Critical Reflection Prompt 4: Between the World and Me, Part 1.

“The pursuit of knowing was freedom to me, the right to declare your own curiosities and follow them through all manner of books” (Coates, 48).

“It began to strike me that the point of my education was a kind of discomfort, was the process that would not award me my own especial Dream but would all the dreams, all the comforting myths of Africa, of America, and everywhere, and would leave me only with humanity in all its terribleness” (Coates, 52).

I want to start this prompt by saying that I’m rereading this book and recognize how much there is here to grapple with, not just for you — for me as well. At the same time, I am pleased to see that the many of the concepts that our colloquium has been working with over the past weeks are brought to life here. One thing is clear, this first part of the book describes Coates’ own experience of the discourse of racial inferiority and the social construction of race. He talks about his journey through an early education that perpetuated this discourse and a father that sought to protect him, in the most severe ways, from the reality of how vulnerable he was. He writes, “my father who beat me as if someone might steal me away, because that is exactly what was happening all around us” (15–16). Coates describes, through a historical lens and through his own journey, how unsafe it was and still is to inhabit a black body. At the same time, he talks about his own journey of awakening of seeking answers, a counter narrative, “a new story, a new history told through the lens of our struggle” (44).

What? What is Coates’ purpose in writing this book? I’ve given you a very broad idea above, now use the book to go more deeply into these ideas. Why is he is writing it as a letter to his son? What did he like about Malcom X and dislike about Black History month, the stories and heroes portrayed? (How are these points leading to a new story/new history?)There is no one answer, but probe the text, find quotes that might raise more questions but help you to think about his larger points and support your analysis.

So What?

“It does not matter that the ‘intentions’ of the individual educators were noble. . . Mistakes were made. Bodies were broken. People were enslaved. We meant well. We tried our best. ‘Good intention’ is a hall pass through history, a sleeping pill that ensures the Dream” (33).

a) Why does he describe these intentions as a hall pass through history? Please find different quotes and ideas throughout Part 1 to help you explore this statement. (Do you think he read Illich? ;-) I have no idea but despite the very different context,“To Hell with Good Intentions” should help us understand some of his critique as there are connections).

b) What’s the Dream? How is the Dream conveyed to the people at your community partner site?

Now What? How do you think “good intentions” or the “Dream” have shaped you or others you know? How does Coates’ critique help you to think about your own education and role as a student? (Use quotes from the text to support your ideas).