Question

How does Hannah-Jones expand on this quote from sociologist Glenn Bracey: ‘‘Out of the ashes of white denigration, we gave birth to ourselves”?

Answer 1

This question refers to the essay "The Idea of America" by Hannah-Jones. In this essay, Jones talks about the way Black people experienced, and impacted, the Revolutionary War in the United States. She tells us that:

"...as the sociologist Glenn Bracey wrote, ‘‘Out of the ashes of white denigration, we gave birth to ourselves.’’ For as much as white people tried to pretend, black people were not chattel. And so the process of seasoning, instead of erasing identity, served an opposite purpose: In the void, we forged a new culture all our own."

The explanation the author gives in this text expands on the quote by describing how Black people were able to develop their own selves. We learn that Black people were considered "chattel" and that they were denigrated, minimized and ignored constantly. However, this did not lead to the erasure of their culture. Instead, out of these harsh experiences, Black people were able to create their own identity in a way that continues to our day.