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I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Jacqueline Woodson was scheduled to speak at the Books for Children luncheon at NCTE. I bought a ticket. In the hallways of the NCTE convention, there was a buzz about the National Book Award. Jacqueline Woodson had won for her memoir in verse, Brown Girl Dreaming. We had all read it.
You see, to English teachers, authors are our heroes. The words we say to our students are important, but the words we read aloud from authors are magical. When I read aloud Each Kindness By Jacqueline Woodson, the room became completely silent. How could it end? How could the new girl disappear with no way to make amends for the meanness?
When I learned of the offhand, stupid comment that Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snicket) made at the National Book Award Ceremony, I was appalled. How could someone who values words, who uses words as a way to reach into the hearts and lives of young people, be so flippant and capricious? At the luncheon, Jacqueline spoke of this “joke” abstractly and told us that her response would be in an article for the NY Times. The article appeared on Saturday.
Jacqueline Woodson’s New York Times article, The Pain of the Watermelon Joke.
Jackie Woodson
I have lived in the deep south all my life. I was raised in a time of racial turmoil. My school desegregated in 1971, and I was bussed across town to a strange area, strange school with a strange curriculum (Remember the open classroom concept?) However, I knew this was necessary. For too long, black people in the south were given second best. Neighborhood schools resulted in segregated schools. My new fourth grade teacher became Mrs. Love, a loving and warm African American woman. I remember how much I loved Mrs. Love.
The next year in 5th grade, I walked into the classroom holding the hand of my new friend. The teacher (a white woman) looked at our hands and said, “Don’t do that.” I knew her reprimand was due to the difference in our skin color.
Things have changed. In my small community, we have black leaders. In my school, I have black colleagues. I really hadn’t taken note of this until race became such a hot point these days. One of my close friends is black, and just yesterday we talked about how we don’t even notice it.
Things have changed. My students don’t see color. They love each other (and argue with each other) equally. When I talk about race, they don’t “get it.” I have to tell them the history.
When Obama became president, I heard Will Smith tell Oprah, “We don’t have any more excuses.” I believe none of us do. There are no reasons to ridicule anyone for their heritage, whatever that may be. As Jacqueline Woodson so eloquently put it in her speech, “We are all every day people.”
It is time for us to respect the dignity of every human being. It is time for us all to live in love and kindness. It is time for things to change.
Reflections on the Teche 
Margaret,
What a beautiful response! It’s time for real change. The words AND actions must change! Thanks for your “southern view” and your memories from school!
Yes, words and actions. Daniel Handler is making the right move after his bleep by donating to #WeNeedDiverseBooks.
I didn’t see Woodson at NCTE and so sorry I didn’t! A newbie’s mistake. Both you and Michelle reference BGD and I’m planning to read a some of it today to my kids. They are crying for poetry (don’t you just love that). Your personal journey is a strong message. We still have huge problems and I’m hoping BGD can help my studnents imagine their potential and possible.
Her poetry is so accessible. Your students will get lost in her words.
Beautiful words, Margaret. I am trying to teach my girls acceptance and kindness. I hope they will make a difference someday in this big, big world.
Your girls will know kindness from their mother.
Right on point, Margaret. And beautifully stated.
Well said, Margaret. I was appalled by Handler’s comment, but more so by the fact that people in the audience actually laughed. But, as you say, Woodson handled it beautifully – she references it in a “let’s learn from this” way, and her op-ed, I think, was brilliant. Yes, we have changed in many positive ways as a country, but I think Obama’s election opened the fault lines, too.
I think we all could learn from her response. Such dignity!
I’m with YOU! We need to keep the candles burning. The fight’s not over.
Bonnie
It’s hard to know how to keep the candles burning. Too many people trying hard to snuff them out.
Thanks for the article reference. I can’t wait to read this book. I’m almost ready for the next one.
Margaret, this is a great post from a place I have always been fascinated with. I ordered and am half way through Brown Girl Dreaming after seeing it being talked about on TWT. I just love it and the insight into another place and the way of daily life. We too have stories of indigenous lives and stolen cultures which I am embarrassed about as an Australian. I hope to visit the south one day and experience all of the wonderful ‘oneness’ you now have. I loved your own experience in this slice too, it seems like it really couldn’t have happened as those ways are so foreign to us now. Thank you.
And I would love to visit Australia. Love that we can make connections over so many miles.
I, too, was appalled when I read Woodson’s piece and heard about the humiliation she felt at the award ceremony when she received the National Book Award. I’m so glad she took to the NYT to publish a response and to write about the way we look at race in 2014.
Like Bonnie said, the fight isn’t over yet. We still have a long way to go.
This should have been a moment of glory. I wanted to run up to the stage and hug her! Thanks for the retweet.
Wasn’t her response in the NYT amazing? We do have a long way to go, though–Bonnie is right. I’d like to believe that people laughed because they didn’t know what else to do, but it’s hard to say. Maybe some didn’t even get it.
BTW, love reading about the real Mrs. Love!
I was hoping you would read my post including Miss Love. Yes, she was real. She treated us all as her own precious children.
I loved Jacqueline Woodson’s response to Daniel Handler’s “joke.” She was so eloquent, and she makes us all understand that there is deep-seated pain behind stereotypes and racial jokes. How wonderful that you got to see her at NCTE! You’re so right about Each Kindness – it always brings about stunned silence.
There is such a deep pain that we cannot understand, but we should at the very least be respectful.
“It is time for us to respect the dignity of every human being. It is time for us all to live in love and kindness. It is time for things to change.”
Just lovely. As humans we should constantly work towards living life with kindness and with love. Just because somethings are better does not mean the process has ended. We all still have A LOT more love and kindness to give.
We aren’t done yet.
As it “seemed” to be a time gone by, the recent events alarm me so. I have been saying over and over, we must make a difference, and show our students/children how to speak up, become up standers, to not allow unkindnesses.
Thank you for sharing your dream. I love Woodson’s work and wish I could have heard her speak at NCTE.
Cathy
Beautiful piece. I, too, wish I had seen her at NCTE. I also thought our country was moving forward, and am saddened to realize that we have so much work to do.