Page 140 - The Language of Composition 4e Teacher Edition Sample.indd

g
n
ance s
i
a
es
, the m
t
ur
el
tac
hes w
m
us
Murray, John Lewis, C.T. Vivian, Martin Luther
e fr
e
Murray, John Lewis, C.T. Vivian, Martin Luther mustaches were freelance signatures, the mark of
er
k of
ar
4
King Jr., Ralph Abernathy, Bayard Rustin, Joseph
King Jr., Ralph Abernathy, Bayard Rustin, Joseph an individual rather than a people’s emblem. . . .
an individual rather than a people’s emblem. . . .
BUILDING CONTEXT Identity Lowery, Fred Shuttlesworth, Julius L. Chambers, [T]he politics of self-presentation had coalesced
Lowery, Fred Shuttlesworth, Julius L. Chambers,
[T]he politics of self-presentation had coalesced
Jesse Jackson, Hosea Williams, Adam Clayton
around grander, less deniable hair. They migrated
Jesse Jackson, Hosea Williams, Adam Clayton around grander, less deniable hair. They migrated
Morris refers to many men’s mustaches Powell Jr., Elijah Cummings: mustaches all. mustaches all. to the Afro. A mustache might have been a digni
5 5
Powell Jr., Elijah Cummings:
to the Afro. A mustache might have been a digni- -
throughout his article, and students would Classics. (It should be noted that the superstar fied symbol in the pursuit of equality. But there
fied symbol in the pursuit of equality. But there
Classics. (It should be noted that the superstar
benefit from some visuals to see the range ideological iconoclast among the freedom fight- was nothing inherently Black about it. A mus-
ideological iconoclast among the freedom fight-
was nothing inherently Black about it. A mus-
of styles. The New York Times online ver- ers, Malcolm X, did battle accordingly. He was the tache meant business. An Afro meant power.
ers, Malcolm X, did battle accordingly. He was the
tache meant business. An Afro meant power.
sion of this article embeds photos of some only prominent American leader, of any race,
only prominent American leader, of any race,
of the famous mustaches Morris mentions, with a goatee.) • • •
Copyright (c) 2023 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Uncorrected proofs have been used for this sample chapter.
with a goatee.)
including his own. You could also have stu- In the days after that congratulations video
In the days after that congratulations video
dents do quick searches for images of the I knew before the summer’s Black Lives Matter
call, the euphoria of having been tagged as part of
men Morris names. They might be amused call, the euphoria of having been tagged as part of protests that my mustache made me look like
7
some illustrious legacy tapered off. The mustache
or surprised by some. You could have them some illustrious legacy tapered off. The mustache a bougie race man: a professional, seemingly
ou could have them
or surprised by some. Y
had certainly conjoined me to a past I was flat
choose a descriptive phrase that Morris had certainly conjoined me to a past I was flat- - humorless middle-class Negro, a moderate, who
tered to be associated with, however superficially.
uses, such as “a grounding flourish” (par. 6) tered to be associated with, however superficially. believes that presentation is a crucial compo-
Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Strictly for use with its products. Not for redistribution.
But there were implications. During the later
or the different ones in paragraphs 7 and 8 But there were implications. During the later nent of the “advancement” part of the N.A.A.C.P.
stages of the movement, a mustached man
and ask them to find an image of one of stages of the movement, a mustached man mission, someone who doesn’t mind a little
opened himself up to charges of white appease-
the men named in the article that fits that opened himself up to charges of white appease- respectability because he believes his people
ment and Uncle Tom-ism. Not because of the
claim. ment and Uncle Tom-ism. Not because of the deserve respect. It’s a look to ponder as the
mustache, obviously, but because of the
mustache, obviously, but because of the country finds itself churning once again over
approach of the sort of person who would choose ceaseless questions of advancement and justice
approach of the sort of person who would choose
to wear one. Such a person might not have been
to wear one. Such a person might not have been and the right to be left the hell alone. I live a
considered radical enough, down enough, Black
considered radical enough, down enough, Black street over from a thoroughfare where the pro-
enough. The civil rights mustache was strategi-
enough. The civil rights mustache was strategi- tests happened almost nightly in June and July.
cally tolerant. It didn’t advocate burning anything
cally tolerant. It didn’t advocate burning anything I could hear their approach from my living
down. It ran for office — and sometimes it won. It
down. It ran for office—and sometimes it won. It room. One evening, I stood at a corner, moved,
was establishmentarian, compromising and
was establishmentarian, compromising and as thousands of people passed: friends, col-
eventually, come the infernos at the close of the leagues, co-workers, some guy I went on a blind
eventually, come the infernos at the close of the
1960s, it fell out of fashion, in part because it felt date with a million years ago, chanting, bran-
1960s, it fell out of fashion, in part because it felt
out of step with the urgency of the moment. dishing banners and buttons. Some protesters
out of step with the urgency of the moment.
The Black mustache didn’t end with the
The Black mustache didn’t end with the 10 had their fists raised in a Black-power salute. So I
disillusionments of the post-civil-rights era. raised mine. Not a gesture I would normally
disillusionments of the post-civil-rights era.
Jim Brown, Stevie Wonder, Richard Roundtree, make. But there was something about seeing so
Jim Brown, Stevie Wonder, Richard Roundtree,
Billy Dee Williams, Lionel Richie, Sherman many white people lifting their arms that goaded
Billy Dee Williams, Lionel Richie, Sherman
Hemsley, Carl Weathers, James Brown, Arsenio me into doing it, too. Mine kept lowering itself,
Hemsley, Carl Weathers, James Brown, Arsenio
Hall and Eddie Murphy wore one. It’s just that no wore one. It’s just that no
Hall and Eddie Murphy 6 6 so I had to jerk it to its fullest, most committed
higher calling officially united them. Their
higher calling officially united them. Their extension. . . .
The Black-power salute is not a casual ges-
ture. It’s weaponry. You aim that arm and fire.
5 Twentieth-century Black leaders in the fields of art (Lawrence,
Parks), journalism, literature (Ellison, Hughes, Murray), politics I aimed mine in solidarity — with white people
(Lewis, Jackson, Powell, Cummings), and the civil rights movement instead of at a system they personify. And that
(Lewis, Vivian, King, Abernathy, Rustin, Lowery, Shuttlesworth,
Chambers, Williams, Cummings). — Eds. didn’t feel quite right. But how would I know?
6 Popular Black actors, athletes, and musicians during the 1970s, 80s,
and 90s. — Eds. 7 A slang term for the bourgeoisie, or middle class. — Eds.
246
05_sheatlc4e_40925_ch04_170_315.indd 246 12/10/22 2:36 PM
CLOSE READING
Morris situates his mustache within the his- with a list individually, then compare and
tory of Black mustaches. You could have stu- debate with partners, and then discuss with
dents examine paragraphs 7–10 to analyze the class. These paragraphs might also be a
the relationship between the focus on his own good moment to discuss Morris’s use of sly
mustache, the history of Black mustaches, humor, for instance when he personifies “the
and the history of the Black civil rights civil rights mustache” or his inflated language
movements. You could ask them to make an with “[T]he politics of self-presentation had
argument for a hierarchy of importance of coalesced around grander, less deniable
those three topics. Are the paragraphs more hair.” How does the humor relate to his
about Morris’s mustache, Black mustaches, purpose here?
or Black history? Students could come up
246 chapter 4 / Identity
05_sheatlcte4e_46921_ch04_170a_315_2pp.indd 246 1/20/23 7:49 PM