GLORY FIELD PRESENTATIONS 8-10
1. CIVIL RIGHTS
 Big issue today.
 More freedom was given after the Civil War.
 Economic gains after Civil Rights Movement.: jobs, equal
pay, land ownership
 Social effects: freedom, voting and repeal of Jim Crow (tests
and fees), schools (defeated separate but equal)
 South and the Civil Rights Movement: break stereotypes.
 Lizzie’s dream of freedom was walking over a wide-open
meadow, not caring which way she goes.
 How did Civil Rights influence Lewis family? Tommy
chained self to sheriff. Very origin of family in US traces
back to Mohammad’s slavery (not seen as a human being).
Malcolm also broke down stereotype of substance abuse by
black men and saving Shep by reuniting him with his
community and family. Lewis family would continue to
wrestle with stereotypes even today.
2. LAND
 Lewis family worked on the land for about 8 generations;
everyone from Mohammad through present day had
connection. Everyone except Joshua was buried on Glory
Field (they also had a memorial there for him).
 Glory Field was used as place of worship, weddings, etc.
 According to the Lewis family they deserved to keep the land
that their family has worked on and sweated over as slaves.
 Land used for sweet potatoes and other crops.
 Lem, Lizzie, and Joshua all ran away after working on Lewis
land.
 Elijah worked in the city to buy up Lewis land and pay taxes.
 Luvenia only liked land because she saw value as family
land; she other career plans and started her own business.
 After the Civil War, Lewis received the Glory Field as their
own farm.
 Malcolm went every 2 years to Curry for the reunion. He
went through great trouble to get Shep there.
 Malcolm understood that everyone wanted to keep Curry:
When you put so much work into something, you want to
keep it in the family.
CULTURE
 Art. A lot of African art is useful and on work objects.
 A current artist, John W. Jones painted background slave
scenes in colorful, vibrant acrylics – taking them from
background of old Confederate notes.
 Work songs developed into blues, with call and response, aab
pattern, coded messages. No drums allowed.
 Worked in fields, fishing, hunting (Africa), and domestic.
 Burial customs—at night because they weren’t working.
They decorated gravesites with colored glass, shells, and
stones. Religion was animistic/voodoo and later Christian.
 Crafts included sweet grass baskets, hats, strip quilts, and
own fishing nets.
EDUCATION AND ACHIEVEMENT
 Lewis family used wits to overcome situations.
 Mohammad and slaves (Lizzie, Lem, Josh, etc.) had no
education because it was illegal to teach slaves to read.
 Despite being a captured slave, Mohammad founded the
family.
 Lizzie and family knew about farming, fishing, fieldwork,
domestic work.
 Elijah gathered money to pay grandma’s taxes on the family
land.
 Luvenia, hardworking, is determined to go college. When she
can’t go to college, she went to plan B and became a
hairdresser and started her own business.
 Tommy is a good bball player. He participates in the civil
rights movement and loses his scholarship. His people and
culture are more important than his personal goals.
 Malcolm uses his instinctive knowledge to get Shep to Curry
despite many setbacks and hardships.
5. FAMILY HISTORY
 For Mohammad it was important to remember his family and
heritage, who he was.
 It’s important to know history so you know how you came to
be who you are; Mohammad is able to pass down his values
and cultures to succeeding generations.
 Joshua and Moses need to know where they come from so
they can form community and survive crises.
 Ch. 3 Lem needs to hang onto history; as the family scatters,
they need to remember where they are from.
 Ch. 4 Abby and Robert need to know family history as the
family scatters, modernizes, and goes into new kinds of
work.
 Ch. 5 Tommy needs to remember past segregation.
 Ch. 6 Malcolm needs to pass their legacy on to new
generations and attend family reunions to keep traditions
alive.
5. FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS AND BEHAVIOR
 Mohammad is the start of the family and becomes a guide
and good example.
 Family wants Lizzie, Lem, and Joshua to have freedom more
than they want to keep them in Curry.
 Ch. 3 Elijah and Abby face racism and inequality when they
try to collect the reward money for saving David (taxes on
grandma’s land). Elijah has to leave town for his own safety.
 Ch. 4 Luvenia doesn’t want to return to family farm in Curry.
Dad wants her back in Curry; Miss Etta supports her plans to
stay in the city and go to college. She ends up starting her
own business cutting hair.