I was wandering mindlessly through the Longview Public Library with a friend when I found this book. I didn’t need another book to read; I have tons of books on my To Read pile but You Don’t Know Us Negroes by Zora Neale Hurston called to me. This is only the second book I have read by Zora Neale Hurston. The purpose of You Don’t Know Us Negroes and Other Essays is to share the true beauty and idiosyncrasies of Black culture. My first experience with Hurston was somewhere around 2005, while I was attending Lower Columbia College. I was extremely ignorant of Black culture, but I was drawn to a book on display for Black History Month entitled: Their Eyes Were Watching God. Because of Hurston and a few other authors I have continued to be curious about all other cultures and I read all kinds of books. I would say, that beyond the grave, Hurston must live on.
“Hurston argues that ‘the Negro in fiction,’ as she said, was too often an artificial, two-dimensional construct. Both White and Black authors were guilty of creating a fiction Negro, the former to demean or exoticize, the latter as one more propaganda weapon in the war against White Supremacy. What she wanted instead was a revelation of the richness and complexity of Black life behind ‘the Veil,’ as W.E.B. DuBois famously put in 1903, in The Souls of Black Folk. ‘And so,’ she argues, ‘the writings that made out they were holding a looking glass to the Negro have everything in them except Negroness. Some of the authors meant well. The favor was in them. They had a willing mind, but too light behind. Slavery, Jim Crow, White Supremacy, and Anti-Black racism,’ she explains, ‘intensified our inner life instead of destroying it.’ And rather than using literature to deflect the White gaze, Hurston maintained that the purpose of the Black writer was both to life the veil and to allow the Black experience to speak in its own voice, in all of its sublime resonance — good and bad, positive and negative.” Introduction
I think that what I find fascinating about Hurston is that she is a highly educated and well read woman, a Black woman and one of the first Black women that was able to write under her own name. Before her time, Black, female writers either weren’t printed or they wrote under an assumed name. She was alive during the time that my wife, Karen G Clemenson’s, great-grandmother was alive, she was also the granddaughter of slaves and she was not angry about it, much like Mama. Mama taught Karen that slavery was something that happened and to move on. She taught her to not hate White people because that would mean hating herself because there was both Black and White blood in her veins. Hurston also was in her prime when my nana was born and the 1930’s have always intrigued me.
“Someone is always at my elbow reminding me that I am the granddaughter of slaves. It fails to register depression with me. Slavery is sixty years in the past. The operation was successful and the patient is doing well, thank you.” How It Feels To Be Colored Me
Hurston reported in one essay how she was upset that politicians would round up Black people and educate them only enough to vote for them and yes, even bribe them with money or things or relationships while luring them away from other importations bills. I would argue that this is still happening and not only among Black people.
“It is time for us to cease to allow ourselves to be delivered as a mob by persuasive “friends” and become individual citizens.” I Saw Negro Votes Peddled
This is the second book of essays I have attempted to read. I have found that books of essays are harder to read than a history book or a novel because in an essay book, each article stands on its own instead of building on each other as it would in another style of book. However I did find value in Hurston’s writing and I enjoy the poetic way she describes things without losing the ability to rely on logic. I look forward to reading more books by Zora Neale Hurston.
I found this book at the Longview Public Library. You can get your own copy of You Don’t Know Us Negroes by Zora Neale Hurston on Amazon.
Read My Review on GoodReads:
You Don’t Know Us Negroes and Other Essays by Zora Neale Hurston
I have previously only read one book by Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God, which I loved. This book of essays was harder to read. I have only read a few books of essays and I am thinking that essay collections may be harder to read because each essay is its own creation and they do not generally build to one conclusion, as we would see in a history book or novel, however, Hurston’s coverage of the trial of Ruby McCollum, as she presented it in different essays, did build on each other.
I love the way Hurston thinks and puts words on paper. At times it seems like poetry and then other times she is very blunt. I am never bored.
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My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven.
For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Christian, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information.
If you are interested in becoming a Christian…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this:
Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world.
I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me.
I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
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