“Free at last, free at last:”

Racism in America from Reconstruction to the Civil Rights Movement

Brian Hyland

Seton Catholic Central High School

Binghamton, NY 13905

Introduction:

The Civil War brought an end to slavery. The Emancipation Proclamation, the 13^th, 14^th and 15^th Amendments had freed the slaves, granted them citizenship and basic civil rights, but the reality of freedom was far different than what the former slaves had expected. The Reconstruction amendments were ignored throughout the country. A century after the Civil War, the Civil Rights Movement tried to enforce the original intent of these amendments.

In this project you will be historians looking at the problem of racism in America from Reconstruction to the Civil Rights Movement. Each student will be part of a group that will analyze the experiences of African-American men and women in different parts of the country from 1865 – 1965. The class will be divided into six groups as follows: North—men; North—women; Upper South—men; Upper South—women; Deep South—men; Deep South—women. All four groups will gather evidence about the problems confronting men and women of color to see how the intent of the amendments had been ignored and how the Civil Rights Movement was an attempt to restore the original intent of these amendments.

Your Task:

The class will be randomly divided into six groups as follows: North—men; North—women; Upper South—men; Upper South—women; Deep South—men; Deep South—women.

Ø Each group will first gather evidence on how the Reconstruction amendments were ignored in different regions of the country, and how this affected African-American men or women in each region.

Ø Each group will then use this to explain the motivations for the Civil Rights Movement.

Ø Each group will produce a PowerPoint to present their findings on the experiences of different groups of African-Americans in the century following the Civil War.

The Process:

Each group should begin by identifying a major problem confronting African-Americans in the century after the Civil War. Use the worksheets at the American History Public Policy Analysis site to guide your group through the steps. Use the hyperlinks below to take you to the AHPPA sites; use your browser’s back arrow to return to this page. All worksheets are to be printed out, filled out with the group’s members’ names, and handed in for a grade.

Ø Step 1: First, each group will be expected to identify the problem. Read the site and visit the links. Each group will fill out Worksheet #1 which can be found here.

Ø Step 2: Next, each group will gather evidence, using the resources listed below. Students should also visit the AHPPA site to study what gathering evidence entails. Each group will fill out Worksheet #2 which can be found here. Each group will be expected to find at least three pieces of evidence in addition to what has been provided in the resources below. Evaluate your evidence—who produced it, why was it produced, what does it say or show?

Ø Step 3: Now, each group will determine the causes of this problem. First, visit the AHPPA site here and read the description. Each group will fill out Worksheet #3, which can be found here. Each group should be sure to give the supporting evidence for every underlying cause; more than one piece of evidence can be used for each cause.

Ø Step 4: Then, each group will evaluate a policy that was implemented to deal with the problem. Policies may have arisen from government (federal, state or local) or organizations (e.g., NAACP, SCLC, SNCC). To evaluate the policy, read the material in the AHPPA site here and fill out Worksheet #4, which can be found here. In your analysis, each group will read the material on Benefits and Costs at the AHPPA site and follow the links. Fill out Worksheets #5 and #6.

Ø Step 5: Using the data gathered in steps 1 through 4, each group will produce a PowerPoint showing how the lack of compliance with the Reconstruction amendments led to the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s.

Resources:

(students may also use their own resources)

Reconstruction Amendments:

http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/amend1.htm

Plessy vs. Ferguson

Overview: http://campus.northpark.edu/history/WebChron/USA/PlessyFerguson.CP.html

Decision of the court:

http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/facts/democrac/33.htm

Analysis of the decision:

http://www.landmarkcases.org/plessy/home.html

Jim Crow Laws:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/stories.html

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/

http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/remembering/laws.html

http://www.nps.gov/malu/documents/jim_crow_laws.htm

http://www.ferris.edu/news/jimcrow/

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/aap/aapmob.html (contains several pamphlets, photos, etc. from the 1890s)

http://www.africanamericans.com/IdaBellWells-Barnett.htm

Northern segregation:

http://college.hmco.com/history/readerscomp/rcah/html/ah_077900_segregation.htm (Overview of segregation, north and south)

http://college.hmco.com/history/readerscomp/rcah/html/ah_010200_blackghettos.htm

http://teacher.scholastic.com/researchtools/articlearchives/honormlk/segraga.htm

http://www.oycf.org/Perspectives/4_022900/black_white.htm

http://encarta.msn.com/text_761580651__1/Segregation_in_the_United_States.html

http://www.uic.edu/orgs/kbc/ganghistory/Industrial%20Era/Riotbegins.html

http://chicago.urban-history.org/scrapbks/raceriot/raceriot.htm (contains links to newspaper accounts of the riots of 1919)

http://www.chipublib.org/004chicago/disasters/riots_race.html

http://condor.depaul.edu/~chicago/primary_sources/negro.html (selected survey results from the 1922 commission on race in Chicago)

http://chicago.urban-history.org/scrapbks/raceriot/rr_txt02.htm (report of the Chicago commision)

http://ah.bfn.org/h/af/#overview (history of African-Americans in Buffalo, NY)

Movements to end racism:

http://www.africanamericans.com/WEBDuBois.htm

http://www.africanamericans.com/NiagaraMovement.htm

http://www.africanamericans.com/HarlemRenaissance.htm

http://www.africanamericans.com/MilitaryIntegrationChronology.htm

How You Will Be Evaluated:

Each worksheet will be evaluated on a 6 point scale, for a total of 36 points, using the following rubric:

		3 pts	2 pts	1 pt	0 pts
Content		Content is clear, concise, well-written. Answers all questions thor-oughly with a logical progression and supporting evidence.	Content may contain mistakes in grammar or syntax. Answers all questions, but without a logical progression of ideas or with little suppor-ting evidence.	Content is vague, poorly written. Does not answer all the questions, or answers may be irrelevant. No supporting evidence.	Worksheet not done or not handed in. Worksheet handed in, but is illegible or, contains poorly written work that does not address the task.
Research	Worksheet shows that the group accurately researched the problem, using a variety of resources, and carefully con-sidered the data.		Worksheet shows that the group did some research on the problem, using some of the resources, and drew conclusions based on the data.	Worksheet shows that the group did only superficial research on the problem, using only one source. Conclusions may not be based on the source at all.	Worksheet not done or not handed in. Worksheet handed in, but shows no research done on the problem. No sources used. No conclusions drawn.

The final PowerPoint will be evaluated on an 8 point scale, for a total of 64 points, using the following rubric:

	8 pts	6 pts	4 pts	2 pts	0 pts
Introduc-tion	The introduction clearly presents the topic and indicates which region and gender is being discussed. It gives an overview of the whole presenta-tion.	The introduction clearly presents the topic and indicates which region and gender is being discussed, but lacks an overview of the whole presenta-tion.	The introduction generally presents the topic and may indicate which region and gender is being discussed. Lacks an overview of the whole presenta-tion.	The introduction is poorly structured and may not indicate which region and gender is being discussed. Lacks an overview of the whole presenta-tion.	PowerPoint not handed in or lacks an intro-duction.
Content	The content is always written clearly and concisely with a logical progression of ideas and supporting information. Information is accurate, and comes from a variety of sources.	The content is mostly written clearly and concisely with a logical progression of ideas and supporting information. Information is accurate, and comes from a variety of sources.	The content may contain some minor errors in grammar. Progression of ideas may include some di-gressions. Information is generally accurate, but comes from only two or three sources.	The content may contain some minor errors in grammar. Progression of ideas may include some di-gressions. Information is generally accurate, but comes from only two or three sources.	PowerPoint not handed in or the content contains numerous errors in grammar. No logical progression of ideas. Information may be inaccurate, or comes from only one source.
Text elements	The fonts are easy-to-read and size varies properly for headings and text. Italics, bold and indents used in a way to enhance the text. Text is concise and meaningful. Background and colors enhance the readability of text.	The fonts are usually easy-to-read and size varies properly for headings and text. In some places, italics, bold, indents, color or background do not enhance the text. Text is mostly concise and meaningful.	The fonts are hard-to-read or the size does not vary properly for headings and text. In some places, italics, bold, indents, color or background begin to obscure the text. Text may be too wordy or not meaningful.	Overall readability is difficult with lengthy paragraphs, too many different fonts, dark or busy background, overuse of bold or lack of appropriate indentations of text.	PowerPoint not handed in or the text is extremely difficult to read with long blocks of text in small fonts, contrasting colors that clash, poor use of headings, indents, or bold formatting.
Layout	The layout is visually pleasing, enhancing the overall message with proper use of headings, subheadings and white space.	The layout is generally pleasing, but one or more slides may appear cluttered.	Several slides appear cluttered or distracting with large gaps of white space.	Most slides appear cluttered or distracting with large gaps of white space. Little attention paid to the visual pre-sentation.	PowerPoint not handed in or almost all slides appear poorly laid out. No attention paid to the visual pre-sentation.
Graphics / sounds / anima-tions	The graphics, sounds and/or animations assist in presenting an overall theme enhancing the concept. Images are proper size and resolu-tion, to enhance the content. There is a consistent visual theme.	The graphics, sounds and/or animations assist the audience in understan-ding the flow of information or content. Images are proper size, resolution.	A few of the graphics, sounds, and/or animations unrelated to the topic and do not enhance the concept. A few of the images are too large or too small, and may be poorly cropped or have poor resolution.	Most of the graphics, sounds, and/or animations unrelated to the topic and do not enhance the concept. Most of the images are too large or too small, and may be poorly cropped or have poor resolution.	PowerPoint not handed in or no graphics, sounds, and/or animations used. If any are used they are totally unrelated to the topic or distract from the topic.
Citations	Sources of information always cited properly, allowing the audience to determine accuracy and authority of information presented.	Sources of information usually cited properly, allowing the audience to determine accuracy and authority of information presented.	Some citations given, but no consis-tant use of citations, leading the audience to question the accuracy and authority of information presented.	Few citations given. Audience has no way to assess the accuracy and authority of information presented.	PowerPoint not handed in or no citations used.
Team-work	Using the notes function of PowerPoint, the team consistently indicates which team member produced which information on each slide. Notes indicate that all team members contributed equally to the final project.	Using the notes function of PowerPoint, the team usually indicates which team member produced which information on each slide. Notes indicate that all team members usually contributed to the final project.	Using the notes function of PowerPoint, the team occasionally indicates which team member produced which information on each slide. Notes indicate that one team member did not contribute to the final project.	Using the notes function of PowerPoint, the team rarely indicates which team member produced which information on each slide. Notes indicate that some team members did not contribute to the final project.	PowerPoint not handed in or team made no notations as to which student produced which information.
Oral presen-tation of Power Point	All members of the team take an equal part presenting the Power Point. Team members do not merely read the PowerPoint aloud, but explain the information on the slides as they show them to the class.	All members of the team take an equal part presenting the Power Point. Team members do not merely read the PowerPoint aloud, but often do not explain the slides as they show them to the class.	Members of the team take unequal parts in presenting the Power Point. Team members often do not explain the slides as they present to the class.	Members of the team take unequal parts in presenting the Power Point. Team members simply read the slides as they present to the class.	PowerPoint not handed in or group does not present to the class.

NY State Standards:

Social Studies
Standard 1: History of the United States and New York

Standard 5: Civics, Citizenship, and Government

English Language Arts
Standard 1: Language for Information and Understanding

Standard 3: Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation

Mathematics, Science, and Technology

Standard 2: Information Systems

Conclusion:

After all six groups have presented their findings, students will come to see that despite the best intentions of Congress in the Reconstruction era, the intent of the 13^th, 14^th and 15^th amendments had been distorted. Jim Crow laws in the South and discrimination in the North had denied African-Americans their basic liberties. Students will come to see that the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s sought to rectify the injustices and to establish a society where African-Americans could indeed be “free at last.”