John Langston Gwaltney facts for kids
John Langston Gwaltney was an important African-American writer and anthropologist. He lived from 1928 to 1998. He studied and wrote about African-American culture. He is most famous for his book called Drylongso: A Self Portrait of Black America.
Contents
Early Life and Challenges
John Gwaltney lost his eyesight when he was very young. This happened shortly after he was born. He made history in his hometown of Newark, NJ. He was the first blind student to go to his local high school there.
Becoming an Anthropologist
John Gwaltney went to college and earned several degrees. He got his first degree, a Bachelor of Arts (BA), from Upsala College in 1952. Later, he earned a Master of Arts (MA) from the New School for Social Research in 1957.
Studying at Columbia University
In 1967, he earned his Ph.D. from Columbia University. A Ph.D. is the highest university degree. He studied anthropology there. Anthropology is the study of human societies and cultures.
While at Columbia, he won a special award. This was the Ansley Dissertation Award. He also studied with Margaret Mead, a very famous anthropologist. She said he was "a most remarkable man." She admired how he managed his life and work.
His First Book
His Ph.D. research was about a health issue called river blindness. He studied people who spoke Chinantec languages in Oaxaca, Mexico. This research became his first book in 1970. The book was titled Thrice Shy: Cultural Accommodation to Blindness and Other Disasters in a Mexican Community.
After his studies, he became a professor. He taught anthropology at Syracuse University.
His Famous Book: Drylongso
Drylongso is John Gwaltney's most well-known book. It is a collection of interviews. He talked to many "core black people." These were everyday African-American men and women. He asked them to describe their own culture.
What "Drylongso" Means
The title of the book, "Drylongso," comes from an African-American word. This word means "ordinary" or "just plain." It refers to the regular people he interviewed. The book includes a list of African-American terms. It also has interviews with 41 people from the Northeast United States.
The New York Times newspaper praised the book. They called it a very complete and real look at what mainstream black Americans thought.
