This assignment is based on the following works:
Martin Luther King, Jr., “Letter from Birmingham Jail”
Malcolm X. “A Homemade Education”
Maya Angelou, “Graduation”
Based on the above readings, write a 4 page analytical paper on the following prompt:
Acclaimed American poet, James Whitcomb Riley once said: “The most essential factor is persistence—the determination never to allow your energy or enthusiasm to be dampened by the discouragement that must inevitably come. ” Arguably, this adage manifests itself in the actions/attitudes of the civil Rights Activists in the following works: “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther king Jr., “Graduation” by Maya Angelou, and “A Homemade Education”, by Malcolm X as they pursude goals such as Racial Equality, Educational Fulfilment, and Racial Equity (which would represent the pursuit of opportunities and justice on account of the playing field being uneven). Your task is to analyze the three works listed and make a determination on whether the characters could be seen as persistent figures in accordance with the aforementioned goals–and write a 4 page essay outlining how your three sources embody persistence—or lack of it.
in order to ascertain that persistency is present or absent in the characters, you may focus on the following:
* The sacrifices the writers make in their quest for their respective goals (whether the goals be Racial Equality; Educational Fulfillment or Racial Equity/Racial Justice (not to be confused with racial equality).
* The way each writer negotiate obstacles or face challenges en-route to their goals (whether the goals be Racial Equality; Educational Fulfillment or Racial Equity/Racial Justice (not to be confused with racial equality).
* The attitude that each writer displays on his/her journey
* The actions that each writer takes to fulfil his/her goals
