Manhood

By Aya Younes

General Context

The Oxford English Dictionary defines Manhood mainly as the “state of being human”, the “dignity of man”, the condition of being an adult male, and qualities of “manliness, courage, [and] valor.” As early as the 1200s, the word manhood did not only refer to the gender expression of a male individual. It extended to include the traditional roles and ideals associated with males in society. For this reason, this concept has long been essential to the US struggle against racism and to demands for the human rights of Black people. According to Steve Estes, activists in the 1960s civil rights movements used gendered language to advocate for the cause of racial equality. Calling for recognition and respect of black men, sanitation workers on a 1968 strike carried placards showing the slogan, “I Am a Man” in Memphis, Tennessee. Similarly, in the 1990s, the period during which the novel was written, other movements revived and incorporated the word manhood in their speeches such as those of the Million Man March.

Connection to Novel

The idea of dying as a man is central to the novel’s exploration of Black men’s dignity and identity in racially unjust societies. Knowing that there was no way for her to halt his death sentence, Miss Emma makes her best efforts to have Jefferson die as a man. She initiates and drives community efforts to support Jefferson morally and help him preserve his self-worth, humanity, and courage up to his death. In helping Jefferson attain his manhood, Grant finds his own and his effort to assist and uplift Jefferson becomes more intentional and more genuine.

In this novel, Gaines presents a broader definition of manhood in an era of renewed advocacy for racial equality. One key meaning is the defiance of racial oppression as in Jefferson’s dignified walk to the electric chair. Another is the solidarity with unjustly treated individuals, as in Grant’s support of Jefferson, and the protection of newer Black generations, as in his support of children’s right to literacy.