The C.O.W.S. A FOOT IN EACH WORLD Part III

The Context of White Supremacy hosts the third study session on Leanita McClain’s posthumously published A Foot In Each World. McClain is another phenomenal illustration of the power and importance of black journalists. She had articles published in the Chicago Tribune and The Washington Post. She generally used her columns to examine how Racism impacted black people. She succumbed to suicide in May of 1984 at the age of 32. Her suicide note details the degree to which White Supremacy eviscerated her mental health. She wrote: “Do not try to pull my back into this world. I will never live long enough to see my people free anyway.” A Foot In Each World is a collection of her poetry and essays that was edited by her former husband Clarence Page. Examining her work chronologically offers insight on her evolving thoughts on Racism as well as her mental anguish. It seems that her fear of being rejected or vilified by other black people was a constant source of tumult. She also seemed to harbor hopes and heartache over a few “Good Whites.” Last week we reviewed her outstanding essay, “How Chicago Taught Me To Hate Whites” – which remains an exemplary representation of top-notch journalism and a devastatingly accurate commentary on what it means to be White. We also discussed her essays on Vanessa Williams being the first black Miss America and Jesse Jackson’s 1984 run for presidency.