Assignment task:
In our lectures as well as readings, we have learned about the complexities involved in American racism. Using Black Boy as a reference point, explain the role white supremacy played in American life throughout the mid-twentieth century. How does Wright learn to navigate the world of white supremacy and what does that say about the American value of equality of opportunity?
This is an argumentative paper. It is essential that you provide a thesis statement (argument). In writing this paper you are required to engage readings from Black Boy, YAWP, as well as lecture materials. It is expected that you will prove proficiency in the course materials and demonstrate the ability to synthesize and analyze these materials in support of your thesis.
Guidelines:
- Do Not Plagiarize. Please refer to our policy statement on the syllabus concerning academic dishonesty. It is guaranteed that if you plagiarize at the very least you will fail the paper.
- Papers should use the MLA format for citations (see below).
- Papers should provide a works cited page at the end of the paper.
- This paper is to be 2-3 pages in length. Two FULL pages minimum.
- Use a 12-point font. Make sure there is a one-inch margin on each side. Double space the text and number your pages.
- Your thesis should appear in bold.
- All sources must come from the materials covered in the class - so no outside sources.
- Do not use personal pronouns (I, me, you, etc.). Do not use contractions (don't, can't, won't, etc.).
Issues to Consider:
- Plessey v. Ferguson (1896)
- Booker T. Washington
- WEB DuBois
- Ida B. Wells-Barnett
- Niagara Movement
- 1919 Race Riots
- Marcus Garvey
- Ku Klux Klan
- Scottsboro "boys"
- Mary McCleod-Bethune
- "Double V" Campaign
- Executive Order 8802
- Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
- "Little Rock Nine"
- Emmett Till
- Clark "Doll Experiment"
- Montgomery Bus Boycott
- Martin Luther King, Jr./SCLC
- Sit-in
- Dianne Nash
Lectures to Consider:
- "The Segmented Society"
- "Progressivism"
- "The Legacy of World War I
- "From Boom to Bust"
- "Making a New Deal"
- "And Then Came the War"
- "The Arsenal of Democracy"
- "Cold War America"
- "The Rebirth of Civil Rights"
- "The Other America"
Readings to Consider:
- Washington, Atlanta Cotton States and International Exposition Speech, p. 451.
- The Southern Mercury, "The Colored Brother," p. 494.
- WEB DuBois, The Talented Tenth, p. 501.
- The Liberator, "Tulsa," November 9, 1918, p. 544.
- Langston Hughes, Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain, p. 560.
- LULAC News, "Editorial" (1945), p. 601.
- Lillian Smith, Killers of the Dream, p. 673.
- Declaration of Constitutional Principles (1956), p. 675.
- Fannie Lou Hamer, "Testimony Before the Credentials Committee," p. 677