For discussion #1, we are going to examine three sources from the eras of Reconstruction and Jim Crow. They are primary sources (sources that are from the historical time and place that we are studying).
The first is a speech by Frederick Douglass.
http://utc.iath.virginia.edu/africam/afspfdat.html
Read the speech, and respond to the following questions:
1) Who wrote the speech, and how does the author affect your understanding of the ideas?
2) When was it written? Why does that matter for our understanding?
3) What is the author arguing? What do they use to support their argument?
4) Connect his ideas to your readings in the textbook. What was the responsibility of the Federal Government to support the newly freed men and women?
The second piece is from Ida B. Wells during the Jim Crow era.
Attached document below.
Read short article “Ida B. Wells” found in the module and answer the following questions:
1) Who wrote the speech, and how does the author affect your understanding of the ideas?
2) When was it written? Why does that matter for our understanding?
3) What is the author arguing? What do they use to support their argument?
Finally, let’s put the two sources together. What does reading Ida B. Well’s article suggest about how well Reconstruction worked? Were Frederick Douglass’ hopes met for African Americans in the second half of the 19th century? Bring in information from the readings in your textbook to support your answer.
watch a reading of Frederick Douglass’ speech at
remember to analyze it as a historian! It is an excerpt-what was cut? Music was added-does this affect understanding the topic? Images were added as well-are they historically fitting? Does it matter that images were chosen that go as far back as the Civil War and as far forward the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s?
Attachedment is ch.15 textbook
America: A Narrative History Brief 12th ed, vol II.
