(55) This instilled in the Delany sisters a strong sense of family resulting in their lifelong bond as sisters, who lived together and supported one another through their entire lives. As a family the Delany's formed a band, all ten children playing an instrument led by their father who was an accomplished organ player. All of these factors, in addition to the wise and simple pronouncements from their parents on everything from money to faith combined to create two fantastic and wise women, who never fail to share their wisdom.
The passages in the work that most express the challenges that the Delany's faced together with pride have to do with the social changes that occurred post-reformation at the beginning of the Jim Crow Era. The Delany sisters refer to the beginning of Jim Crow in North Carolina as "the day that everything changed." (73) Though segregation had long been a part of most America societies, by custom the laws that came about during the Jim Crow era gave law to the already challenged lives of American blacks, and already strained race relations.
The laws changed the way people lived, and even those white people who had once been open and at least limitedly accepting of blacks, say in their stores, where now legally bound by state, local and regional laws to exclude people whom they had always served. (77-78) for, Sadie and Bessie this marked a point where their parent's protection was sorely needed and their children duly noted...
A dark period in the lives of many people black and white the Jim Crow era left many socially prominent blacks wondering why they had worked so hard to get where they were when in the end they couldn't even drink from the same fountain as their white, sometimes less successful neighbors.
The Delany's on the other hand simply persevered with silent protests and taking most things in stride, like shopping at the black owned store, even though the prices were higher than the a&P, because the black man who owned the store needed their support and the a&P didn't. (78-79) Mr. Delany called it "buying our economic freedom..." (78) His message to his children was that, "real equality would come as Negroes became more educated and owned their own land. Negroes had to support each other..." (78) These messages coming from loving and admirable parents made it possible for the Delany sisters to become who they became and help their communities to grow. Had their parents been less than who they were the challenge to their children would have been even greater as they tried to figure all these things out on their own. Right or wrong the lessons of life that are instilled by parents help their children achieve and this book and its contents prove that without a doubt.
Sources
Delany, Sarah L. And a. Elizabeth with Amy Hill Hearth, Having Our Say, Delta,
Bantam Doubleday Dell: New York, NY, 1997.
