Aaron Wilson
Ms. Krick
English 8
17 March 2023
Courageous Acts Essay
Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa, once stated, “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” The demonstrated quote means that courage doesn’t come straight from someone who doesn’t have any fear, but someone who rises up to the challenge to achieve something. The reinforced quote can be connected to stories and literature, reinforcing the understanding of people who conquered their fears and took a stand.
For instance, in the story titled, “The Terror,” written by Junot Diaz, a man is faced with a bullying situation and lives in
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A man named Miles Davis, who was born in 1926 and passed away in 1991, made some courageous choices and took a risk to make a change. In a biography titled, “Miles Davis,” written by Jessie Carney Smith, they write and emphasizing the courageous acts that Miles Davis has done, even with the risk of death threats and racism. Miles Davis had won many awards and honors, including a very special one which is seen when the biography says, “In 1984 Davis was awarded Denmark’s Sonning Prize for lifetime acheivement in music; this was the first time that a jazz musician or a black man had recieved the award.” (Smith 12) Miles Davis was very courageous during the times of racism and segregation towards black people, and made a change while inspiring people, too. Davis also had strived to make a change in the Civil Rights times, and gave the people a helping hand in the fight. In another biography titled, “Black History Month Artist Series: Miles Davis,” written by a company called Spinning Platters, it bolsters Miles Davis’s contribution to the Civil Rights Movement. Davis, while performing music and traveling around, also put efforts to assist the fighters, as demonstrated when the biography says, “Davis supported the Black Power Movement, and was active in the civil rights movement to the extent that he fundraised for the NAACP, CORE, and SNCC.” (Davis 4). Miles Davis, and many others, had courage and …show more content…
Along with Miss Ralston from “The Friday Everything Changed,” everyone in these stories all strived to make a better change, and people in the real world can as well. There will be some times in people’s lives that challenge them, but they can learn to make a change in themselves and for others all while triumphing fear, just like Nelson Mandela had