Autobiography

I have to admit the drastic turn in Johnson's piece threw me for a loop...I guess I wasn't quite prepared to hear his decision because of the past autobiographies we have read that end in some victory like obtaining freedom. Johnson does recognize that fact by mentioning some groundbreaking moments that African-Americans have achieved and because of certain revolutionaries will continue to achieve. For instance he suggests, "...the greatest interest of the audience was centered in Booker T. Washington, and not because he so much surpassed the others in eloquence, but because of what he represented with so much earnestness and faith. And it is this that all of that but galant band of colored men who are publicly fighting the cause of their race have behind them. Even those who oppose them know that these men have the eternal principles of right on their side, and they will be victors even though they should go down in defeat (882)". It seems that Johnson acknowledges that victory is not as significant as belief because principles are victorious in any case. He also mentions his stature next to these great men and how belittled he feels with their accomplishments, although I think they have achieved more for in accomplishments for the race, Johnson has surpassed them in thinking that pertains to an individual instead of a crowd. Through thinking about what was right for him, Johnson's intellectual struggle between races subsided through his decision to be of one race, which is an accomplishment in itself to overcome it. I also think his awareness of his decision and it implications depicts his ability to see from another's perspective and how it may seem contradictory to make the decision he did.