User talk:SSultana12

Septima Poinsette Clark and Her Journey towards Education and Civil Rights for African Americans

Shirin Sultana, M.S.W. Howard University School of Social Work

Abstract As an educator and a civil rights activist, Septima Poinsette Clark started her teaching career at John's Island school in 1916. Later, in 1918, she returned to Avery Institute in Charleston in to teach. Avery was a place from where she had received her high school diploma. Because of financial constraints, she had to choose to teach before completing higher education. However, eventually, she earned a Bachelor degree from Benedict College in Columbia and a Master's degree from Hampton Institute in Virginia respectively in the year of 1942 and 1955. Other than teaching, she devoted herself in various activities such as hiring black teachers to the public schools, particularly at Charleston County School District and fighting for equal salary for equal qualities among teachers through the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAAP). The key philosophy behind all of her works was to educate and guide people particularly African Americans who were at risk so that they could serve themselves and their communities as well. The aim of this paper is to explain briefly about Ms. Clark’s life and her contribution to the African Americans to succeed. Keywords: Avery Institute, Johns Island School, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAAP),

Septima Poinsette Clark was a teacher and a civil rights activist. Being born in a former slave family, Ms. Clark’s life was devoted to educate and access equal rights for the African Americans. Septima was addressed as “Miss Seppie” among the most of the people she encountered in her life (Schiff, 2005). She was also recognized as loving, open-minded, warmth and a kind person among her students, colleagues and the followers. She loved to see the best in everyone. Septima believed in hard work and her work ethic and integrity was unquestionable (Burnette, 2011; Schiff, 2005). Childhood and Education: Septima was born on May 03, 1898. She was the second among her eight siblings. Her father, Peter Poncher Poinsette, was born in a slave family at Casa-Bianca plantation at Charleston in South Carolina. After the civil war, the newly free Peter Poinsettte met Victoria Warren Anderson and married. Her mother was born in the U.S., however, after her mother’s death; she was brought up at Haiti under the supervision of her uncle (Schiff, 2005). Septima’s both parents valued education. Thus, Septima attended a private school that was run for African American children at Charlestion. At her fourth grade, she switched into a public school and encountered a white teacher who inspired her to be educated (Schiff, 2005). After the 9th grade of her schooling, she wanted to work to help her parents. However, her parents wanted her to continue study. Thus, she admitted into the Avery Normal Institute. On that time, Avery that was founded in 1865 by the American Missionary Association was the only school for African Americans (Schiff, 2005). Septima’s performance in the school was praiseworthy, therefore, her teachers at Avery expected her to go to the Fisk University after she would finish at Avery. However, she could not aim that big because of lacking financial capacities (Schultz, 2010; Schiff, 2005). Instead, she invested time in searching a job. Within a while, she was able to find a teaching position on John’s island school. Later, back and forth she was able to return to school and earn a Bachelor degree from Benedict College in Columbia and a Master's degree from Hampton Institute in Virginia. Marriage and Family: In 1919, she met Mr. Nerie Clark who was a navy cook at Norfolk in Virginia. Nerie was almost a stranger to Septima’s family who lived in North Carolina. In spite of her mother’s objection, Septima chose to marry him. The couple had two children: the first child was a daughter who died in 23 days since born (Schiff, 2005), and the second child was a son. After the birth of their second child, it was disclosed that Mr. Nerie Sr. was having a relationship with a mistress. It impacted on her marital relationship, and she chose to move out from her husband, and live with her parents in law. Within a few months after their separation, Mr. Nerie Sr. died. After her husband’s death, Ms. Clark resumed her teaching position at John’s Island school. Her son was used to live with her grandparents, and the relationship with mother son was emotional but formal (Schiff, 2005). Contribution and Career Starts from John’s Island School: Although, Septima was from Charleston, she could not be hired as a teacher there because of lacking a provision of hiring black teachers in the school (Schiff, 2005). While, she received a teaching position on John’s Island in South Carolina, Ms. Septima moved there to live. The majority of the people in this Island were African Americans who were also isolated from the mainstream population because of lacking transportation system. Ferry was the only transport to reach the island till 1930s (Schiff, 2005). Students mostly walked over the muddy roads and crossed the creeks to get to school. They had to depend on their owner’s wish to go to the school. Rainy days would often privilege them to go to the schools, however, when the Sun came out, often, they had to return to their “plantation-based work” (Schiff, 2005). As a result, it was hard to predict for the teachers that how many students would attend in the class (Schiff, 2005). This isolation impacted on the Islanders’ culture particularly on their oral language (Schiff, 2005). While most of the people on this Island were slaves, they were used to use the language they had from their countries of origin such as Africa (Schiff. 2005). It also happened because they had not any opportunities to read and write before they came to the school. Hence, they took their native language as a tool of communication with others. Arriving in the island as a teacher in 1916, Ms. Septima found that black schools had a large number of students comparing to white schools. Her students’ body also had a diverse educational background in terms of their age and talents (Schiff, 2005). Ms. Septima also found that there was a significant salary differences between black and white teachers (Schiff, 2005). For example, Ms. Septima was paid only 35 dollars a month to teach 132 students while a white teacher got paid $85 to teach only three students in the island (Schiff, 2005). In addition, the school where Ms. Septima served was very old and had only two rooms for 132 students. There was not any board to write. They were used to use old paper bags to write, and the backless benched were used to place student’s paper to write while they sat on the floor (Schiff, 2005). However, Septima found a sheer interest among her students who were enthusiastic to come to the school and to learn rather than working in the plantation (Schiff, 2005). While teaching in John’s island’s school, she also realized the importance of citizenship schools. Contribution and Career beyond John’s Island School: Ms. Clark moved to Charleston in 1919 in order to teach and campaign for a policy that could privilege black teachers to be hired in the public schools (Walson, 2010; Schiff, 2005). During this time, she was also volunteered a number of social and political organizations such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). Through the NAACP, she campaigned for equal pay for black teachers in Columbia. Eventually, NAACP was banned by the South Carolina State legislature (SCSL). SCSL also commanded on state employees not to be connected with civil rights organizations such as SCLC (www.nytimes.com, 1987). As a result, in 1956, Ms. Clark forced resign and move out. Hence, Ms. Clark took a job in Tennessee. In Tennessee, she involved herself with the citizenship schools. The aim of this school was to assist African Americans to be educated so that they could access their civil rights. In 1962, Ms. Clark became a director of the citizenship school (www.nytimes.com, 1987). In 1962, the SCLC merged with other organizations to run the Voter Education Project. The project aimed to train teachers so that they could guide African American to access their voting and citizenship rights. Retiring from SCLC, Ms. Clark served two terms on the Charleston County School Board. Ms. Clark’s devoted her legacy for the African Americans to access education and citizenship rights so that they could serve for their own communities. By 1963, around 26000 blacks in twelve southern states had attained Ms. clark’s citizenship classes and become voters. In the same year, 400 local citizenship schools educated and trained over 6500 adults (Schiff. 2005). Later, the number reached up to 100,000 people that reflected the success of the program. A number of research found that Septima Poinsette Clark spent a successful legacy in educating and organizing African Americans (Charron, 2009; Burnette, 2011; Schiff, 2005). Charron (2009) also believes that Ms. Clark was successful to organize a non-threatening program where she was able to develop a reciprocal relationship between the teacher and the community to achieve education and the citizenship rights for the African Americans. Ms. Clark was a writer. Her words inspired a number of people on that time to fight for civil rights particularly in integration process. One of the examples was Rosa parks who was inspired by her and made a radical impact on the African American population. Rosa Parks acknowledged Ms. Clark’s contribution in her, and stated: “I am always very respectful and very much in awe of the presence of Septima Clark 	because her life story makes the effort that I have made very minute. I only hope that 	there is a possible chance that some of her great courage and dignity and wisdom has 	rubbed off on me” (Schiff, 2005). Her famous autography was Echo In My Soul. As recognition of her great works, she received two distinguished honors: a Living Legacy Award from President Carter in 1979, and the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina's highest civilian award, in 1982 (Schiff, 2005). Conclusion: Ms. Clark was a transformative teacher who was able to change thousands of African Americans lives regardless of their age, sex, education and socio-economic status. Her students became voters, marchers and organizers to exercise the Civil Rights. Being polite and remain calm was her motto in life. Ms. Clark could be passionate and selfless, even when she was insulted and challenged by the political powers (Hall and Waker, 2010). Ms. Clark was devoted her life mostly in teaching. She had around a half century of teaching experiences that had also been being invested for the African Americans so that they could be educated and become leaders to serve their own communities especially in the South.

References: Burnette, D. M. (2011). Freedom's Teacher: The Life of Septima Clark. Adult Education Quarterly, 61(3), 296-297. Charron, K.M. (2009). Freedom’s teacher: The life of Septima Clark. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. Hall, J., & Walker, E. P. (2010).I train the people to do their own talking. Southern Cultures, 16(2), 31-52. Schiff, K.G. (2005). Lighting the way-Nine women who Changed Modern America.Miramax Books. Schultz, M. (2010).Freedom's Teacher: The Life of Septima Clark. North Carolina Historical Review Vol. 87 Issue 3, p373-374. Watson, H. L. (2010). Front porch. Southern Cultures, 16(2), 1-5. www.newyorktimes.com. (1987). Review, 87(3), 373-374.