Victory & the Black Community
A Black heavyweight boxing champion
What does Mr. Taylor claim he saw?
The ghost of his late wife appearing as a baby spirit.
What does Bailey witness that causes him to become more aware of racial injustice?
He sees the body of a dead Black man being removed from a pond
Who is Louise Kendrick?
Maya’s first real friend who helps her feel accepted and valued
What does the white dentist refuse to do for Maya and why?
He refuses to treat her toothache because she is Black
How does the Black community react when Joe Louis wins his fight?
They celebrate his victory as a symbolic triumph over racial oppression
How does Maya react to Mr. Taylor’s story about seeing his dead wife?
What does the white man do to the black children as a joke?
He pretends to lock them into a jail cell
Who is “Joyce”?
A country girl that Bailey develops a crush on, Bailey is depressed when she leaves Stamps.
Why did the white dentist in Stamps “owe” Momma a favor?
She lent him money when he was struggling so that he could continue his practice.
Why do the Black people in Stamps feel nervous while listening to Joe Louis’s fight?
They fear that if he loses, it will reinforce racist stereotypes that Black people are inferior to white people.
How does the revival meeting serve as a source of hope for the Black community?
It brings the community together through shared faith, providing a spiritual escape from their daily troubles with racism and poverty.
Uncle Willie states, “Hate us? They can’t hate us, they don’t know us. How can they hate us? They mostly scared.” How does this line connect to the theme of racial oppression and the way prejudice operates in society?
Uncle Willie suggests that racism is not always rooted in direct hatred but rather in ignorance and fear. White people in Stamps have been conditioned to fear and dehumanize Black people, even though they do not truly know them as individuals. This reflects how systemic racism is maintained through misinformation, stereotypes, and a lack of understanding between races.
How does Maya react to receiving a Valentine’s note from a boy at school?
She believes it is a cruel joke at first, then she feels apprehensive/uneasy. She shows the note to her best friend and they tear it up together.
What is Maya’s “imagined” version of how Momma responds to the dentist’s refusal?
Momma goes into the dental clinic, Maya imagines that Momma physically intimidates the dentist, threatening him to leave Stamps and never practice dentistry again.
Why is Joe Louis’s victory so important to the Black community in Stamps?
His win represents a rare moment of justice, proving that a Black man could defeat a white opponent in a public arena
What does Maya think about during the revival meeting regarding wealth and heaven?
She realizes that the poor, especially Black people, are taught to find comfort in the idea that wealth is not important for salvation (getting into heaven).
How does the scene where the white man locks the Black children in a jail cell as a “joke” reflect themes of systemic racism?
This “joke” reflects the dehumanization of Black children as objects of amusement, showing how easily cruelty can be disguised as play, and mirroring how systemic racism trivializes Black suffering.
How does Maya’s friendship with Louise affect her emotionally?
It gives her a sense of belonging, allowing her to feel joy and companionship in a way she hasn’t before.
She goes into the clinic and calmly tells the dentist that he still owes her for the interest on the loan that she gave him. So he gave her $10 and made her sign a form saying “Paid In Full” before she leaves. They then go to see a different dentist in another town.
How does the Joe Louis fight reflect larger themes of racial inequality and hope in the novel?
It symbolizes the collective struggle of Black Americans, as they see his fight as their own battle against oppression.
Recall Maya’s thought about the biblical saying: “Hadn’t He Himself said it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven?” How might this connect to her understanding of oppression?
Maya begins to see how religion is used to pacify the oppressed. The idea of wealth being an obstacle to heaven serves as a form of social control, encouraging the poor (particularly Black people) to accept their suffering rather than challenge their conditions.
How does Bailey’s traumatic experience with being forced to move a dead body relate to the continuation of racial violence and oppression after the civil war?
Even though the Civil War ended slavery, racial violence against Black people still continued through psychological manipulation (locking Black children in a cell as a joke) and systems of racial dominance (segregation).
How does Maya’s reaction to the Valentine’s note reveal her struggles with self-worth?
She assumes that the note is a joke and that Tommy is disingenuous. This reveals her deep insecurity based on her past trauma with Mr. Freeman.
How does Maya’s imagined version of the dentist confrontation versus what actually happens connect to her perception of power?
In Maya’s imagination, Momma physically intimidates the dentist, but in reality, she uses quiet dignity. Maya learns that strength is not always about force but about resilience and self-respect.