People
The Woodsons have many lawyers, doctors, teachers, government officials, and athletes in their family lineage. They credit their head start to the son of 14-year-old Sally Hemings and this political figure, who had non-consensual relationships with many of the teenage women he enslaved.
Who is Thomas Jefferson
The stories of this state run through Jackie's veins
What is South Carolina?
Nobody in Jackie's family can agree on this (about Jackie)
What time she was born?
What she should be named?
Ruby Bridges is known for doing this as a six year old
What is integrating a previously all white school, while hundreds of adults screamed and spit at her
Despite him being their foreman, the white men do not listen to this person or walk away when he speaks to them
Who is Daddy Gunnar?
This family member encourages Jackie and helps shape her as a writer by asking her to tell stories
Who is Daddy Gunnar
Her mother leaves her children behind with their grandmother and moves to this city, which a destination for many during the Great Migration
What is New York City?
Whenever one of the Woodson children says this word, their mother uses the switch on them, saying "you are from the North, you know the right way to speak."
Also acceptable: git, gonna, y'all, m'am (because of the times when Black people had to say m'am to white people even those of the same age to show subservience)
This biblical story is used to prove that God intends to kill all sinners? In this story, God's word to loyal listeners saved those who later repopulated the earth.
What is Noah's Ark?
This place is the only place in downtown Greenville where they can go without being treated unfairly or accused of stealing
What is the fabric store?
Odella can usually be found doing this, which foreshadows her role as the "smart one" while Jackie struggles to write her name
What is reading a book
Jackie spends 4-5 days out of the week at this religious center--praying, doing Bible study, or learning to be youth ministers and spread the word of Jehovah
What is Kingdom Hall?
This caused her to question her faith, since her religion teaches her that those that do not follow Jehovah are will be destroyed in the great battle of Armageddon.
What is Daddy Gunnar not being a JW and slowly dying of lung cancer (meaning he won't be part of the promised land)
This happened in the middle of a school dance at Black Sterling High School, the only Black high school in the area?
For double points: tell me what the students did afterwards
What is arson?
The students had to go to the elementary/middle school because they were not allowed to go to the all-white high school
Grandmother doesn't want her girls to do this, for fear of the dogs police brought to scare people away. Jackie's mom sneaks out anyways.
What is marching?
The name of Jackie's new baby brother, conceived with someone other than her father
What is Roman
What is swingsets?
Jackie's mom sends these from New York along with stories of seeing Lena Horne, one of the first and most famous Black actresses
what is "beautiful brown dolls"?
This now regulated substance gets its own poem in the book--it was a popular crop in the south and has many residents addicted, including of of Jackie's family members. The dangers of using it were not made aware to the public until the 1960s despite decades of studies that proved its use was fatal
What is tobacco?
In addition to being a teacher, Grandmother also does this in order to make ends meet. She wants her grandchildren to have a different life than she did
What is cleaning houses in the white part of town "there is daywork for colored women"
Who is Hope?
The area of town that Jackie's grandmother and grandfather live in a segregated town.
This beauty ritual is one that Odella and Jackie have to go through every Saturday nights. Hope does not.
What is chemically straightening their hair?
In the poem "the Leavers," Jackie describes men in suits and women in their Sunday best heading to Northern cities like New York City, Detroit, and Chicago for better lives. What is the name of this historical migration of 6 million Black people between 1910 and 1970?
What is the Great Migration?
Cousin Dorothy attends trainings for this:
What are peaceful sit ins: sitting tall at counters without crying or cursing while people scream at them and poor drinks and food on them