Brittany Boisvert - Hype & Hypocrisy lyrics

Arriving onto the literary scene, still bound by the shackles of oppression, the black writer emerged. Evident within the text, the heavy restraints placed upon the narratives stimulated the hype found laced within a majority of the compositions. The “perpetuated ideology” as mentioned by O'Meally in ‘Norton's Anthology', launched the technique of creating and maintaining a dynamic process of expression. Often the illustrations would be composed of elements set forth by the white race, highlighting the perception that the ‘black writer' was not an actuality but an illusion. Bringing to attention the hypocrisy surrounding this particular ideology, ultimately is what forged the way for black literature to take on its own unique identity. 1619 -- the first Africans arrive in Virgina Excerpt from the African Americana collections of The Library Company of Philadelphia (Founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1713) As recorded by historians, the influx of Africans being brought over to America, was due to the dependency on slavery. The use of this type of bondage, became the integral part of creating an economy white Americans could and eventually would depend on. 1700 -- the creation of Spirituals, Ballads, and Folktales Excerpts from slave narratives (1660's) SPIRITUAL "Go Down, Moses" "Go down, Moses, Way down in Egyptland Tell old Pharaoh To let my people go." BALLAD "The Signifying Monkey" "Lion said, Monkey, I don't want To hear your jive-end jive ... Which is why today Monkey does his signifying A-way-up out of the way." FOLKTALES "'Member Youse a n******g" "Well, de day done come that I said I'd set you free. I hate to do it, but I don't like to make myself out a lie ... But 'member, John youse a n******g ... But John kept right on steppin' to Canada." 1768 -- the slave ship Fredensborg sinks off Tromoy in Norway Excerpt from Phillis Wheatley's "On Being Brought from Africa to America" "'Twas mercy brought me from my Pagan land, Taught my benighted soul to understand That there's a God, that there's a Saviour too: Once I redemption neither sought nor knew. Some view our sable race with scornful eye, "Their colour is a diabolic die." Remember, Christians, Negros, black as Cain, May be refin'd, and join th'angelic train." 1786 -- the African American slave Jupiter Hammon makes a speech advocating emancipation Excerpt from Jupiter Hammon's "An Address to the Negroes in the State of New York" "As this Address is wrote in a better Stile than could be expected from a slave ... The man*script wrote in his own hand, is in our possession. We have made no material alterations in it, except in the spelling, which we found needed considerable correction." 1851 -- Sojourner Truth addresses 1st Black Women's Rights Convention Excerpt from Sojourner Truth's "AIN'T I A WOMAN?" "That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! ... I have borne thirteen children seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman?" 1852 -- Frederick Dougla**, fugitive slave, delivers his 'What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?' speech Excerpt from Frederick Dougla**' "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" "Fellow Citizens - Pardon me, and allow me to ask, why am I called upon to speak here to-day? What have I, or those I represent, to do with your national independence day? ... At a time like this, scorching irony, not convincing argument, is needed ... What to the American slave is your Fourth of July? ... To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciations of tyrants, bra**-fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery." 1895 -- Booker T. Washington delivers 'Atlanta Compromise' address Excerpt from Paul Laurence Dunbar's "We wear the Mask" "Why should the world be overwise, In counting all our tears and sighs? Nay, let them only see us, while We wear the mask." 1899 -- Black Americans observed day of fasting in protest against lynchings Excerpt from Charles Chesnutt's "The Wife of His Youth" "Our fate lies between absorption by the white race and extinction in the black ... Self-preservation is the first law of nature"