Having Our Say Family

Believe us (and Sly Stone) when we tell you that Having Our Say is a family affair. Although the memoir is told through the eyes of sisters Sadie and Bessie, the book follows the multi-generational journey of the well-respected Delany clan. As we follow each generation—the grandparents, parents, siblings, and nieces and nephews—we see just how tight this one-of-a-kind family is. No matter what comes their way—from Jim Crow to WW2—their strong bonds prove to be their saving grace.

Questions About Family

1. How do the Delanys maintain such strong familial bonds?
2. In your eyes, how are Sadie and Bessie able to stay so close for so long?
3. What does the life of Little Hubie say about the importance of family to the Delanys?
4. In your opinion, why do the sisters never have families of their own?

Chew on This

Although their emphasis on education is important, it is the Delanys' emphasis on family that leads them to success.

The bond of sisterhood between Sadie and Bessie shows that marriage isn't the only sort of bond that can create a lifetime of happiness.