| Student: Troy Williams
Biography: Cornelius C. Fitzgerald
Mentor: Jamal Booker
Mr. Williams begins with a fitting quote that rolls into a very good introductory piece serving as his strategy for his biographical report. He starts out with solid assertions on measuring accurately the life of "legal minds", going on to call Cornelius Fitzgerald arguably one of the nation's "Greatest legal minds." As Mr. Williams attempts to prove this, he touches on the important issue of the significance of "Grassroots-type" leaders, including Fitzgerald in this sub-category. In this introduction he very clearly carves out his goals of the biography and proceeds to follow those tracks.
This writing was actually enjoyable to read, as it is evident that plenty of time and research was put in to contribute the many facts included. Throughout, there are plenty of footnotes detailing the plenty sources utilized (MSA and beyond), indicating Pratt library newspapers, various books, and various MSA resources (marriage record, etc.). What impressed me was the very good uses of the MSA research tool The Road from Frederick to Thurgood: Black Baltimore in Transition 1870-1920. Mr. Williams effectively incorporates several quotes from the website that nicely tie into his biography to give more depth to the movements of Mr. Fitzgerald and his surroundings (in Baltimore).
The cohesive element in the biography is the way Mr. Williams provides indication of a congruent movement between Mr. Fitzgerald and the Black Rights Movement. Mr. Williams describes Mr. Fitzgerald's role as a "'Foot soldier' pursuing the day-to-day legal objectives of the community." He continues, "The diligent - and often unheralded - commitment of Cornelius C. Fitzgerald to his community is what constitutes the true story of Black progress in the early 20th century." Mr. Williams parallels the walks of Mr. Fitzgerald and his five siblings. As the seeds of hard working Black parents, all made strides for Black progress in the Black struggle, all moving from Tennessee to Baltimore (except one). There was an insurance salesman, a physician, a pharmacist, (another) attorney, and a mortician. Hinting at the Fitzgerald family as a microcosm for the larger migration of Blacks, coupled with the progress of Blacks, Mr. Williams writes (of the brothers' migration), "It can be speculated...that several factors came together to create this social dynamic. Baltimore was the city that presented the greatest number of upward mobility opportunities for blacks nationwide."
Mr. Williams didn't go beyond a biography, but he did not jut list the facts. He organized the biography in a very interesting manner by pointing an angle at it. He laid out his purpose: to illustrate the measure of Mr. Fitzgerald as a "Great legal mind" with social and professional affiliations. And he achieves this measure with a well plotted-out history and a professional resume of Mr. Fitzgerald that heralded a "Dual purpose": One that kept him "grounded in the community and permitted him to pursue his philosophical and social interest." |
