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

Short Answer Questions

1. Which of the other children was the same age as the little boy?

2. Out of those cases, how many did Hubert lose?

3. Which of the children died due to a hospital's negligence?

4. Where did Julia go to school?

5. How old was Nanny at this point?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who convinced the sisters to move to Westchester? What kind of reception did the sisters receive?

2. How did Nanny's death change Sadie's role in the family? What was the family's reaction to the change?

3. Discuss the effect of the Depression on Harlem. Also discuss the end of the Harlem Renaissance.

4. What was the general impression of Harlem in the 1920s and 1930s? What was the other side of the situation?

5. The sisters talk about the deaths in the family. Who died first? Could any of the deaths have been prevented? Explain.

6. Examine the incident with the cottage, Bessie, and the judge.

7. What drastic action did the sisters take to care for Nanny?

8. As one might expect, Bessie got the last word in the book. What was Bessie's final insight?

9. What prompted the family to move to New York? Who moved to the city first? Why?

10. Discuss at least two of Bessie's major challenges at Columbia.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Delany family attended school at St. Augustine's, as did their parents. Discuss in detail St. Augustine's school. Why did Henry and Nanny attend St. Augustine's? What were their majors? What made the Delanys decide to stay there? What kind of education did the children receive at the school? What jobs did Henry and Nanny have? Was St. Augustine's school a religious, private or public school? Where did the children go after leaving St. Augustine's school?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the deaths of Henry and Nanny Delany. Who died first? How did each parent die? When? Who was the first to find out? Who was responsible for telling the rest of the family? What types of funeral arrangements were made? What happened to the surviving parent? How did the lives of the Delany children change after the deaths of the parents? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Although the Delany family had many admirers, they also had detractors. Examine the type of person that might be most likely to detract from the family's accomplishments. Why do you think some of the lower class black families were resentful of the Delanys? Were they jealous? Did they have the same ambition or opportunities? Why did some think the family was trying to live in a white man's world? What does it mean when people said that the Delanys were trying to live above their station? How did the Delanys react to their supporters and detractors? What is your opinion?

(see the answer keys)

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