View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the name of Nanny's sister?

2. Jim Crow laws were put into effect in which year?

3. What was the name of Nanny's midwife?

4. Neither sister had ever _____.

5. The event that caused the start of the Jim Crow era involved a man from which state?

Short Essay Questions

1. Sadie talks about the drawbacks of being old. Discuss at least two references Sadie makes to her advanced age.

2. Where did Henry and Nanny meet? What was unusual about their wedding?

3. What about the Delany sisters surprises most people? What is the general opinion of the Delany sisters' neighbors?

4. Which segment of the population did not readily accept or celebrate the Delanys' successes?

5. Henry Beard Delany was born a slave on a Georgia plantation. Examine the Delanys' role in the household. When was Henry freed?

6. What was the reaction of many slaves when slavery ended? What did the slaves do upon being freed?

7. What was different about the Delany family compared to other black families in the South?

8. The book details the history of Nanny Logan Delany's family. What was unusual about the family dynamic?

9. What was so important about Henry Delany's foray into the church?

10. Who was the Mock family? How were they important to the Delanys?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Bessie jokes that the reason she and Sadie have lived so long was due to the fact that neither ever got married. Do you think there is any truth to that statement? Did Bessie mean what she said or was she joking? Why do you think neither sister ever married? How was that choice viewed by the rest of the family? Did either have a boyfriend? How might things have changed if one or both of the sisters had married? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

The Delanys were a family of professional people, which was almost unheard of in their early careers. The women often faced additional challenges because of their gender as well as their race. How do you think the atmosphere of the professional world has changed since Sadie and Bessie's time? Have the values of professional women changed since the Delany sisters' heyday? Why do you think the sisters were so adamant about pursuing careers instead of marriage? Do you think the Delany sisters were unusual or before their time?

Essay Topic 3

Write a complete character description of Bessie. What were Bessie's most significant traits? How was Bessie different than her siblings? How did Bessie fight against racism and gender bias? What was Bessie's profession? Was Bessie's office successful? What is the most memorable thing about Bessie in your eyes?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 977 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample