UNIT:
Lesson: 12
Text Title
“Who Can Be Born Black” by Mari Evans
Main Idea
In “Who Can Be Born Black”, Evans explains her self-awareness results in Black Pride. This pride is something she must share with others. The poem illustrates the power of Black people once they come together to share in this confidence when she says, “to explode/in the majesty of our oneness.”
Essential Question
The unit essential questions developed in this lesson are:
- What does it mean to be empowered by words?
- How can one’s sense of self be developed through poetry/art?
Content Objective
By engaging in this lesson, students will know/understand that…
- The speaker of this poem exhibits pride in who she is and the strength she finds when she connects with people like her. Through this poem students will make a connection between self-awareness and empowerment.
Literacy Objective
By engaging in this lesson, students will strengthen their ability to…
- Describe how a poem achieves its intended purpose through its imagery and tone.
Standards Alignment
- Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience in a work of world literature considering how it reflects heritage, traditions, attitudes, and beliefs. (8.RL.3.2)
