In response to A Girl Stands at the Door

In chapters 5 and 6 of “A Girl Stands at the Door” Lucinda Todd’s efforts as a protester are shown. Much like DuBois’ talented tenth the educated and scholarly African Americans came together and made a stand for the desegregation in schools for future generations of African American children.
Lucinda Todd was an avid protester and her parents both believed in education. Her grandfather shared his knowledge and sought to educate Lucinda’s father. Devlin states “ Her father was a coal miner who spoke with a brogue and was connected to the Irish community in the area. Wilson’s father was a white man, a slave owner who, Todd said, “had tasked an interest in teaching him to read and seeing to it that he was educated.” This quote shows how her father was educated as a slave. Delvin also shows that Todd was educated by stating “Lucinda Todd was an accomplished scholar and graduated from Pittsburgh State University, a predominately White school in Pittsburgh, Kansas, in 1932 with a degree in education.” This shows how Todd can be considered one of the “Talented Tenth”.
Todd was the backbone for gathering plaintiffs in the Brown vs The Board of Education case. Todd has gathered about 13 people from her neighborhood and vigorously pushed the NAACP to pursue this case. Lucinda Todd’s relentless pursuit of desegregation led to the progression of African Americans being able to be educated in white schools. Du Bois was correct when stating that the talented 10 % would rise up and make changes for the community. Todd’s story of protest proves these claims.

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