Stella by Starlight

On Election Day, Mama is moody and anxious because Papa still intends to vote. Pastor Patton and Mr. Spencer arrive to get Papa, and the Mills family sees a large group of folks nearing their home. Many neighbors plan to escort the three men to the polling location. Stella and JoJo eagerly join the group. Papa asks Mama to come along, saying he needs her, and she relents: “So what we waitin’ for?” (230).

The group marches and sings the whole way to the sheriff’s office. Once there, Sheriff Sizemore meets the men outside and initially tries to stand in the doorway. The eyes of everyone in the marching group meet his stare, however, and after long minutes he moves aside. Papa, Mr. Spencer, and Pastor Patton vote. Several white men join the waiting group in support of the men. 

Stella uses her typewriter to begin a pretend newspaper called “STELLA’S STAR SENTINEL.” She writes about Roosevelt winning a landslide victory in the presidential election and compares Papa’s vote to a pebble: “Lots of pbbles pebbles make a landslide, right? his vote counted [sic]” (237).