It is rare that in today's world with all of our technological conveniences, obsession with communicating in every medium besides in person and indulgences in greed and pride, to be able to categorize an individual as a hero or heroine. It is almost impossible to find an icon that is a non-fictional human being, born with no super powers, just an extreme sense and passion for moral fiber. The modern definition for a hero or heroine is, "a person of distinguished courage or ability, admired for their brave deeds and noble qualities." It is within poet, activist, lesbian, mother and educator, Minnie Bruce Pratt, the citizens of today's evolving and competitive world can find the characteristics of a true heroine.Born and raised in post World War II, Heart of Dixie, Pratt was given little opportunities to formulate her own opinions about life. As she grew up in Centreville, Alabama, the Yellowhammer State and attended both the University of Alabama and the University of North Carolina, she began to realize how drastically different her ideologies were from those who surrounded her:
I understood that I had been lied to by government leaders,
teachers, preachers and I dedicated myself to unlearning
what I had been taught. I set out to fight for my own liberation
and to be the best ally I could be to others targeted for
oppression under this unjust social and economic system.
With her extraordinary abilities to speak the truth, fight for justice and overcome so many personal obstacles, Minnie Bruce Pratt has made the world not just a better place, but has created a more open and friendly forum for the sexually, racially and gender oppressed.
Through her many pieces of work, Minnie Bruce has been able to address the numerous problems plaguing her since childhood. Her abundant collections of poems have been an outlet for her to express her opinions, suffering, hopes and dreams. Her works have influenced thousands of people and have brought great attention to the amount of oppression being distributed throughout all walks of our American communities. She has been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, received the American Library Association's Gay and Lesbian Book Award for Literature, been a finalist for the Lamba Literary Award in Lesbian Poetry, a community writer-in-residence for the YMCA National Writer's Voice Program and held the Jane Watson Irwin Chair in Women's Studies at Hamilton College. As an educator and source of collegiate study, professors and institutions alike have found her work both personally and in literature ground breaking and worthy of both praise and analysis. Her ideals have made her an inspiration to all:
The struggle against racism and imperialism, the class
struggle, the struggle for liberation for women and for all
gender and sexually oppressed people, the struggle for
social justice is my life.
She is a leader in her communities, a pillar of strength and a solid source of encouragement. Minnie Bruce's positive effect on so many people and her continuing effort to fight for the American underdogs is what has earned her the title of a heroine.
Her collection of poems, Walking Back Up Depot Street, was titled Book of the Year by Foreword Magazine in the Gay-Lesbian category. Through the eyes of a character named, Beatrice, Pratt exploits the various forms of struggle African Americans and Gays and Lesbians have experienced. She illustrates the pain and torture these individuals have had to endure because of society's conservative standards. Specifically in her poem the White Star (Pratt, 36)
Not yet, except they'd been kicking some people out
on her street, not yet her, not yet, for skin or rent
money, but always perhaps if she forgot to draw her
curtains when she kissed the woman who was not her
sister, when they slow danced in the kitchen before
supper.
The amount of openness and courage that Pratt has displayed in her writing has made her a model for writers everywhere. The social, political and literary movements she has personally drafted have touched the lives of people across the board. People of all walks of life, straight, gay, bisexual, white, black, male and female can learn a great deal from the life and lessons of Minnie Bruce Pratt.
As she continues to "share a domain in life" with writer and activist Leslie Feinberg, Pratt has successful been able to defy the very set of social norms she was bred to live. Still passionately writing, her latest book released, The Dirt She Ate, and a current activist fighting against US imperialism abroad, Pratt's latest ventures are sure to continue to positively shape the world around her.
-Jennifer Alexander
Works Cited
Pratt, Minnie Bruce. Homepage Various entries. 10 November 2009.
Pratt, Minnie Bruce. Walking Back Up Depot Street. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1999
"Minnie Bruce Pratt." 2004. The Academy of American Poets. 10 November 2009.
Great job on your blog! Thanks for putting up that interview, I watched it and it was really helpful in hearing Minnie Bruce’s believes. This blog did a thorough job in explaining how Minnie Bruce relates to this course, because she is fighting for equality and justice for all as stated in the constitution; she is fighting for civil rights. Furthermore, Minnie Bruce is a mother, relating to this course because she is involved in family and human relations. Forty states in the US prohibit same sex marriage, meaning this country still has a long way to go before treating homosexuals with the same rights as heterosexuals. This blog explores the Bruce’s life, her take on marriage and how people who choose alternate lifestyles are not granted the same rights based solely on their partnering with the same sex.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much. I am glad you enjoyed it and found Minnie Bruce so inspiring. I appreciate your feedback and input. I completely agree with you. She is a strong woman and great source to learn from. She has impacted the lives of so many people and it is essential to take in whatever we can from her. Her life's story is truly amazing and is absolutely a relevant and necessary part of this course. I haven't heard that statistic yet. But it is absolutely shocking that 40 states have yet been able to catch up to this day and age.
ReplyDeleteGreat job on your blog! It does a really good job of explaining the artist and her work. It sounds like she would be an interesting poet to read. It is sad that people told her she had to choose between being a mother and being a lesbian. This seems to follow what we've talked about in class where women are forced to choose between different areas of their lives in order to fit into one category rather than being caught in the middle of two or more. It's inspiring how she fought for what she believes in and ultimately didn't have to choose between her sexuality and being a mother.
ReplyDeleteStephanie Grosvenor
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ReplyDeleteThank you very much! Obviously for this project I had to read some of her pieces of work. I am not one for poetry but I really did enjoy her poems. I am more so impressed by her blog, which I think you should check out. She as a person is what I find so inspiring. I absolutely agree with you, women are constantly told to choose between the home and the workplace. She truly is a strong, confident woman.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your opening statement. The word hero is not used enough in correlation to women, and I hate heroine for obvious reasons! You mentioned that she participated in literary movements, are there any in particular that relate to some of the themes we covered this past smester. You also state she fights for the underdogs....that can be a HUGE category, is there any focus in her activism? What I mean is, does her body of work have a centeral theme more specific than a fight for the underdog? I have read one or two of her works, and they have a distinct style to them which I think you captured in your wuotes you pulled for the blog. I really enjoyed reading what you had to say and think you did a great job at introducing this artisit. Thanks :-)
ReplyDeleteYou did a very nice job setting up your blog! I had never heard of Minni until I read this, but she sounds like a fascinating individual! This blog post was very well written. You did a good job in incorporating sources and explainging Minni to someone like myself who had never heard of her.
ReplyDelete-Ashley O'Brien
I never use the word heroine. I see hero as a unisex term. It has a higher recognition than the word heroine, and a female's praise, achievements and title is just as deserving. What I meant by she fights for the underdog (which you can really get a strong sense of on her blog) is that anyone experiencing struggle, she seems to be right there backing them up. Specifically, the LGBT community, refugees in numerous countries etc. I am glad that you have read and enjoyed her pieces. She someone who can truly be admired not just for her talent, but for her strong sense of moral courage.
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