Although it began as merely high school required reading, this well-loved copy of Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird memorializes a turning point in Kennedi Bruce’s educational career. This book helped Kennedi find her voice in the classroom as she realized that she could discuss social issues with her peers in an academic setting. Thanks to the book and the classroom discussions it sparked, Kennedi decided to study political science in college, where she continues to engage in social justice debates and hopes to change worldviews both inside and outside the academic world.
Listen to Kennedi Bruce’s story in her own words:
This object is part of the “Personal Growth” section of the Artifacts of Experience exhibition designed by University of Cincinnati students in the “Introduction to Public History” course in 2023.
We encourage you to explore the other objects in our collection.
Transcript
Kathryn Siemer [KS]: So first, what object did you choose?
Kennedi Bruce [KB]: I chose a book from high school that really impacted me, and I think really got me into reading. I consider myself a big reader, but I’m a political science–history major, so I kind of have to be a big reader. But reading is important to me and I think I can kind of trace it back to the specific class and the specific book.
[KS]: So what book is it specifically, and why did it impact you?
[KB]: The book is To Kill a Mockingbird. I read it in my—I think sophomore English class. I am a huge social justice person and this was kind of my first introduction to the realm of social justice in an academic setting.
Never before had I been able to discuss with my peers matters of social justice—I just, you know, talked with, I guess, adults or other people about things that were concerning me in the world or stuff along those lines, but I had never had the chance to discuss with my peers what they were thinking, why they were thinking that, and so this book was definitely that opportunity. And it was awesome! We had hard discussions, but I really appreciated them and it’s kind of what I do in college now.
[KS]: Would you say that this book kind of inspired you to go on to become a political science major?
[KB]: Probably. It definitely helped. Again, it was the introduction to talking about social justice and race relations in an academic setting, and if I didn’t have that introduction, I probably wouldn’t have had the confidence to keep having those conversations, especially in academic settings, and I think it’s really important to distinguish having the conversations and having them in academic settings.
So, for sure if I didn’t have this book probably at that time, I wouldn’t be where I’m at.
[KS]: Do you have any particular story about the object—about the book—like any conversation you remember in high school?
[KB]: Not particularly. I just remember. . .I think I got in an argument with someone, which isn’t really shocking. I know that’s all I do is argue with people. But I was super shy in high school. I didn’t talk, like, genuinely. I did not speak a word until, like, my senior year of high school.
And I got in an argument with somebody in class over this book and everyone was like, “Kennedi? Kennedi’s speaking?” and I meant everything I said, and I think I was able to articulate my feelings in a way I genuinely had not any time before that sophomore year moment. But I don’t remember what I was arguing about or even what point in the book, but I know it was—it was a big moment.
