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Mildred D. Taylor Message Board


Kathy posts on 11/15/2005 8:17:03 PM Dear Mildred, I really, REALLY want you to write a sequel to "The Road to Memphis." I just finished reading it with my younger sister. We loved it, and I cried (not in front of my sister of course). You really have to write a sequel. PLEASE!!!!!!!!!
nia jones posts on 11/3/2005 9:05:59 AM hi i am in the seventh grade reading Roll of thunder hear my cry .cassie is a interesting character and i am a lot like her my self becuse my dad was away for along time and he came back on my birthday and I was so happy and dont tell I got $100 and i was so happy.
Mista R. Starkey posts on 11/2/2005 4:04:41 PM We have a group of Fourth Grade Students that just finished reading, "The Well." They would love to write letters to Mildred D. Taylor sharing how much they loved her book. What is the mailing address to Mildred D. Taylor? The students are excited about sending their letters...



Katie Ray posts on 11/1/2005 7:06:35 PM In school we were reading "Roll of Thunder, Herar My Cry." I finished all of your books beforethe class finished reaing that book. I love your books so much. I am a very imotional person so I cried after each book for I was sad it was over and who had died. I cried the most after "Road to Memphis." I didn't know you were making a sequel. Please I am begging you to continue your stories of Cassie, Little Man(Clayton), Christopher John, Stacy, Moe, Sissy's baby and the others. I really want Sissy to be okay. I think Moe and Cassie make a cute couple. Please continue the story. I am dying to know if Cassie and Moe marry. I sure hoe they do.
Samantha posts on 10/31/2005 2:00:16 PM Ms.Taylor I would really love for you to write another book a sequel to road to memis I loved that book i really want to know what happend to Cassie and Moe and Sissy's baby and I started reading that book at 9:00pm and I couldn't put it down I stayed up until 5:30am just so i could read it and then I could't go to sleep because i was thing about what would happen i loved that book and i hope that you will write another so i know what will happen and thank you so much for your time to read this!!!!!!
Margaret posts on 10/27/2005 7:16:33 AM Dear Chris Crowe, Thank you for your response to my message about teaching Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. I have continued teaching it over the past few days. Your input and information make me feel more confident about my decision. Thank you, Margaret
Chris Crowe posts on 10/24/2005 10:19:53 AM Dear Margaret, you're not the first teacher to have an African American parent object to one of Mildred D. Taylor's books. Ms. Taylor has addressed the issue in at least two places: in the 25th anniversary edition of ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY and in THE LAND. Here are excerpts from those two comments": Notes to the Reader from Mildred D. Taylor “In the recent years, because of my concern about our ‘politically correct' society, I have found myself hesitating about using words that would have been spoken during the period my books are set. But just as I have had to be honest with myself in the telling of all my stories, I realized I must be true to the feelings of the people about whom I write, and I must be true to the stories told. My father and the other storytellers told my family's history truly, and it is this history I have related in my books. When there was humor, my family passed it on. When there was tragedy, they passed it on. When the words hurt, they passed them on. My stories will not be ‘politically correct,' so there will be those who will be offended by them, but as we all know, racism is offensive.” (Roll of Thunder, 2001, vi-vii) * * * “All of my books are based on stories told by my family, and on the history of the United States. In my writing I have attempted to be true to those stories and the history. I have included characters, incidents, and language that present life as it was in many parts of the United States before the Civil Rights Movement. Although there are those who wish to ban my books because I have used language that is painful, I have chosen to use the language that was spoken during the period, for I refuse to white-wash history. The language was painful and life was painful for many African Americans, including my family. “I remember the pain. “Since writing my first book, Song of the Trees, it has been my wish to have readers walk in the shoes of the Logan family, who are based on my family, and to feel what they felt. It has been my wish that by understanding this family and what they endured, there would be further understanding of what millions of families endured, and there would also be a further understanding of why there was a Civil Rights Movement, a movement that changed our nation.” (The Land iii) To see arguments that articulate the parent's point of view, read "Huck Finn, Slavery, and Me" in the November 1993 ENGLISH JOURNAL or "Shoot the Author, Not the Reader" in the July 2005 issue of ENGLISH JOURNAL. This is a complex situation, one with no easy answers. It might be comforting to know that in the past, most school districts have sided with Taylor's books over parents' objections. Best wishes, Chris Crowe, Brigham Young University
Margaret posts on 10/23/2005 6:45:36 PM Dear Mrs. Taylor, I decided to teach Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry to my 6th grade reading classes, because I remember reading it when I was about 11 and the impact it had on my feelings toward racism. I was able to identify strongly with Cassie, through your vivid characterization. We were through ch. 1 and already having some thought-provoking class discussions concerning slavery, The Civil War and racism, when I had a parent come to visit with me about the book. His son is the only black child in the class, and he says that since we started the book, he has been unhappy and does not want to come to my class anymore. The father strongly objects to the use of the word "nigger" in the book and feels that books like yours bring unnecessary negative attention to black people. I think that he feels that my teaching of the book is a way of stirring things up and putting ideas that black people are different into my student's heads. He asked me to put myself in his child's place. I can understand how this student would feel uncomfortable, and I hate that he doesn't want to come to my class, but I also tried to explain to the dad that my goal is to teach children to think about the issue of racism and to discover the damage that it does. I certainly never intended to cause a child pain. I asked the father to take the book and read it and to posssibly discuss it with his child. He took the book and said that he would get back with me. I considered discontinuing the reading of your book, because I don't ever want to hurt a student, but I also have to think about my other students and what they would be missing out on. Also, if I change my plan for one student, then I guess I should accommodate everyone else who has hurt feelings or any objection to any literature I'm teaching. It seems ironic that I am being thought of as discriminatory and insensitive for trying to teach the evils of racism. I have been torn apart over this all weekend, and finally thought about asking you personally for your advice. I would greatly appreciate your thoughts on this matter. Please answer as soon as possible. With thanks and admiration, Margaret
alisha k posts on 10/20/2005 12:00:22 AM hey umm i have to read roll of thunder for english and i have o say it is really great but very sad. i hate racism especially back in the days. well my question is where can i find the movie because we are planning on watching it when were done(i got very interested and i read ahead) can i find it at a local movie store like block buster or even a library? keep up the great work
CASSANDRA posts on 10/18/2005 11:07:03 PM mildred I relly like your books where did you get your start. the book i relly like of yours is roll of thundra hear my cry and let the circle be unbroken
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