The where, when and how of
writing in The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. DuBois; Chapter 7, "Of
the Black Belt." pp. 77-93, 1903 Edition.
"Herein lie buried many things which if read with patience may show the
strange meaning of being black here at the dawning of the Twentieth Century.
This meaning is not without interest to you, Gentle Reader; for the problem of the Twentieth Century is the
problem of the color line. I pray you, then, receive my little book in all
charity, studying my words with me, forgiving mistake and foible for sake of
the faith and passion that is in me, and seeking the grain of truth hidden
there." p. xxxi.
Albany,
Georgia: Dougherty County; "Egypt"
"The Negro problems have
seemed to be centered in this state." p. 78
Nine million people, one million in Georgia.
"At Albany in the
heart of the Black Belt..."
1.
Choose an evocative passage to read aloud to a partner that was of interest or
is memorable to you. Now you listen to their passage. Write down certain
phrases.
2.
Now compare one another's passages and decide what is common and different
about their theme, tone, sound or descriptive power.
3.
Using the phrases you wrote decide between the two of you what to read to the
class.
4.
Tell the class what is important about your similar or divergent selections and
how that is conveyed.
5. For example -- be able to answer these
questions:
5.1 How precisely does Du Bois convey what
he thinks about where he is?
5.2 What are the words he uses to describe
the land, the county and its residents?
5.3
When does he use history and in what way to convey the character of the land?
5.4 How does the descriptive value of his
phrases reveal a) his beliefs, b) his worries
about social conditions in the Black Belt.
5.5
Are you struck by the natural, cultural or social features of his writing or do
all three
combine into something more than the sum of their separate foci?
The
location of Albany, west of Tifton, Gorgia.
Population (2000) Albany, Dougherty County, South Georgia
- City 76,939 (city proper-within city limits) dropped to 75, 816 in 2009.
- Density 1,385.5/sq mi (535.0/km2)
- Metro 164,069 2007
metro pop. est
" The ethnic identity of the city's residents --as
self-identified-- in 2000 was
64.80% African American and Black, 33.21% White,
and .6% Native Americans.
At landings for river boat on the Flint River in Albany, 19th
century.
Central of Georgia railway station in Florala, Alabama west of Albany, 1880s.
Julian
Bond and civil rights demonstrators in Albany, Georgia, 1960s. Site now of Civil
Rights Institute where concerts of freedom music by
those who sang the same songs many years ago, using music to energize and
define their resistance -- are still performed.