Gwendolyn Brooks’s The Chicago Defender Sends a Man to Little Rock describes the lifestyle and culture of 1957 Little Rock. Similar to many of her other works, this poem explores the impact of segregation in the Southern United States. As the title indicates, the poem is written from the of a reporter employed by the Chicago Defender. The reporter’s description of the surrounding environment and culture allows for a true representation of Little Rock - refuting the stereotypes set for by the Northern United States. The poem begins with the reporter first laying eyes upon Little Rock, with descriptions of the city as racial integration was being put into effect. As the reporter describes the “people [singing] Sunday hymns like anything,” he shows the cultural and religious nature of the city (Brooks 8, 9). A city full of “baseball; Barcarolle”, Little
…show more content…
Reporting during a time where integration was just newly implemented showed how poorly the schools and city were adjusting. Subjected to sights of “men harassing brownish girls” and “bleeding brownish boy[s],” the reporter’s expectation of what Little Rock could have been is no longer existent (Brooks 54, 57). He no longer foresees a future where come “Christmas Little Rock will cleave / To Christmas tree and trifle” (Brooks 16, 17). The actions of “hurling spittle, rock, Garbage, and fruit in Little Rock” show that though racial integration has been put forth by the government, most of the population does not agree with this decision. By forcing the integration of schools, the government did not decrease the racial tension within the United States, but instead resulted in more violence and hate between races. In order to decrease discrimination, the government must focus more on actively enforcing policies, instead of delaying change until forced upon to do
Reporting during a time where integration was just newly implemented showed how poorly the schools and city were adjusting. Subjected to sights of “men harassing brownish girls” and “bleeding brownish boy[s],” the reporter’s expectation of what Little Rock could have been is no longer existent (Brooks 54, 57). He no longer foresees a future where come “Christmas Little Rock will cleave / To Christmas tree and trifle” (Brooks 16, 17). The actions of “hurling spittle, rock, Garbage, and fruit in Little Rock” show that though racial integration has been put forth by the government, most of the population does not agree with this decision. By forcing the integration of schools, the government did not decrease the racial tension within the United States, but instead resulted in more violence and hate between races. In order to decrease discrimination, the government must focus more on actively enforcing policies, instead of delaying change until forced upon to do