Graduation By Maya Angelou

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English 2 Graduation by Maya Angelou represents a perspective on racism. She has experienced a subtle discrimination, however, she kept her head up. Maya Angelou proves that being mentally strong is important. This becomes clear through Maya’s strength to overcome discrimination. Maya was very excited about her graduation and moving on to new things and new opportunities in the future. “ I gave myself up to the gently warmth and thanked God that no matter what evil I had done in my life he had allowed me to live to see this day” This shows how important this graduation was for her. She knew that only a small percentage would be continuing on the college, however, she knew she was one of the small percentage that would go on to college. She worked very hard in school, therefore, her work has paid off by earning a top place and to be one of the first to be called in the graduating ceremonies. “I had memorized the Presidents of the United States from Washington to Roosevelt in chronological as well as alphabetical order”this shows that she was pretty smart. “Our speaker tonight, who is also our friend came from Texarkana to deliver the commencement address,” who knew all graduators dreams were about to come crushing down like rain. “The white kids were going to have a chance to become Galileos and Madame Curies and Edisons and Gauguins, and our boys would try to be Jesse Owenses and Joe Louises.” The man showed no respect to black people, he basically told them that white people were smart and only thing black people were good at was sports. “The man’s dead words fell like bricks around the auditorium and too many settled in my belly…proud graduating class of 1940 had dropped their heads.” Imagine what graduates were going through, especially parents. Because for parents to watch a white men discriminate their children in front of them must have been crucial.

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