In this reading, I am amazed to learn how many people were involved in the education of African Americans. Reading about how "property was handed over to purchase African Americans from slavery to educate them" (132) has led me to believe all white people were not for slavery. Slavery was just the law of the land, but some people, especially religious groups such as the "Quakers, Presbyterians, Baptists, and Methodists" (133) were not at all too concerned with the laws but were committed to end oppression.
Now of course, there were those who still felt like the African American people could not be taught or better yet, did not deserve an education. Those mindsets however, did not hinder us from finding creative ways to learn.
Some were taught by slave masters or their children, while others were taught by "picking up" information by overhearing different conversations in the "Big house." (136).
Now after the civil war, there were three different movements that accelerated African American Education.
1) The Sabbath School Movement: " a church sponsored, community-run school that provided basic literacy instruction"(153).
2) The Missionary School Movement: This type of mission required individuals to leave their home and go abroad to a certain area and educate.
3) Common or Public school Movement: These schools were established as "southern leaders rose to regain their authority by supporting the education of the African American." (154)
I have to say, that after reading about the fight even after slavery had ended to gain an education has caused me to give much honor to those who have gone ahead of me. I will no longer complain about the simple things in life that I may feel necessary in order to gain my education. I will strive to work through whatever obstacles come my way because I do not want to ever again take for granted what I am privileged to receive because of what my ancestors have put in place.
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