The Pursuit of Literacy

Leonie. C. R. Smith’s, “To be black, Female, and Literate: A Personal Journey in Education and Alienation” is based on the importance of literacy and education. Smith talks about her own experiences with relocating from the Caribbean to the United States. She takes the reader on her journey of struggling financially to overcoming different obstacles of life. She struggled with the difference between the Caribbean educational system versus that of the United States. She had never experienced the “American” way of learning. In the reading she stated, “I was removed from an already average class and placed into a class of even lower academic standing. I had never seen a multiple-choice test before, and many of the topics were unfamiliar to me” (Smith 187). Also, she had a very difficult time getting adjusted to being, “Black in America”, and having to deal with racial and classification discrimination.

Leonie C. R. Smith talks about her experiences at a private predominantly White upper class college. She discusses being faced with racial prejudice in many situations of life at college. This made us realize the opportunities we are afforded by attending Spelman College. Speaking with some of the girls at our school, it seems that some of us have been to predominantly white schools also. We have noticed the transformations we have made within ourselves by coming to Spelman College. Different classes and discussions that students have at Spelman prepare us for racial prejudice that remains outside of our gates.

By reading Leonie C.R. Smith’s narrative based on her life, we learned that it is important to be aware of the different cultures and traditions of African descendants around the world. Her narrative is an example of the types of struggles that many immigrants encounter when migrating to the United States. It showed us that by coming to Spelman College we can be comfortable with who we are while understanding that there is discrimination around the world.

Works Cited

Smith, Leonie. To be black, Female, and Literate: A Personal Journey in Education and Alienation. Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press, 2005. 183-200. Print.