Chapter 1 - A Boy from Troy Flashcards
Summarize Chapter 1: The Boy from Troy.
Chapter 1 describes John Lewis’s upbringing in rural Alabama during the era of segregation. Born in 1940, he grew up in a large, close-knit family on a sharecropping farm in Pike County. Despite poverty, he exhibited an early sense of justice and a fascination with preaching, practicing sermons to his chickens. The chapter highlights his exposure to inequality and the inspiration he drew from leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., which eventually led him to activism.
Where did John Lewis grow up, and what was his family’s occupation?
John Lewis grew up in Pike County, Alabama, on a sharecropping farm where his family worked the land.
What childhood activity demonstrated John Lewis’s early interest in preaching?
As a child, John Lewis practiced sermons by preaching to his chickens, showing his passion for speaking and moral teachings.
What early experiences shaped John Lewis’s awareness of racial inequality?
Growing up in the segregated South, Lewis witnessed the stark racial divide in public services, schools, and treatment of Black people. He also observed his parents’ cautious approach to avoid conflict with white authorities.
How did John Lewis first learn about civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr.?
He was introduced to Martin Luther King Jr. and the broader civil rights movement through the radio and later through direct involvement in church communities advocating for change.
What role did religion and church play in John Lewis’s early life?
Religion and church were central to his upbringing, providing moral guidance, community support, and his initial platform for leadership as he delivered sermons.
How did John Lewis’s family influence his perspective on racial issues?
While his parents often encouraged a cautious approach to avoid stirring trouble with white authorities, their values of hard work, faith, and dignity profoundly shaped his resolve to seek justice.
What is the significance of the title “The Boy from Troy”?
The title refers to John Lewis’s upbringing near Troy, Alabama, and underscores the formative influence of his rural roots on his later identity as a civil rights leader.
What is the poem Invictus?
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
