"Having Our Say," was an interesting chronicle of two colored women growing up during the 1900's. As I read this book I realized how amazing these two women really were. They grew up during a time when most people didn't attend college especially women. All 10 of the Delany children were college graduated professionals. Bessie became the second black dentist and Sadie was the first African-American to teach in New York. These women were proud to be Delany's and had a sense of cultural value. Education played a crucial role in the development of these two fine women. These women lived a life that most people don't dream of. They were merely the daughters of a former slave. .
Education was a main feature in the lives of the Delaney sisters. Their father was lucky and was taught to read and write when he was a slave. When slavery was abolished he already had an advantage that most slaves did not have. He was able to read and write during a time when most Africa -Americans couldn't even recognize their name. Right from the get go education became very important in the Delany family. Mr. Delany decided to attend college because a reverend suggested the idea that he could succeed. As with most of the Delany's he was a star student and attended St. Augustine's. There mother had also been inspired by a little school house teacher named Fannie Coles. To show how respectful she was of her teacher Mrs. Delany would sacrifice her lunch each and ever day for her. In a time when most colored people couldn't even read or write the Delany family was surpassing many of the expectations that were put on colored folks. The whole family was supportive of the idea of an education. It was Grandma Delany that stayed around to see her daughter through college in a proper manner. As stated in the book, "In the decades after the Civil War, education became the rallying cry of those seeking to improve the lives of former slaves, whose prospects were limited usually to hard labor in the fields or to domestic work in white people's homes.