Anne Spencer :: essays research papers

The Atypical Woman in a Typical WorldDo umpteen people know who Anne Spencer is? credibly non. Anne Spencer was a Harlem Renaissance poet who actually lived in Lynchburg, Virginia. She immensely enjoyed working in her garden and spending time in Edankraal, a small cottage in her garden where she wrote most of her poetry. Though Anne was a hard worker, she definitely was not a typical woman of the premature 20th century. Anne and her husband, Edward, did many things that were not typical during the early 20th century, only these "atypical" characteristics do the couple very unique.Anne was the "unannounced" valedictorian of her class at the Virginia theological Seminary and College (Potter 129). This was unusual because at the time African American women were able to mind school, but most did not go to college, much less run the valedictorian of the graduating class. Though some say that Anne was not the valedictorian of her class, but rather a start girl was the valedictorian, and Anne definitely was not shy ("Anne Bethel"). Annes intelligence definitely shows through erupt her work.Spencer did not work only if to earn money she worked because she enjoyed what she was doing. According to A History of Women in the West, the women of the early 20th century were still working at home, keeping the children, doing theater chores, and some even worked on the farm. When World War I stone-broke out because of the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand, most women went to work in factories (24). Anne did not work in a factory but she did work at Jones Memorial Librarys Dunbar Branch for $75 a month. Anne was not the typical librarian hired for this job. Though the library only served African American patrons, the position as a librarian normally went to a white person. She convinced the employer that she was qualified by showing him/her that she was a make poet. She also taught at her alma mater, the Virginia Theological Seminary and College for free, just because she loved teaching (Clark). On the other hand, Edward was Lynchburg, Virginias first parcel postman. Not only was this an awful achievement for the city of Lynchburg, but also because Edward was an African American. Edward also helped out with the family grocery store which was close to their home on 1313 Pierce Street. The even up he received helped the familys financial situation tremendously (Salmon 18).