In this section of “The Warmth of Other Suns”, a common theme was strength. Ida Mae, George, and Robert had to face challenges that made them stronger. What struck myself was the stories of Armington High, Henry Brown, Emmett Till and his Mother, and the Clark Family. The majority of these individuals had the strength to escape the South and deal with the harassment of the whites in the North. Emmett Till’s mother had the strength to share her son’s story in a powerful way.
Armington High was a black man who was institutionalized for being considered insane for protesting the South. High was able to escape the asylum with the help of a friend, but he had a long journey ahead of him in a coffin to Chicago. Wilkerson writes, “The hearse drove to a railroad station, where the coffin was loaded on a train bound for Chicago. He lay still and quiet, unable to turn over or adjust …show more content…
Brown’s wife and children were sold by their master and sent to North Carolina. Once he witnessed that, he knew it was time for himself to leave the South. Brown decided he would ship himself to Philadelphia in a small box. Wilkerson writes about Brown’s experience and says, “The five foot, six-inch Brown would have to fold himself into the fetal position and remain that way for the twenty-odd hours it would take to reach the North” (2010, pg 354). He had the strength to not only make the trip to the North in a small box, but laid upside down on his head for hours. He also did all things necessary to reach freedom.
Emmett Till was a young boy from Chicago who traveled down to Mississippi to visit family. Since Emmett was used to the Northern social norms towards whites, when he approached a white woman in the wrong way, he was killed by two white men. Emmett Till’s Mother did something very powerful and had an open casket at his funeral. She was strong enough to show the world what the southern men did to her
Armington High was a black man who was institutionalized for being considered insane for protesting the South. High was able to escape the asylum with the help of a friend, but he had a long journey ahead of him in a coffin to Chicago. Wilkerson writes, “The hearse drove to a railroad station, where the coffin was loaded on a train bound for Chicago. He lay still and quiet, unable to turn over or adjust …show more content…
Brown’s wife and children were sold by their master and sent to North Carolina. Once he witnessed that, he knew it was time for himself to leave the South. Brown decided he would ship himself to Philadelphia in a small box. Wilkerson writes about Brown’s experience and says, “The five foot, six-inch Brown would have to fold himself into the fetal position and remain that way for the twenty-odd hours it would take to reach the North” (2010, pg 354). He had the strength to not only make the trip to the North in a small box, but laid upside down on his head for hours. He also did all things necessary to reach freedom.
Emmett Till was a young boy from Chicago who traveled down to Mississippi to visit family. Since Emmett was used to the Northern social norms towards whites, when he approached a white woman in the wrong way, he was killed by two white men. Emmett Till’s Mother did something very powerful and had an open casket at his funeral. She was strong enough to show the world what the southern men did to her