blog:)

Nightjohn
Nightjohn was a guy who taught people to read. One night he wanted some tobacco and this girl Sarny had some. She agreed to give him some only if he taught her how to read. He taught her one word a night and what sound it makes. One night Mammy (the woman who takes care of Sarny and the other children) caught Nightjohn teaching Sarny how to read. Mammy was very upset. She didn't want Nightjohn to teach Sarny how to read because if Nightjohn got caught teaching Sarny how to read, Nightjohn would get killed and so would Sarny for knowing how to read. Their owners believed they don't have the right to know how to read. Sarny asked Mammy if she ever thought about being free and Mammy told her to never think about being free. That could put them in a lot of danger. They would be killed if they ever thought about being free.

"Mascot"
In "Mascot" Malcom X had terrible behavior at his old school. They made him got to a reform school to help change his behavior. Going into the reform school helped change his behavior a great amount. He soon was able to transfer into the local public school. One of his new teachers asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. Malcom X replied by saying he wanted to be a lawyer.  The teacher told him he wouldn't be able to be a lawyer and it was unrealistic for him to want to be a lawyer because of his skin color.

Compare and contrast The Great Debaters to Nightjohn and "Mascot":
These stories all relate in some way. They all deal with human rights. In "Mascot" Malcom X and Booke both wanted to be lawyers. They both fought people telling them they couldn't. They both were African American and were told since they were African American they wouldn't be able to be lawyers. In all three of the stories they were treated wrong and told they couldn't do something because of their skin color, when they ended up succeeding and doing what they were told they couldn't. They all had tostand up for what they believed in. They all succeeded in what they wanted and didn't give up.