“The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara and “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker explore the black empowerment movement of the 1970s. Although slavery had been outlawed for over one hundred years, the lack of education and economics proved to be the modern catenary for African Americans. As college-educated African American women, Miss Moore of Bambara and Dee of Walker are pioneers of their time. These women are confident, rebellious characters who use their education in an effort to reclaim cultural identity and restore social and economic justice. “The Lesson” shows Miss Moore's progressive approach to Afrocentrism as an attempt to reach out and advance her race. This contrasts with Dee's narrow vision of “Everyday Use,” which uses this pride to distance itself from its modest beginnings. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Miss Moore and Dee's ideological beliefs are visible in their physical appearance. To express discontent with typical white Anglo-Saxon culture and fashion, African Americans begin to reclaim their African cultures to create their own identity. Dee and Miss Moore's life in the 1970s places them in the Afro-centrism movement. Afrocentrism is the belief that African American ancestry can be traced back to ancient Egypt, which was dominated by a race of black Africans. This concept was developed as a psychological weapon against racism and oppression. As Sylvia describes Miss Moore in “The Lesson,” we imagine her “nappy hair, correct speech, and no makeup” (61). Miss Moore's sense of style appears to be minimalist, similar to that of her ancestors. In “Everyday Use,” Miss Johnson describes Dee's new look after returning from college: “…a dress so loud it hurt my eyes. There are enough yellows and oranges to repel the sunlight” (791). Dee's newfound fashion sense appears to resemble the clothing of native Africans, with a flowing dress fit and eccentric colors. Dee also models shoulder-length earrings and several unusual bracelets for her time. Dee's hair is described by her mother as resembling "...the wool of a sheep" (791). Both Dee and Miss Moore style their hair and dress similarly, which provides them with a way to distance themselves from historically oppressive white culture. Miss Moore and Dee attend college, a rare achievement for women of their time, especially minority women. In "Everyday Use", Dee gains the opportunity for a higher education through her mother's perseverance and donations from the church and community. With the help of her family and community, Dee is able to escape the restrictive environment of the rural South. Although little is known about Miss Moore's education in “The Lesson”; it can be assumed that she grew up in another type of restrictive environment, a poverty-stricken urban context. Miss Moore eventually returns to this place to help her young ones. Sylvia, one of Miss Moore's students, says, "She had been to college and said it was right for her to take responsibility for the education of the young, and she wasn't even related by marriage or blood" (61). Bambara uses Miss Moore to demonstrate how selfless leaders of the empowerment movement used their education to bring about change. Although unappreciated, in “Everyday Use,” Dee spends time educating her mother and sister: “She read to us mercilessly; imposing on us two words, lies, other people's habits, entire lives…” (790). Dee knows her mother and sisterthey have no education and he shares his gift of intelligence with them. In fact, Dee's friendships evolve from those she reads to. Her friends “…loved the well-turned phrase, the cute form, the boiling humor that burst like bubbles in lye” (791). Dee's eloquence projects beyond her family as she reads to anyone willing to listen. Dee's outspoken Miss Moore's personality and desire to educate young people are important in spreading new values ​​of black pride and empowerment. Miss Moore and Dee are prolific entities for the advancement of their race; however, they exude different messages. In “The Lesson,” Miss Moore's message revolves around money and its unequal distribution in America. He takes his group of students to a high-end toy store to show the kids that some people spend an absurd amount of money on superficial gifts. This money is needed by children's families for essentials in life. Sylvia explains, “She's always waiting for someone to say that the poor need to wake up and ask for their share of the pie” (65). His message is aimed at these disadvantaged young people in the hope that one day they will become successful people and can enjoy the "finer" things in life. Although slavery has been abolished many decades ago, there are still institutional factors that oppress the African American race. Ms. Moore's efforts are aimed at freeing her people from these economic sanctions. In contrast, Dee's message in “Everyday Use” is not as clear because she is younger than Miss Moore and has not yet established her identity. Dee pushes for a cultural change among her people and as a result enters into a generational conflict. In “Everyday Use,” Dee changes her name to Wangero, stating, “I could no longer bear to be named after people who oppress me” (792). The name Dee is traced back to her enslaved ancestors and she wants to break free of this association. Dee then returns home with a newly acquired respect for her origins. However, his behavior shows his family's life as an artifact rather than an acceptable lifestyle. This distances her from them. Dee turns to her sister Maggie and says, “You should try to do something too, Maggie. It's truly a new day for us. But you would never know it from the way you and mother still live” (795). Dee pushes her sister to follow her nonconforming lifestyle, but inadvertently offends her family's simple, contented lifestyle. Although Dee has serious intentions for the betterment of his race, his behavior can be seen as ignorant and offensive to older generations of African Americans. Dee wants the quilts and churn to be artifacts of the older generation of her race. In doing so, she turns her back on her mother and sister who still live in times she has forgotten. Dee gasps, “Maggie can't appreciate these quilts! […] It would probably be backward enough to put them into everyday use” (794). Dee wants the quilts and other antiques to show her family's lifestyle in the past and ignores the fact that they still live in the present. Dee's clash with older African-American generations can be seen as an obstacle to the black empowerment movement. In “The Lesson,” Miss Moore takes a more structured approach to black empowerment and seems to have a deeper understanding of the issues. He realizes that his race has many obstacles to overcome without adding generational tensions caused by Dee's tactics. Miss Moore tells the children, “Imagine for a moment what kind of society it is in which some people can spend as much on a toy as it would cost to feed a family of six or seven. What about.