found community in their shared racial identity within a desegregated environment. What impact do you think this concept of self-segregation (through dining hall patterns and Greek life) rather than forced segregation had on Charlayne?
Another important aspect of these chapters is the student movement (pg. 139). This was a time in history when we saw students starting to take more responsibility for self-advocacy; they had reached a point where they “Ain’t gonna let nobody turn me roun’” (pg. 144). That motto obviously came to be something Charlayne enacted through her involvement with UGA. What are some other aspects of the student movement that could have contributed to Charlayne’s perspectives and future decisions?
We later read that Charlayne’s involvement in her sorority further served as inspiration. Ceremonies “validated and affirmed the history and struggle of Black women to take their rightful place in the leadership ranks of the campus, the community, the nation, and the world” (pg. 151). For Charlayne, the recognition and honoring of these women served as a “stiffening [of her] backbone and adding yet another coat of armor for what lay ahead” (pg. 151). This was a very powerful passage for me – to see inspiration igniting action. Have any of you ever experience this type of inspiration?
Finally, in the last chapter of this week, we see the title of this book taking form in the shape of UGA. Charlayne says of her first morning at UGA, “this was the morning when I thought about how I was going to take my first steps onto the campus as if I knew my place, only this time, for the first time, it would be I who would be defining my place on my terms, on territory that was their pride but was now mine, too” (pg. 172). Charlayne is no longer letting other people define her place, but rather defining it for herself. Has anyone else had an experience in which someone else tried to define your place?
I apologize for getting off of our reading schedule a bit. Next week will be our last installment of In My Place, but I hope we are all taking the time to reflect on the story Charlayne has shared so far. I don’t know about you, but I am looking forward to seeing how she wraps it all up.
Please cast your vote for our March read, which will be in honor of Women’s History Month. I think we have three really great choices, so I hope you can all find one that resonates with you.
Ellen
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