The+Lesson+(Block+56)

Toni Cade Bambara


 * Born March 25th 1939 in Harlem as Miltona Mirkin Cade and died on December 9th in 1995 from colon cancer.
 * Changed her name to Toni when she was in kindergarten, and added Bambara in 1970 when she found out her grandmother also had that name.
 * Went to BA Theater Arts in Queens College New York and MA, City University of New York
 * She studied mime in France.
 * Writing strongly used radical polititcs, feminism, and African American Culture.
 * Wrote short stories such //as ://
 * // The Black Woman, 1970 (An anthology); Tales and Stories for Black Folks, 1971 (An anthology); Gorilla, My Love, 1972 (Short stories) "The Lesson," 1972 (short story); The Seabirds Are Still Alive, 1977 (Short stories); The Salt Eaters, 1980 (A novel); If Blessing Comes, 1987; Raymond's Run, 1990; Deep Sightings and Rescue Missions: Fiction, Essays, and Conversations, 1996; These Bones Are Not My Child, 1999. //
 * Influenced by Civil Rights and Black Nationalist movements(1960s)
 * Traveled to Cuba(1973) and Vietnam(1975) which influenced her to write about struggles of african americans.
 * Known for creating portraits of black life
 * She was 1 of the 4 film makers who made the documentary of W.E.B. Debois: A Bigoraphy in Four Voices.

http://socialjustice.ccnmtl.columbia.edu/index.php/Toni_Cade_Bambara

SUMMARY OF "The Lesson": In "The Lesson" an old African American lady, by the name of Miss Moore, runs this small town, or so she thinks. Miss Moore is a graduate of college so she feels its her duty to school the kids of the neighborhood. One day, Miss Moore gathers all the kids up to teach them their new lesson. As they begin to walk, Miss Moore explains the situation with money in America. She feels that it wasn't "divided up right." They end up at a toy store where the kids begin to run around and claim their toys. Miss Moore uses the want of these toys to teach the kids how long it would take to earn the money needed to buy the toys. The final lesson that Miss Moore teaches the kids is that the outrageous price of these toys can feed a family of six or seven. Hoping they would learn to spend their money wisely. This lesson is simply ignored in the end by the kids racing to the ice cream parlor