IntegratingBloodDoneSignMyNameintoSocialStudies
Overview
BloodDoneSignMyName,byTimTyson,examinesthehistoryofthecivilrightsstruggleintheSouth.The
bookfocusesonthemurderofayoungblackman,HenryMarrow,in1970,atragedythatdramatically
widenedtheracialgapintheauthor'shometownofOxford,N.C.Tysonportraysthekillinganditsaftermath
frommultipleperspectiveswhileinterweavingthehistoryofracerelationsintheSouth.Thisseriesof13
lessonplansreliesonexcerptsfromthebookandinteractive,engagingactivitiestoassiststudentsin
untanglingthecomplicatedissuesandbeliefssurroundingracethroughoutNorthCarolina’shistorytopresent.
Areadingguideisalsoincluded.
Grade
11
NCEssentialStandardsforAmericanHistoryII
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AH2.H.1.3-Usehistoricalanalysisandinterpretation…
AH2.H.1.4-Usehistoricalresearch…
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AH2.H.2.1:Analyzekeypolitical,economic,andsocialturningpointssincetheendofReconstructionin
termsofcausesandeffects(e.g.,conflicts,legislation,elections,innovations,leadership,movements,
SupremeCourtdecisions,etc.).
AH2.H.2.2:EvaluatekeyturningpointssincetheendofReconstructionintermsoftheirlastingimpact
(e.g.,conflicts,legislation,elections,innovations,leadership,movements,SupremeCourtdecisions,etc.
AH2.H.4.1-AnalyzethepoliticalissuesandconflictsthatimpactedtheUnitedStatessinceReconstruction
andthecompromisesthatresulted(e.g.,Populism,Progressivism,workingconditionsandlaborunrest,
NewDeal,WilmingtonRaceRiots,Eugenics,CivilRightsMovement,Anti-Warprotests,Watergate,etc.).
AH2.H.4.3-Analyzethesocialandreligiousconflicts,movementsandreformsthatimpactedtheUnited
StatessinceReconstructionintermsofparticipants,strategies,opposition,andresults(e.g.,Prohibition,
SocialDarwinism,Eugenics,civilrights,anti-warprotest,etc.).
AH2.H.4.4-AnalyzetheculturalconflictsthatimpactedtheUnitedStatessinceReconstructionandthe
compromisesthatresulted(e.g.,nativism,BacktoAfricamovement,modernism,fundamentalism,black
powermovement,women’smovement,counterculture,WilmingtonRaceRiots,etc.).
AH2.H.5.1-Summarizehowthephilosophical,ideologicaland/orreligiousviewsonfreedomandequality
contributedtothedevelopmentofAmericanpoliticalandeconomicsystemssinceReconstruction(e.g.,
“separatebutequal”,SocialDarwinism,socialgospel,civilservicesystem,suffrage,HarlemRenaissance,
theWarrenCourt,GreatSocietyprograms,AmericanIndianMovement,etc.).
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•
Contents
• IntroductiontoBloodDoneSignMyNamewithChapterOne,p.3-5
• SlaveryinNorthCarolina,p.6-13
• NorthCarolinaandtheKKK,p.14-16
• TheFightforCivilRightsinOxford,p.17-20
• TakingaStand,p.21-24
• TheMurderofHenryMarrow,p.25-29
• Misconceptions,p.30-34
• ConfrontingOurHistory,p.35-43
• TheWilmingtonRaceRiotof1898,p.44-58
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• ReadingGuide,p.59-78
• HistoricalConnections(alistoftopicsforfurtherexploration),p.79-80
Preparation
• Itisimportanttosetclearandfirmexpectationsaboutrespectfulcommunicationandtoleranceinthe
classroombeforediscussingsensitivetopicssuchasJimCrow,intolerance,racism,etc.Seethe
Consortium’sclassroommanagementandcharactereducationactivitiesforestablishingacommunity
wherecontroversialtopicscanbesafelyaddressed.(AvailableintheDatabaseofK-12Resourcesinthe
“Activities”section,[email protected].)
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IntroductiontoBloodDoneSignMyNamewithChapterOne
Overview
StudentswillbeintroducedtoBloodDoneSignMyNameastheyreadanddiscussChapterOneofthebook.
StudentswillbegintoexplorethetangleofissuesandbeliefssurroundingraceinNorthCarolinaandthe
countryinthe1970s,andthenillustratetheirunderstandingofaChapterOnetopicbycreatingaheadline,
picture,andcaptionrepresentingit.
Materials
• CopiesofBloodDoneSignMyName
• NorthCarolinamap
Duration
1classperiod
Procedure
1. Asawarm-up,passoutcopiesofthebookBloodDoneSignMyName.Askstudentstoshareanythingthey
alreadyknowaboutthebook.Alsoaskthemtomakepredictionsaboutwhattheythinkthebookmightbe
aboutbasedonitstitleandtheimageonthecover.Finally,explaintostudentsthatthisbookisabout
racialtensioninNorthCarolinaandtheentirecountry,pastandpresent,asillustratedbythe1970murder
ofayoungblackman,HenryMarrow,inOxford,NorthCarolina.Teachersmaywanttohaveastudent
volunteerreadthebackofthebookoutloud.
2. Next,askstudentstofindGranvilleCountyonaNorthCarolinamap.AlsoinstructthemtolocateOxford,
AskstudentstofigureouthowfarOxfordisfromtheirownNorthCarolinahome.Encouragestudentsto
keepinmindthattheyareexploringthehistoryoftheirownstate.
3. Tellstudentsthattointroducethemtothebook,youwillbereadingthefirstfewpagesaloud.Teachers
maywanttoinstructstudentstofollowalong.Tellthemtofocusontheemotionstheyfeelastheylisten.
Then,readpages1-4(stoppingafterthesecondparagraphwiththesentence,“Sleepwasslowtocome.”)
Uponstopping,allowforafewmomentsofsilentprocessing,thendiscuss:
• HowdidwhatIjustreadmakeyoufeel?Whatareyourinitialthoughtsandreactions?Whatsurprised
you?
• Thebookopensupwithasentencecontainingtheverycontroversial“n-word”.(Iftheclass
participatedinthepre-activitySymbolsandWordsofHatereferbacktothelessonandtheirdiscussion
ofthisword.)Whydoyouthinksomepeople,suchasGeraldTeel,usethewordsofreely,whereas
others,suchasTimTysonandhisfamily,feltthewordwas“evil?”
• Whatwasthenameofthemanwhowefindoutwas“shotdead?”Thusfar,whatdoweknowabout
thereasonhewaskilledashe“layonhisback,helpless,beggingforhislife?”
• Whendidthismurdertakeplace?(WritethedateofMay12,1970ontheboard.)Howlongagowas
this?(Ensuretheygraspthefactthattheeventstheyaregoingtobediscussinghappenedonly38
yearsago.Tohelpstudentsgraspthetime,youmaywanttohavethemthinkofpeopletheyknowwho
are38yearsoldorolder,pointingoutthatthiseventtookplaceintheirlifetime.)
• WhatisyourfirstimpressionofGeraldTeel’sdaddy?
• Timnotesthatheandhisfamilyusuallytalkoverdinner,butthisevening“aneeriehushhungoverthe
suppertable.”Whydoyouthinkthisis?
• WhydoyouthinkTimsaysthatheandhislittlesister“knewsomethingperilouswasunfolding?”
• HowdoesTimfeelashegoestobed?Whydoyouthinkhefeelsthisway?
• Thusfar,weknowthatHenryMarrow,ablackman,hasbeenshotbyawhiteman.Theallegedreason
isthatHenryMarrow“saidsomething”toawhitewoman.Whatdoyoupredictwillhappennext?
Whatgenerallyhappensafteramurdertakesplace?(discussproperpoliceprocedure,etc.)
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4. Instructstudentstoreadtheremainderofthechapterontheirown.Oncetheyhavefinished,discussthe
followingasaclass:
• HowdidtherumorthatthepolicewerenotgoingtoarrestanyoneforHenry’smurderaffectOxford’s
blackcommunity?
• WhydoyouthinksomeAfricanAmericansrespondedtothesituationbyrioting?(Discussconcepts
suchasdisempowerment,feelingignored/invisible,actingonanger,thefeelingofhavingnoother
options,etc.withstudents.)
• WhydoyouthinktherioterstriedtopulldowntheConfederatemonument?
• Onpage6,Tysonwritesoftheblackrioters,“Atlast,theyfelt,thewhitepeoplewhoranOxfordwould
havetolistentothem,andthesolereasonforthatwasthattheyhadfinallyresortedtoopenrevolt.”
Haveyoueverbeenignoredorgiventheimpressionthatyouhavetosayisunimportant?Howdoes
thismakeyoufeel?
• EvaluateMayorCurrin’sresponsetotherioting.Whydoyouthinkhechosenotto“interfere?”Doyou
thinkhemadetherightdecisions?Whyorwhynot?
• HowdoesTimdescribeOxford’sclassroomsin1970?Howdothesegregatedclassroomshedescribes
compareandcontrasttoourclassroomstoday?
• HowdidthesituationinOxfordaffectthechildren?
• TysonpointsoutthatsimilartragediesweretakingplaceacrossthecountrywhileHenry’smurder
occurredinOxford,NorthCarolina.Whatothereventsdoeshedescribe?
• Readaloudthelasttwoparagraphsofthechapter,startingat“Sowhilethisisthestoryofasmallboy
inasmalltown…”,page9.WhatliesdoesTysonsaythatwetellourselvestoday?Whydoyouthink
wearenottaughttheentiretruthregardingthecivilrightsmovement?WhatdoyouthinkTyson
meanswhenhesays“ifthereistobereconciliation,firsttheremustbetruth?”Doyouagreeor
disagreeandwhy?Whatisyourdefinitionofthewordtruth?
• Basedonreadingthischapter,whatdoyoupredictthisbookwillbeabout?
5. Asaculminatingactivity,tellstudentstothinkofeverythingthatwasdiscussedinChapterOne.Askthem
toponderwhattheyfeelwasthemostsurprising,interesting,newsworthy,orintriguingoccurrenceor
persondiscussed.Instructstudentstocreateanewspaperheadline,drawnpicture,andcaptiondepicting
somethingintroducedinChapterOne.Teachersmayneedtoshowstudentsanexampletofurthertheir
understanding,suchas:
6. Teachersshouldcirculateasstudentsbrainstormtheaspectofthechaptertheywanttoworkwith,and
mayalsowanttoencouragestudentstochoosedifferentpeople/occurrencestoensurevarietyinfinal
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products.Oncestudentshavecompletedtheirheadline,image,andcaption(assignforhomeworkif
needed)poststudentworkaroundtheroomandallowtheclasstocirculateandviewalloftheheadlines.
Then,chooseafewtouseasacatalystforreviewbydiscussingwhateachrepresents.
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SlaveryinNorthCarolina
Overview
Inthislesson,studentswillreadpages28-31ofBloodDoneSignMyNameanddiscussthelivesofthose
enslavedinNorthCarolinaduringtheearlytomid1800s.Studentswillalsobegintoexploretheimpactof
slaveryonracerelationstoday.StudentswillreadseveralprimarysourcesfromenslavedNorthCarolinians
thenassumethepersonaofanenslavedpersonandwriteaseriesofdiaryentries.
Materials
• Post-ItNotes
• CopiesofBloodDoneSignMyName
• ImagesofSlavery,examplesattached
• NorthCarolinaSlaveStories,examplesattached
Duration
1-2classperiodsforthelessonandapartialclassperiodforsharingfinaldiaryentries
Procedure
1. Beforeclass,createa“KWLChart”bydividingasheetofposterboardinto3sections(thiscanalsobedone
onachalkboard).Headthethreecolumns“Know,”“WanttoKnow,”and“Learned.”
2. Giveeachstudent5Post-ItNotesastheyarrive.Asawarm-up,askstudentstothinkaboutwhatthey
knowaboutthecultureandlivingconditionsofNorthCarolinaslavespriortotheCivilWar.Askthemto
write3-4thingstheyknowaboutthetopic,eachonaseparatePost-ItNote.UsingtheremainingPost-It
Notes,askthemtowrite1-2questionstheyhaveaboutNorthCarolinaslaveculture,i.e.whatdothey
wanttoknow?AsstudentsfilloutPost-ItNotes,askthemtoplacethemontheposterboardinthe
appropriatecolumn.Whenallstudentsarefinished,discusssomeorallofthe“Knows.”Askstudents
wheretheylearnedthesethings.Thendiscussthe“Wanttoknows”thatstudentsplacedonposterboard.
Note:Itisassumedthatstudentswillhavealreadystudiesslaverybeforecompletingthislesson.For
lessonsonintroducingthesubjectofslavery,seetheConsortium’sDatabaseofCivicResources,
lessonsfor8thgradeNorthCarolinaHistory,Goal3.Lessonsaddressingslaveryinclude:Voicesofthe
Trans-AtlanticSlaveTrade;AnOverviewofSlaverythroughRotatingStations;ActiveCitizensofthe
1800s;The1787ConstitutionandSlavery;andmore.)
3. TellstudentsthattheywillbereadinganexcerptfromBloodDoneSignMyNameregardingslaveryin
NorthCarolina.Instructstudentstoturntopage28andtobeginreadingatthestartofthesecond
paragraphwith“InOxford,whitechildrenoftengrewupwithfamilystories…”Studentsshouldstop
readingatthebottomofpage31.Oncestudentshavefinishedtheirreading,havethemdiscussthe
followingasaclassorinsmallgroups:
• HowdidAfricanAmericanstoriesofslaverydifferfromthestoriespasseddowninwhitefamilies?Why
doyouthinksuchavastdifferenceexistsintheversions?
• Whattypesofhardshipsdidenslavedpeopleexperience?Oftheexperiencesexplainedinthisexcerpt,
whichdoyouthinkwouldbethehardesttogothroughandwhy?
• Inwhatwaysdidwhitepreachersduringthisperiodusereligiontopromoteservitude?
• Whatroledidmusicplayintheworshipofthoseenslaved?Whydoyouthinkmusicisstillsuchan
importantpartofmanychurchservices?
• Whydidthoseenslavedhavetoholdsecretmeetingsforchurch?(Discussslavecodesandblack
codes-lawseachsouthernstatehaddefiningthestatusofslavesandtherightsofmasters;thecode
gaveslaveownersnear-absolutepowerovertherightoftheirhumanproperty.Slavecodesrestricted
thoseenslavedfromvoting,movingfreely,meetinginlargegroups,etc.Afterslavery,southerners
createdblackcodes,whichweresimilarlawsusedtocontrolandinhibitthefreedomofex-slaves.)
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4.
5.
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7.
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9.
SomepeopleinOxfordbelievedthat“goodracerelations”existedinthedecadesafterslavery.
However,Tysoncomments,“Buttheseties,evenwhentheaffectionwasgenuineonbothsides,were
likeaclaypotthathadtobeshatteredforthetreeinsidetogrow.Whatkindoffruitthattreewould
yield,inthelongrun,remainedanopenquestion.”(31)WhatmessageisTysontryingtoconvey?
• Basedonthefirstchapterofthebook,BloodDoneSignMyNameisaboutthe1970racialmurderofa
blackmannamedHenryMarrow.Giventhatthismurderhappenedin1970,whydoyouthinkTysonis
discussingslavery?(Begintodiscusswithstudentshowthoughnopersonalivetodaywasenslavedor
anenslaver,thelingeringeffectsofslaverystillaffectsocietytoday.)
Focusstudentsbackontheissueoftheoftentold“mythology”ofslaverybyreadingaloudthesecondfull
paragraphonpage28(startingat“InOxford,whitechildrenoftengrewupwith…”)Discussfurther:
• Whyarestoriespasseddownthroughgenerationssometimesunreliable?
• SincetherearenopeoplelivingtodaywhowereenslavedduringtheCivilWar,whatoptionsdowe
havetoheartheirtruestories?Whatsourcesmightbemorereliablethanothersandwhy?(Explain
thatthewordsoftheslavesthemselves,or“primarysources,”areoneofthebestresourcesfor
answeringthequestionsaboutpastcultures.)
Askstudentstotakeoutasheetofpaper.Explainthatyouaregoingtopresentimagesofpeoplewho
wereenslaved,eachimagefor2minutes(2examplesareattached).Explaintostudentsthattheyareto
silentlywriteabriefdescriptionofwhattheysee,theirreactions,andanyinferencestheycanmakeonthe
lifethispersonmayhavelived.Afteryouhavepresentedallimages,gobackthroughthemandallow
studentstosharetheirreactions.
Tellstudentstokeeptheimagesinmind.DistributeacopyofaNorthCarolinaslavestorytostudents(if
studentswillonlyreadone,teachersmaychoosetodistributeseveraldifferentstoriesamongtheclass;
narrativescanbedistributedoneperstudentorperpartner;twoexamplesareattached,andadditional
storiescanbefoundathttp://memory.loc.gov/ammem/snhtml/snhome.html).Explainthatthesearethe
actualwordsofpeoplewhowereenslavedinourstate.Teachersshouldalsodiscusssomeaspectsofthe
slavestoriesstudentsmaybeunfamiliarand/oruncomfortablewith:
• storiesarewritteninthevernacularofthetime
• phoneticspellingsareused(wordsarespelledthewaytheysound)
• storiescontainracialslurs(i.e.“n-word”)
Explaintostudentsthattheywillhave10minutestoreadthestorygiventothemandtorecordresponses
ontheirnotebookpapertothefollowingquestions:
• Whattypesofexperiencesdidauthorswriteabout?
• Howwouldyoudescribetheattitudesoftheauthors?
• Whatcanyoutellaboutslaveculturebasedonwhatyouread?
• Howdidreadingstorieswrittenbyactualpeoplewhowereenslavedmakeyoufeel?
• Didyoufindanythingsurprising?Ifso,explain.
• Howdotheseprimarystoriescompareandcontrastwiththeideasofslaveryheldbysomewhite
people,asdescribedinTyson’sbook?
Tosegueintothenextactivity,discussvariousthingsthatpeoplewriteaboutindiaries:events,emotions
andfeelings,thoughts,questions,goals,dreams,plans,etc.Remindstudentsthatdiariesarepersonal
accounts.Assuch,personalitiesofauthorsareveryevidentintheirwriting.
TellstudentstheyaregoingtobegivingavoicetoanenslavedNorthCarolinianwillbewriting2diary
entriesfromtheperspectiveofanenslavedNorthCarolinianoranex-slave.Intheirwritingtheyshould
addressthefollowingquestions:
• Whatisyourname?
• Whatkindofhouseholddoyouworkfor?(i.e.plantation,smallhome,etc.)
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• Whatkindofpersonorfamilyownsyou?Whatisyourrelationshipwiththemlike?
• Whatkindofworkareyouexpectedtoperform?
• Whatareyourlivingconditionslike?Whodoyoulivewith?
• Whataresomethingsinlifethataremostimportanttoyou?Why?
• Whatareyourhopes,dreams,andaspirationsbeyondenslavement?
Encouragestudentstowriteusingthevernacularofthetime,butensuretheyunderstandhowtobe
matureandappropriateintheirwriting.
10. Afterstudentscompletetheirdiaryentries(whichcanberequiredforhomework),haveeachofthem
shareanaccounttheywrotewiththeclass.Again,setpresentationstandardsandremindstudentstobe
respectfulandappropriate.
11. Asaclosingactivity,refertothe“KWLChart.”DistributeoneortwoPostItnotestoeachstudentandask
themtowritedownanythingtheymayhavelearnedwhilereadingex-slavestories,writingtheirdiary
entries,orlisteningtoothers.Alsoencouragestudentstocontinueconsideringhowtheeffectsofslavery
havelingeredthroughouthistoryandtowriteanythoughtstheyhaveinthisregard.Havestudentsplace
PostItnotesundertheappropriatecolumnonthechart.Discusssomeofthethingsstudentslearned.
Checktoseeifthequestionsfromthe“W”columnwereanswered.Ifnot,addressquestionsanddiscuss
possibleanswers.
AdditionalActivities
• Havestudentsreadpage12-13ofBloodDoneSignMyName,regardingtobaccoandslaveryorpage171173,regardingtheanti-ConfederateNorthCarolinaguerillagroupcalled“TheRedStrings.”
• HavestudentsreadMemoriesofaChildhoodSlavebyAnnieL.Burton,whichcanbefoundat
http://docsouth.unc.edu/fpn/burton/burton.html.
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SlaveImages
Source:http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/1668/slave1am8.jpg
Source:http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2007/0703/a_slavery_maryland_0327.jpg
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13
NorthCarolinaandtheKKK
Overview
Studentswillexploretheorigins,existence,andactionsoftheKuKluxKlaninNorthCarolina,usingpage51-60
ofBloodDoneSignMyNameasawindowintotheKlan’sactionsduringthemid-1900s.Thislessonwill
culminatewithstudentspreparinganewscastthatfurtherexploresaneventdiscussedintheexcerpt.
Materials
• CopiesofBloodDoneSignMyName
• Internetaccess,optional
Duration
2classperiods
Procedure
1. Asawarm-up,havestudentsparticipateina“Think-Pair-Share”activityinwhichtheyconsiderthe
followingquestions(eitherproject/writetheminthefrontoftheclassroom,orhandthemout).Once
studentshaveponderedthequestionsindividually,instructthemtopartnerupanddiscusstheirresponses
together.Teachersmaywanttohavesomepartnersreportasummaryoftheirdiscussionsbacktothe
class.
• Whatisracism?Whataresomeexamplesofracism?
• Whydoyouthinkpeopleareracist?
• Howhasracismaffectedpeople’scivilrights?
• Whatdowelosebynotrespectingdiversity?
• Whatcanwedotohelpcreateatolerantenvironmentandencouragerespectforallpeople?
2. Next,askstudentstolisthategroupsthatspreadprejudiceandracism.Likely,astudentwillmentionthe
KKK.Discuss:
• WhatdoyouknowabouttheKKK?
• Whenandwhydidthisgroupstart?(TheKlanfirstbeganasasecretsocietyin1866whenitwas
foundedbyagroupofConfederateArmyveterans.ItspurposewastoresistReconstructionanduse
intimidationtoreturnpoliticalpowerintheSouthtowhitemen.Dressedinwhiterobesandhoods,
mobsofKlanmemberswouldthreaten,attack,andkillAfricanAmericans,aswellaswhitesthat
helpedthem.TheKKKoftenusedcrossburningandlynchingtointimidateanysocialorethnicgroup
theyviewedas“different.”)
• DoestheKlanstillexist?(PresidentUlyssessS.GrantpassedtheCivilRightsActof1871,alsoknown
astheKuKluxKlanAct,inattempttodestroytheKlan.However,stilltoday,KKKgroupsadvocatefor
whitesupremacy,anti-Semitism,racism,homophobia,andnativism.)
3. Reviewpreviousclassdiscussions/readingsregardingRobertTeel’smurderofHenryMarrow.Explainto
studentsthatwhileitisnotconfirmedthatTeelwasamemberoftheGranvilleCountyKKK,itislikely.Tell
studentstheyaregoingtoreadanexcerptfromBloodDoneSignMyNamethatreferstotheKKKinNorth
Carolina.Instructstudentstobeginreadingonpage51startingwith“Theevidenceseemsstrongthatat
somepointTeeljoinedtheGranvilleCountyKlavernoftheKuKluxKlan.”Theyshouldstopwhentheyget
totheendofthechapteronpage60.Havestudentsanswerfollowingindividually,discussin
partners/groups,ordiscussasaclass:
• WhatevidencedoesTysonnotethatTeelwasamemberoftheGranvilleCountyKlavernoftheKKK?
• WhydidVernonTysontakehissonstoaKlanrally?Doyouagreeordisagreewiththisdecision?
Explain.
• WhatdothinkVernonTysonmeanswhenhesays,“Iwantedyoutoknowwhathatelookslike.”
• Doesitsurpriseyouthataccordingtoa1965report,NorthCarolinahad112KKKgroupsandwas“the
mostactivestatefortheUnitedKlansofAmerica?”Whyorwhynot?
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•
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•
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•
•
•
•
CiteexamplesofKlanterrorismduring1965inNorthCarolina.
WhydidtheKlanburnacrossinJudgeWinborne’slawn?Howdidherespond?
TysondescribesReverendJames“Catfish”Coleasan“evangelistofhate.”WhatevidencedoesTyson
havethatbacksthischaracterizationup?
WhatpromptedtheresurgenceoftheKlaninGranvilleCountyinthemid-1960s,whenTeelmostlikely
joined?
TheFourteenthAmendmentoftheConstitutionrequiresstatestoprovideequalprotectionunderthe
lawtoallpersons.DoyoufeelthatClydeHardingreceivedequalprotectionunderthelaw?Explain.
HowdidmanyofOxford’sblackresidentsrespondtotheClydeHardingincident?
“ItremainsamatterofcuriosityforsomepeopleinOxfordastowhyTeel,amanknowntodislike
blackpeopleandwidelyrumoredtobealeaderoftheKuKluxKlan,wouldsetupshopinGrab-all.”In
youropinion,whydidTeelopenastoreinthislocationwhenitmeantservingpredominantlyblack
citizens?
DoesitsurpriseyouthatahategroupliketheKKKcouldterrorizesopublically,withoutexperiencing
anylegalconsequences?Whyorwhynot?
4. RemindstudentsthattheyknowtheKKKwasstartedin1866,andwhileitmayhavegonethroughperiods
ofinactivity,itwasobviouslyquiteactiveinNorthCarolinain1970s.Askstudentsiftheyknowofany
recentKlanactivityinNorthCarolina.Allowstudentstosharetheirthoughtsandthenexplainsomeofthe
recentincidentsofcrossburninginNorthCarolina(ifpossible,itisrecommendedthatteacherstryand
includeanyoccurrencesinorneartheircounty).
• September25,2007:AnEllenboro,NCresidentburnedacrossinfrontoftheresidenceofanAfrican
Americanfamily“tointimidateandinterfere”withthemandtheirresidence.
• May2005:ThreecrosseswerefoundburninginseparateDurham,NClocations.AflyerwithKKK
propagandawasfoundatonelocation.
• June2004:GradyAllanCarswell,36,wassentencedtospend20monthsinfederalprisonafter
pleadingguiltytofederalchargesinconnectionwithhishavingerectedandburnedawoodencross
neartheresidenceofAfricanAmericanneighborsinMorganton,locatedinBurkeCounty,overaland
dispute.
• May1999:RobertNelsonwassentencedtoprobationandfivemonths'housearrestforburninga
crossnearthehomeofaninterracialcoupleinGastonia,NorthCarolina.
5. Facilitatestudentdiscussionregardingthesignificanceofburningacross.Explainthatcrossburningsare
historicallyassociatedwithKlanactivities.ThomasDixon’s1905bookTheKlansmen:AnHistorical
RomanceoftheKuKluxKlandepictedcrossburningsasawaytocelebratetheexecutionofformerslaves.
Traditionally,theyhavealsobeenusedtocommunicatethreatsofviolence,andastrongassociation
betweentheKlanandcrossburningstillexists.Discuss:
• Doyouthinkthatburningacrossshouldbeillegal?Whyorwhynot?(Afterstudentshaveresponded,
explainthatburningacrosswithoutthepermissionofthepropertyownerisamisdemeanorinNorth
Carolina.TheUSSupremeCourtruledin2003thatthefreespeechclauseoftheFirstAmendmentdoes
notprotectcrossburningwhendonewiththeintenttointimidate.)
• DoyoufeelcrossburningsshouldbeprotectedunderfreedomofspeechintheFirstAmendment?
Whyorwhynot?
• Regardlessofthelaw,whymightaburningcrossbeveryhurtfuloroffensivetopeople?
6. Asaculminatingactivity,dividestudentsintosmallgroupsandtellthemthattheyaretopreparea
newscastrecountinganeventfromtheBloodDoneSignMyNameexcerptjustread.Suggestedtopics
include:
• JudgeWinborne’sresponsetocrossburning
• KKKClashwiththeLumbee(BattleatHayesPond)
• ResurgenceofGranvilleCountyKKKandtheiractions
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•
•
•
MurderofMedgarEvers
ClydeHardingincident,trial,andboycott
ModernNorthCarolinaeventinvolvingKKKorcrossburning
7. Givestudentsrequirementsfortheirfinalproduct,suchas:
• Mustbe3-5minuteslong
• Mustsummarizethetopicassignedtothem
• Eachstudentinthegroupmustcontributeandbeinvolvedinthenewscastinsomeway.
• Finalnewscastscaninvolveinterviewswiththoseinvolved,reports“live”fromthescene(with“live”
actionoccurringbehind),summariesprovidedfromthenewsdesk,etc.
• Groupmembersmayplayreporters,participantsinthesituation,interviewees,etc.
• Informationsharedmustbebasedinfact,butcreativeinferencesthatarerealisticcanbemade.
• Allnewscastswillbepresentedtotheclass.
8. Teachersshouldusetheirdiscretionregardinghowmuchclasstimeorhomeworktimeisgivenfor
completion.Teachersmayalsowanttoconsiderofferingresourcesforfurtherresearchonthesetopics,
suchastheInternetorlibrary.Whenstudentspresenttheirnewscaststotheclass,itisadvisedthatall
audiencememberstakenotesonthepresentations,offeringpositivefeedbackof“WhatIlearned”and
“WhatIliked”aftereachperformance.
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TheFightforCivilRightsinOxford
Overview
StudentswillexplorevariousfrustrationsexperiencedbyAfricanAmericansinNorthCarolinaandaroundthe
countryduringtheJimCrowEraandbeyond,andhowthesefrustrationspromptedthefightforcivilrights.
Studentswillthenexplorevariouscivilrightsactivistsandteachclassmatesaboutapersonoftheirchoicein
theculminatingactivity“IStoodUpforDemocracy.”
Materials
• CopiesofBloodDoneSignMyName
• IStoodUpforDemocracyassignmentsheet,attached
Duration
2-3classperiodsplushomeworktime
Procedure
1. Asawarm-up,projectandreadthefollowingpromptforstudentstorespondtoinwriting:
ImaginethatyouareaBlackAmericanlivinginNorthCarolinainthe1940s.Ourcountryisdeeplyinvolvedin
WorldWarII,andbecauseyouloveyourcountryandbelievethatwhatHitlerisdoingtotheJewishpeopleis
terriblywrong,youjointhewar.Youunderstandthatyouareriskingyourlifebydoingthis,butasanAmerican
citizen,youfeelitisyourdutytofightforyourcountry.YouarestationedinGermanyfortwoyears,whereyou
facemanyclosecallsinbattle.Luckily,yousurviveandarestationedbackinNorthCarolinain1944.However,
onceyoureturnhome,yourealizethingshavenotchangedmuchwhileyouhavebeenaway.Segregationstill
exists.Youaren’tallowedtoeatincertainplaces,sitoncertainbenches,swimincertainpools,allbecauseof
thecolorofyourskin.Eventhoughyoucouldhavediedfightingforthisverycountry,Americastillhaslaws
thatpenalizeyouforbeingblack.Howwouldthismakeyoufeel?
2. Oncestudentshavehadtimetowritetheirresponses,allowvolunteerstosharetheirthoughtswiththe
class.ReviewthevariousJimCrowlaws,inplacebetween1876-1966(forintroductorylessonsontheJim
CrowEra,seetheConsortium’slessonsLifeintheJimCrowSouthandSchoolSegregationinNC,available
underGoal7oftheDatabaseofCivicResources.)ExplaintostudentsthatitwasduringWorldWarIIthat
theCivilRightsMovementblossomed,largelyduetoAfricanAmericansexperiencingtheemotions
studentsjustinferred.
3. Instructstudentstoturntothebottomofpage89inBloodDoneSignMyNameandtobeginreadingat
thelastparagraph(startingwith“WearrivedinOxfordatamomentwhenAfricanAmericanfreedom
movementsacrosstheregionhadbeguntogalvanizeblackfolks…”).Instructstudentstoreaduntilthey
reachpage96(stoppingat“Somuchforcommittees.”)Havestudentsrespondtothefollowingeither
individuallyinwriting,inagroupdiscussion,orasaclassdiscussion:
• WhatracialtensionexistedinOxfordduringWorldWarII?WhywereAfricanAmericanveterans
particularlyfrustrated?Imagineenlistingtogiveyourlifeforyourcountrywhenthatsamecountry
deniesyourbasicrights.Howwouldthismakeyoufeel?Readaloudthefollowingquotesfor
discussion:
o “AcrosstheWorldWarII-eraSouth,dozensofblackG.I.sdiedinuniformatthehandsoftheirown
countrymen.”(91)
o “Afterthewar,localblackveteranscamehomedeterminedthatthewarfordemocracyabroad
wouldexpanddemocracyathome…Thoughsomewhitesrecognizedthecontradictionsindenying
theballottoblackmenwhohadriskedtheirlivesfordemocracytheyremainedsilent.Black
registrationdrivesmetwithconsiderableresistance.”(92)
• WhatpromptedsixtyblacksoldiersfromCampButnertostormtheOxfordjail?
• DescribehowEddieMcCoyrespondedtothegrowingcivilrightsmovementinthesouth.Whattypes
ofcivilrightseventstookplaceinOxford?
17
•
•
HowdidthemanagerofHerring’sDrugstorerespondtothesit-inathisstore?
SummarizewhathappenedtoJamesLyonsafterthesit-inwasbrokenupbyKKKmembers.When
runningtothepolicestationforhelp,howdidthepoliceofficerrespond?
4. Focusstudentsonpage95-96whichdescribesOxford’sdecisiontosetupaHumanRelationsCommission.
Discuss:
• WhatwasthepurposeoftheOxfordHumanRelationsCommission?
• EvaluatethesuccessofthevariouscommissionsandcouncilsthatexistedinOxfordandforthestate
topromotecommunicationandintegrationbetweenblacksandwhites.Wasthiswhatwasneeded?
Whyorwhynot?
• Tysonclassifiesthecommissionasunsuccessfully,stating:“Theproblemofcoursewasthatwhite
Southernersmayhaveneeded‘communication’asawayofcongratulatingthemselvesontheir
paternalisticgenerositytoward‘theNegro,’butblackSouthernersneededwhatamountedtoawhole
newsocialstructure,onethatdidnotstigmatizeandimpoverishthem.”(96)WhatdoesTysonmean
whenherefersto“paternalisticgenerosity?”WhywasthisnothelpfultoAfricanAmericansseeking
equalcivilrights?
• AccordingtoTyson,whatdidAfricanAmericansneed?
5. Explaintostudentsthatwhilecommissionsandcommitteesmaynothaveresultedinmuchprogress
duringthe1960s,thereisonemanwhohadahugeimpactontheCivilRightsMovement-MartinLuther
King,Jr.Instructstudentstoturntopage66inBloodDoneSignMyNameandtostartreadingatthelast
paragraph,beginningwith“The1950smarkedalonelyvigilforSouthernliberals…”Studentsshouldstop
readingafterthefirstparagraphonpage71,endingwith“…appearedinmostmedialaccountsandhistory
books.”Discuss:
• WhydoyouthinkMartinLutherKing,Jr.wasreferredtoasa“SouthernblackGandhi?”Doyouagree
withthischaracterization?Whyorwhynot?
• Tysonsaysthathisfatherlearnedthat“goodintentionswerenotenough.”Clarifythisstatement.How
doesthissameideaapplytothefailedHumanRelationsCommission?
• WhatwasthemainpointofMartinLutherKingJr.’s“LetterfromaBirminghamJail?”
• WhatdoesKingmeanwhenheexplainsthatAfricanAmericansare“foreverfightingadegenerating
senseof‘nobodiness’?(69)
• Explainthe“trap”thatDr.KingandcivilrightsorganizerssetforEugene“Bull”Connor.
• InwhatwaydidDr.Kingusethemediatohisadvantage?Inwhatwaysdopublicfiguresusethemedia
totheiradvantageintoday’ssociety?
6. RemindstudentsthatinorderfortheCivilRightsMovementtomakeadifferenceinOxford,intheentire
stateofNC,andacrossthenation,manyindividualsorganized,participated,spokeout,andbecame
involvedinvariouswaystoensureachangewasmade.Highlightthefactthatthoseinvolvedspanfar
beyondthegreatMartinLutherKing,Jr.,andthatmanyparticipantswereyoungstudents.Handoutand
explaintheattachedassignment,IStoodUpforDemocracy.Teachersshouldusetheirdiscretioninterms
ofwhetherclasstimeisprovidedforresearchingandworkingontheproject.
Onthedaystudentswillsharetheirwork,teachersshouldreviewclassexpectationsforbeingarespectful
audiencemember.Sharingtheirworkalsoofferstheopportunityforstudentstolearnaboutmany
differentcivilrightsparticipants.Itisadvisedthatstudentsbeinstructedtotakenotesoneach
presentation(notingwhattheylearned,whattheyliked,andwhatquestionstheyhave)andthatstudents
providepositivefeedbacktooneanotheraftereachpresentation.
AdditionalActivities
• ForadditionallessonsontheCivilRightsMovementandtheJimCrowEra,seetheConsortium’sDatabase
ofCivicResources,lessonsfor8thgradeNorthCarolinaHistory,Goal7.Lessonsinclude:LifeintheJimCrow
18
•
•
South;SchoolSegregationinNC;MomentsintheLivesofEngagedCitizens;SittingDowntoStandUpfor
Democracy;RememberingMartinLutherKing,Jr.;andThePowerofYouth:ExploringtheCivilRights
Movementwith“Freedom’sChildren.”
Playvariousfreedomsongsandspiritualsusedbyprotestorsduringthecivilrightsmovement.Instruct
studentstodesignaCDjacketforthesong.
ShowthedocumentaryFebruaryOneordiscusstheGreensborosit-ins.See
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/februaryone/edu.htmlforadditionalinformation.
19
IStoodUpforDemocracy
HeroesoftheCivilRightsMovement
1.ChooseoneofthecivilrightsactivistsdiscussedinBloodDoneSignMyNameorsomeonefromthelist
providedbelow.Ifyoufindanotherpersonnotonthelistyouwouldliketofocuson,youmustclearitwith
yourteacherfirst.
2.Researchthisperson,andnotethewayshe/shestoodupfordemocracyandequalrights.Determinewhyit
isimportantthatthepersonyouchooseshouldberemembered.
3.Createoneofthefollowingtoteachothersaboutthisperson,his/herlifeandlegacy:
o asongorrap
o aspeech
o askit o apainting,drawing,collage,orotherartisticexpression
o amonologue
o aPowerPointpresentation
o ascrapbookorbrochure
4.Youwillpresentyourworktoclasson_______________________________.
ChoicesotherthanactivistsdiscussedinBloodDoneSignMyName:
Thepeoplelistedbelowaredirectorindirectcivilrightsactivists.Somebelievedinusingnon-violent
techniquesandsomefeltviolenceshouldnotberuledout.Severalfromthelistdiedforthecivilrightscause.
RalphAbernathy
ReverendGeorgeLee MarcusGarvey
JulianBond
JoAnnRobinson
LamarSmith
PaulGuihard
TheGreensboroFour
MartinLutherKing,Jr.
FredShutlesworth
JackieRobinson
JamesChaney
VirgilLamarWare
ThurgoodMarshall
CorettaScottKing
AaronHenry ViolaGreggLiuzzo
JohnEarlReese
ReverendBruchKlunder
TuskegeeAirmen
RosaParks
BobMoses
AddieMaeCollins
WillieEdwardsJr.
AndrewGoodman
AngelaDavis
MedgarEvers
MalcolmX
DeniseMcNair MackCharlesParker
MichaelSchwerner
EmmaGoldman
HarryT.Moore
TheLittleRock9
CaroleRobertson
HerbertLee
CharlesCheney
CynthiaWesley
JohnLewis
JimmieLeeJackson
EmmettTill
LouisAllen
DaisyBates
GoldenFrinks
FannieLouHammer
E.D.Nixon
SimeonOxendine
Cpl.Roman
JonathanDaniels
DaisyBates
Ducksworth,Jr.
ClaudetteColvin
MedgarEvers
WilliamLewisMoore
20
TakingaStand
Overview
StudentswillreadexcerptsfromBloodDoneSignMyNameandexplorecharacters’choicesabouttakinga
standtoadvocateforjustice.Studentswillusethisasameansofself-reflectingontheirownindividual
behaviors.
Materials
CopiesofBloodDoneSignMyName
Duration
1-2classperiods
Procedure
1. Asawarm-up,projectthefollowingquoteandaskstudentstowritedownwhattheythinkJamesBaldwin
means:
“…acivilizationisnotdestroyedbywickedpeople;
itisnotnecessarythatpeoplebewicked,
butonlythattheybespineless.”
2. Oncestudentshavehadampletimetowritedowntheirresponses,encouragethemtosharetheir
thoughtswiththeclass.Facilitatefurtherdiscussionbyasking:
• Whathistoricalexamplescanyouthinkofthatshowthevalidityofthisquoteorthatillustrate
spinelessness?
• Arethereexamplesfromyourownlife,orexamplesyouhavewitnessedinthisschool,whenyouora
classmatehasnotstoodupforsomethingorsomeone?Don’tworryaboutbeingjudged…justbe
honest.Explain.
• Whattypesofthingscankeeppeoplefromstandingupforsomeoneelseorfromdoingwhatthey
knowisright?Haveyoueverexperiencedasituationlikethis?Explain.(Ensurestudentsdiscussthe
conceptsofpeerpressureandhowgroupscanchangeanindividual’smentality.)
3. Readaloudpage61-63ofBloodDoneSignMyName,stoppingattheendofthethirdparagraphwith“My
fatherhadexplainedmuchofthistoVernandmeattheKuKluxKlanmeeting,andthatwasfarfromthe
lastlesson.”Oncefinished,discussasaclass:
• HowdoyouimagineMrs.FannyMaeMcIver’ssonfeltwhentauntedwithracialslursbyTysonandhis
friend?
• WhydoesTysoncomparehimselfandDavidtothePoles?(Re-readthequoteonpage63totheclass
foremphasis:“Theveryideaof‘nigger’…wastheheartofhumanevil,theavenuedownwhichtheNazis
hadmarchedintoPoland,andDavidandI,likesomeofthePoles,hadsomehowwelcomedthem.”)
• Tysonexplainshowhejoinedintheracialtauntingofthelittleboybecausehedidn’twanttolosehis
bestfriend,explaining:“Likemanypeoplewhofailtoliveuptotheirbestlights,Ifoundthatmydeep
senseofbelongingandmytenaciousdesireforacceptancetrumpedmymoraljudgment.Ijoinedin
thesong.”(63)Haveyouevermadeadecisionsuchasthisorsuccumbedtopeer-pressure?Explain.
• Whydoyoungpeoplesometimesallowthemselvestobeswayedtodosomethingtheyknowis
wrong?
• “Thoughonlyafirstgrader,IwasforcedtoconfrontwhatJamesBaldwincalled‘therealizationthata
civilizationisnotdestroyedbywickedpeople;itisnotnecessarythatpeoplebewicked,butonlythat
theybespineless.’”HowdothesewordsapplytothesituationinvolvingTyson,David,andthe
housekeeper’sson?
• WhatchoicedoyouthinkTimTysonshouldhavemadeinthemomentDavidbegantauntingthelittle
boy?Whywasitsohardforhimtomakeabetterchoice?
21
4. Discusswithstudentsthatmanypeoplethroughouthistoryhavemadepoorchoicesabouttreatingothers
equally,frompersonalinstances,suchastheoneTysonrecounts,tolarge-scalemisusesofpoliticalpower,
suchasthepassingofJimCrowlaws.Assiststudentsinconnectingsuchhistoricalsituationstosimilar
occurrencesthattakeplaceattheirownschool,suchaswhenstudentsteasesomeonebecauseof
differences,andothersjoininorremainsilentevenwhenapeerisbeinghumiliated.
Discusshowotherpeoplehavemadechoicestospeakoutagainstwhattheyfeltwasunjust,evenifit
meantbacklashfromtheirpeersorcommunity.ManypeoplewhoparticipatedintheCivilRights
Movementriskedtheirjobsoreventheirlife.Again,maketheconnectiontochoicesatschool,notinghow
astudentmightspeakupforsomeonewhoisbeingteased,evenifitmeanstheyareostracizedfromthe
group.Askstudentstosilentlyconsiderwhichtypeofpersontheyconsiderthemselvestobe…onewho
joinsinwithwhateverthegroupdecides,regardlessofifitisrightorwrong,orthetypeofpersonwhowill
standupandspeakoutforwhatisjust,regardlessoftheconsequences.Encouragestudentstoconsider
howwesometimeswanttobethepersonwhodoestherightthingandwhospeaksout/standsupforthe
ill-treated,butperspectiveconsequencesandfearsometimesoutweighgoodintentions.
5. Bringthediscussionbacktothebookbyinstructingstudentstoturntopage71ofBloodDoneSignMy
Name.ExplainthatbeforemovingtoOxford,NC,Tyson’sfamilylivedinSanford,NCinthe1960s.Asthe
CivilRightsMovementunfoldedandimagesofwhiteviolenceagainstcivilrightsprotestorsinBirmingham,
ALwerebroadcastacrossthenation,similarprotestswereinspiredinSanford.Tellstudentsthattheywill
bereadingaboutthewaysinwhichtwopeople,VernonTysonandMissAmyWomble,madethechoiceto
speaktheirmind,evenwhentheyriskedbeingshunnedbytheirpeers.Instructstudentstoreadstarting
withthesecondparagraph,“AcrosstheSouth,thenewsfromBirminghaminspireddozensof…”onpage
71andtostopattheendofthechapteronpage81.
6. Oncestudentshavefinishedreading,eitherinindividualwrittenresponses,insmalldiscussiongroups,or
asaclass,havestudentsdiscuss:
• WhydidVernonTysonwritealettertotheeditoroftheSanfordHerald?Howdidhislettercompareto
“King’sLetterfromaBirminghamJail?”
• WhatdoesitmeanwhenTysonsaysthat“DaddywrotealettertotheeditoroftheSanfordherald,not
fromjailbutfromtheconfinesofhisconscience?”(Oncestudentshavesharedtheirinitialthoughts,
readaloudanddiscussthequotefrompage71-72:“DaddywrotealettertotheeditoroftheSanford
herald,notfromjailbutfromtheconfinesofhisconscienceinacommunityofwhiteChristiansthatdid
notwanttohearhim.HisletterclearlydrewonthetoneofKing’sBirminghammissive.‘Lastnight,a
14-year-oldboyspenthisfirstnightinjail,’Daddywrote.‘Hewasoneofthemorethan50young
peoplewhowerearrestedyesterdayinourcity.Hisonlyrealcrimeisthathehadthewrongmother.’“)
• ExplainwhatVernonTysonmeantwhenhesaid“AmomentoftruthhasarrivedforSanford.”(72)
WhatdoyouthinkVernonexpectedSanfordresidentstodo?
• WhatriskwasVernontakingbywritingthisletter?Inwhatwaysdidvariouscommunitymembers
respond?(72)
• Afterdeliveringhis“IHaveaDreamSpeech,”theFederalBureauofInvestigationsaidofDr.King,
“…markhimnow,ifwehavenotdonesobefore,asthemostdangerousNegroofthefutureinthis
nationfromthestandpointofcommunism,theNegro,andnationalsecurity.”(73)Whydoyouthink
theFBIcharacterizedDr.Kinginthisway?EventhoughDr.Kingwashatedbymany,andevenbeing
monitoredbytheFBI,whydoyouthinkhecontinuedtostandupandspeakoutforwhathefeltwas
just?
• Whateventstookplacein1963thatTysondescribedascausing“thefixedstarsandimmovablepillars
ofAmericanhistory…toreelandrock?”(73)
• HowdidVernonTysonworktoreversewhatDr.Kingreferredtoas“themostsegregatedhourin
America?”(73)Howdidhisparishionersrespondtohischoices?
• WhatwasVernonriskingbycontinuingtofightforDr.Proctor’svisit?Whyisitsometimesdifficultto
fightforwhatyoubelievein?
22
•
•
WhatgaveVernonthestrengthtocontinuefightingforDr.Proctor’svisit?
Howwouldyoudescribe“MissAmy”Womble?Howdidshehelpconvincethesegregationiststo
supportDr.Proctor’svisit?
DidallpeoplebehaveasVernonandMissAmy,speakingoutagainstinequalityandracism?Explain.
•
7. Toculminatethelesson,givestudentsanopportunitytoexploretheconceptoftakingastandandto
applyittotheirownpersonallives.Completeoneorbothofthefollowingactivities(teachersmaywantto
allowstudentstochoosebetweenthetwoactivities,sincesomestudentsmaynothaveapersonal
reflectionidea):
• PersonalReflection
Discusswithstudentsthatmistakesdon’tnecessarilydefinewhoweareorbecome.Forexample,while
TysonmadeapoorchoiceinjoininginthetauntingofMrs.McIver’sson,hehassinceconfrontedthat
momentinhisownpersonalhistoryandadmittedhismistake.Askstudentsiftheyhaveexperienceda
similarmomentinyourownlives,whentheymadeachoicethattheysinceregret.Furthertheirthinking
byaskingiftherehaseverbeenatimewhentheywishtheycouldhavebeenbravertostandontheirown
ratherthanfollowpeers.
Instructstudentstofocusonaparticularinstanceorperiodfromtheirlife,perhapssomethingTyson’s
admissionremindedthemof,whentheywerenotbeingtheir“bestself.”Incidentsdonothavetobe
raciallymotivated.Studentsshouldwriteaone-pagereflectiondescribingtheincident,theirbehavior,
theirevaluationofwhytheymadethechoicestheymade,andtheirassessmentofwhattheyhavesince
learnedfromthesituation.Studentsmayalsochoosetoexplorewhattheywouldhavedonedifferently.
Remindstudentsthatthepurposeofthiswritingassignmentistodescribeapoorchoicethattheyregret
andtolearnfromitbyreflectingonit.Itisadvisedthatstudentsnotsharethesereflectionsoutloud,
rathertheyturntheassignmentsinforonlyteacherreview.
• ExploringActionsThroughPoetry
Projectorhandoutthefollowingpoemandaskastudentvolunteertoreaditaloud:
FirstTheyCamefortheJews
FirsttheycamefortheJews
andIdidnotspeakout
becauseIwasnotaJew.
ThentheycamefortheCommunists
andIdidnotspeakout
becauseIwasnotaCommunist.
Thentheycameforthetradeunionists
andIdidnotspeakout
becauseIwasnotatradeunionist.
Thentheycameforme
andtherewasnooneleft
tospeakoutforme.
PastorMartinNiemöller
Discuss:
• Whodoyouthink“they”referstoandwhy?
• WhydoyouthinktheycamefortheJews,Communists,andtradeunionists?Whathistoricalevent
doesthispoemreferto?
• Whydoyouthinkthenarratordidnot“speakout?”
23
•
•
Whatmessageisthenarratorofthispoemtryingtoconvey?Whatevidencemakesyouthinkthis?
HowdoesthismessagealsoapplytothoselivingduringtheCivilRightsMovement?Howdoesit
applytoeachofustoday?
Whatisacitizen’sresponsibilityintermsofspeakingout?Explain.
•
Instructstudentstocreatetheirownpoeminwhichtheyexpresstheirfeelingsabouttakingastand,ornot
takingastand,orperhapstheconsequencesofeitherchoice.Poemscanbebasedonfacts,feelings,people,
etc.thatarerelatedtoanyaspectofreadingsanddiscussionsfromthelesson.Theycanbeliteralorabstract.
Theycanrhyme,butdonothaveto.Givestudentssomeguidelinesforgrading,suchas:
• Forfullcredit(100points),poemsmustexhibitthefollowing:
-Focusedontopic/themefromreadings
-Goodunderstandingofpoeticdevices
-Minimumfourteenlinesor4stanzas
-Nospellingerrors
-Handwritingislegibleinpenorpoemistyped(preferredmethod
-Poemcontainsartisticexpressionvisualizingthesubjectmatter(optional)
24
TheMurderofHenryMarrow
Overview
StudentswillexaminetheJimCrowculturethatexistedinOxfordduringthe1800sand1900sandexplorethe
connectionbetweenJimCrowandthemurderofHenryMarrow.StudentswillalsoreadaboutOxford’s
reactiontothemurderand,assumingtherolesof1970membersoftheOxfordHumanRelationsCommission,
willdevelopsolutionsforbringingaboutpeaceandracialequalityafterthemurder.
Materials
• CopiesofBloodDoneSignMyName
• ImageofaSegregatedWaterFountain,attached
Duration
1classperiod
Procedure
1. Asawarm-up,projecttheattachedimageofsegregatedwaterfountains.Askstudentstodiscuss(eitherin
awrittenresponseorasaclass):
• Whatdoyouseehere?Inferwhatishappeninginthispicture.
• Compareandcontrastthetwowaterfountainstooneanother.
• Whattimeperioddoyouthinkthispicturerepresents?Whatevidencemakesyouthinkthis?
• Ifthemaninthepictureweretoexpresshisthoughtsandfeelingsaboutthetwowater
fountains,whatdoyouthinkhemightsaytoyou?
2. Remindthestudentsthatduringthemid-1900s,therewerelawsandConstitutionalAmendmentsthat
extendedcivilrightstoallUScitizens,buttheselawswereopentointerpretationandsubjecttounfair
historicalperspectivesofthetime.Thus,individualsandgroupsofcitizenshadtostruggleandfightfor
theiraccesstotheserights.Asanexampleofthis,reviewtheThirteenthAmendment,whichfreed
enslavedpeopleduringtheCivilWarperiod.RemindstudentsthatevenwiththeNorthernvictoryinthe
WarandthepassageoftheThirteenthAmendment,theperiodofReconstructionstillsawtheenactment
ofBlackCodes,SouthernterrorismagainstfreedslavesandtheirdescendentsviatheKKKandlynch
mobs,andtheunjustlawsandexpectedetiquettesoftheJimCrowEra.
3. AskstudentstoestimatewhentheJimCrowEraendedandwhenlawfulsegregationwasnolongerin
existence.Explainthatregardlessofwhattheymaythink,JimCrow’seffectswerestillbeingfeltinOxford,
NCinthe1970s.ItwasthistypeofculturethatallowedforthemurderofHenryMarrowtooccur.Instruct
studentstoturntopage164inBloodDoneSignMyNameandtobeginreadingatthethirdparagraphwith
“McCoywasagraceful,broad-shoulderedman…”TellstudentsthatEddieMcCoywasablackOxford
residentwhowasactiveinproteststhatoccurredafterHenry’smurder,andthathisexperiencessharedin
thispassagewerenotatalluncommonforAfricanAmericans.Instructstudentstoreaduntiltheendof
thechapter.Oncefinished,discuss:
• WhattypesofdiscriminationdoesEddieMcCoyrecount?Howdidtheseexperiencesaffecthim?
• AccordingtoEddieMcCoy,whymightmiddle-classblackchildrenembracenonviolence,whereaspoor
childrenembraceviolence?DoyouthinkthattherearechildrentodaywhofeelasMcCoyfeltwhen
young?Inyouropinion,whatcouldbedonetohelpchildrenlikethis?(Readaloudthefollowing
quotesforfurtherdiscussion.)
o “Theblackchildrenwhoseparentsmanagedtoprovidethemsomethinglikeamiddle-class
existence,McCoyexplainedtomyfatherandthecollegestudents,mightembracenonviolence.
Butthepoor,towhomthesystemhadbeenbrutallyindifferent,werefastertogrababrickora
firebomb.‘Itwasalwayspoorchildren,’McCoyobserved,‘peoplethatdidn’thavenothingtolose,
andtheirparentswerepooranddidn’thavenothingtolose…Wewasdispensable,wecouldsee
25
that…Iwasawrite-offkidfromthetimeIwasborn.Iwon’tgon’benothing,won’tnothinggon’
becomeofme,Iwon’tgon’finishschool,Iwassupposedtogotojail…’”(165)
o “‘Ariotisatbottomthelanguageoftheunheard,’Dr.KingtoldAmerica…”(165)
• WhatdoesMcCoymeanwhenhesays“peoplenolongerappreciatedthesacrificesthathadbeen
maderegardlessofmethods…”?(166)(Readthefollowingquotealoudforfurtherdiscussion.)
o “Intheyearssincethefreedommovementended,thememoryofwhathadbeenrequiredof
peoplefaded,McCoyexplainedtome,andpeoplenolongerappreciatedthesacrificesthathad
beenmaderegardlessofmethods.‘Iwasdoingthatstuffbackthen,sit-insandmarchesandallthe
restandnowadaysnobodyevenknowswhatitwaslike.Peoplerightnowthinkthatthewhiteman
openeduphisdrugstoreandsaid,‘Y’allcomeoninnow,integrationdonecome.’”
3. Tellstudentstokeepinmindthetypeofenvironmentthatexistedin1970,andtorememberthatwhile
weoftenliketothinkthatracism,segregation,andJimCrowareburiedinancienthistory,theseissues
werestronglypresentthroughoutthe1900s.ItisthistypeofculturethatallowedforthemurderofHenry
MarrowinOxford,NCin1970.
Instructstudentstoturntopage118andtoread(individuallyorinpartners)topage125,stoppingafter
thefirstparagraphonthatpage(“TheysothimlikeyouorIwouldkillasnake.”)
• Accordingtotheinformationgiven,howwouldyoudescribeHenry“Dickie”Marrow?
• “AndhedidnotwanttogotoVietnam;likemostyoungAfricanAmericansofhisgeneration,he
consideredthisfiascoinSoutheastAsiaawhiteman’swarandablackman’sfight.”(119)Interpretthe
meaningofthisquote.WhymightMarrowandotherAfricanAmerican’shavefeltthisway?
• HowdoyouimagineHenryfeltthroughoutthisentireevent?Whatwastheworstthingheenduredin
youropinion?
• WhydoyouthinkLarryTeelbeatandmurderedHenryMarrow?
• Basedonyourknowledgeofthelegalprocess,aswellasyourpersonalopinion,whatshouldhappen
nextafterHenry’smurder?
4. Instructstudentstocontinuereadingfrompage125-130,stoppingafterthesecondparagraphwith
“…daysoftheAfricanAmericanfreedomstruggle.”Discuss:
• WhydidBooChavisnotwanttogotothepolicestationafterhisassaultandHenry’smurder?When
hefinallydidgo,whatreceptiondidhereceive?(Readaloudthefollowingquotesforfurther
discussion.)
o “ItoldthemIwon’tgoingtothe…policestation,theywon’tgon’listentoawordIsaid…”(126)
o “‘Wewentdownthereandsatdownthere–westayeduntiltwointhemorning,’Chavisrecalled.
‘Mr.Yanceystayedwithmethewholetime.Theydidn’teventrytotalkwithme,theydidn’tdo
nothing.’”(127)
• WhydoyouthinkthatsomeofOxford’sAfricanAmericancommunitychosetoriotafterHenry
Marrow’sdeath?Doyouthinktherewasanywaytheriotscouldhavebeenprevented?Explain.(Read
thefollowingquotesaloudforfurtherdiscussion.)
o “WordracedthroughblackOxfordthenextmorningthatTeelandhisboyshadkilledHenry
MarrowinfrontofseveralpeopleandthatthepolicehadneitherarrestedTeelnorshownany
interestintalkingtothewitnesses;itwasseveraldayslaterbeforethepolicefinallygotaroundto
talkingtoBooChavis.”(128)
o “TheangerintheblackcommunitythatTuesdaynightreflectedacommonbeliefthatTeelandhis
sonswereliterallygoingtogetawaywithmurder.”(128)
o “ItspeaksvolumesabouttheracialsituationintheUnitedStatesin1970thatvirtuallyevery
AfricanAmericaninthecountrybelievedthatwhitemencouldbutcherablackmaninpubicand
notevenfacearrestandprosecution,letaloneconviction.”(129)
• Evaluatetheeffectivenessofrioting.
26
•
WhatdoyouthinktheMayor’spurposewasininstatingacurfewinOxford?Inwhatwayswereblacks
andwhitesaffecteddifferentlybytheOxfordcurfew?(Readthefollowingquotealoudforfurther
discussion.)
5. RemindstudentsthatoneofthewaysOxfordattemptedtoreconcilethefeelingsofinequalityandprevent
violencewasbyformingaHumanRelationsCommission.AlsoreviewwithstudentswhytheHuman
RelationsCommissionwaslargelyineffective.TellstudentstoimaginetheyarelivinginOxfordin1970
afterthemurderofHenryMarrowandthattheyhavebeenappointedtothenew1970HumanRelations
Commission.Dividestudentsintosmallgroupsandproject/explainthefollowingtask:
YouareAppointedtotheHumanRelationsCommission
Imaginethatyouarelivingintheyear1970andthatyouhavebeenappointedtotheHumanRelations
CommissioninOxford.Yourtask,asacommittee,istocomeupwithstrategiesforeasingracialtensionsin
Oxfordandtotryandpreventfurtherviolence.YouhavetheluxuryofknowingwhytherealHumanRelations
Commissionfailed,sobecarefulaboutmakingthesamemistakes.Asagroup,completethefollowingtasks:
a. Compilealistofwhatyoufeelarethemostseriousexamplesofinequalityandsourcesoftension
amongblacksandwhitesin1970Oxford.
b. BrainstormsolutionstoeasingtheracialdivideandstoppingtheviolenceoccurringinOxford(i.e.
integration,promotingthehiringofAfricanAmericans,developingspecificcommunityeventsto
promotetolerance,etc.)Beasspecificanddetailedasyoucaninyourideas.Also,rememberto
considerthereactionofbothwhitesandblacksin1970toyourproposedsolutions.
c. CreateafinalActionPlanthatyouwillpresenttotheremainderofclass.TheActionPlanmust
containatleastfiveideas/strategiesforaddressingracialtension,inequality,andtheviolence
occurringinOxford.Eachstepshouldalsocontainatleastonewaytohandleoppositiontothe
proposedaction.
Teachersshouldusetheirdiscretionregardinghowmuchtimetoallowforcompletion(atleast15-20
minutesisrecommended).Teachersmayalsowanttohavestudentsreadpages135-139inBloodDone
SignMyNamebeforedevelopingtheirActionPlans,sincethesepagesfurtherdetailtheviolenceoccurring
inOxfordandbeyond.
6. Asstudentswork,circulatearoundtheroomtoofferassistance.Ensureeachgroup’splansdonotentail
magicaloutcomes-meaning,studentsneedtothinkrealisticallyabout1970society’sresponsetotheir
ideasandhowtheycanworktofacilitateacceptance.
7. Oncestudentshavefinished,havethempresenttheirActionPlantotheclass.Allowgroupstoaskfollowupquestionsofoneanother.Onceallgroupshavepresented,instructthestudentstovoteonwhich
ActionPlantheyfeelwouldhavetheabilitytorealisticallymakeracialprogress.
27
ImageofaSegregatedWaterFountain
Source:http://www.literacyrules.com/Black%20History/JimCrowPic3.jpg
28
Misconceptions
Overview
TimTysonnotesinBloodDoneSignMyNamethatthe“socialchangeswroughtbytheblackfreedom
movementcameaboutbyacomplexmixtureofviolenceandnonviolence,economiccoercionandmoral
appeal.”Inthislesson,studentswillexploresomeofthemisconceptionsthatremaintodayregardingtheCivil
RightsMovementaswellaswhysuchmisconceptionsexist.Studentswillsharedramaticpresentationsthat
demonstratewhattheyhavelearned.
Materials
CopiesofBloodDoneSignMyName
Duration
1-2classperiods
Procedure
1. Asawarm-up,project/handoutthefollowingquoteonnon-violencephilosophy:
…Butfarbeyondthis,wecalluponthem[AfricanAmericans]toacceptChristianLoveInfullknowledgeofits
powertodefyevil.Wecalluponthemtounderstandthatnon-violenceisnotasymbolofweaknessor
cowardice,butasJesusdemonstrated,non-violentresistancetransformsweaknessintostrengthandbreeds
courageinfaceofdanger.Weurgethem,nomatterhowgreattheprovocationtodedicatethemselvestothis
motto:
“Notonehairofonewhitepersonshallbeharmed.” Weadvocatenon-violenceinwords,thoughtanddeed,webelievethisspiritandthisspiritalonecan
overcomethedecadesofmutualfearandsuspicionthathaveinfestedandpoisonedourSouthernculture…
SouthernNegroLeadersConferenceonTransportationandNonviolentIntegration
Discuss:
• WhataretheintegrationleadersaskingofAfricanAmericans?
• Whichfamouscivilrightsleaderadvocatednon-violence?WhydoyouthinkMartinLutherKing,Jr.felt
thiswasagoodwaytoachievethemovement’sgoals?
• Doyouagreeordisagreethat“non-violentresistancetransformsweaknessintostrengthandbreeds
courageinthefaceofdanger?”
• Ifparticipantsinlunchcountersit-inshaddefendedthemselveswithviolence,whatmighttheresult
havebeen?
• Howdoyouimaginethemediawouldhaveportrayedsuchviolence?
• Whatwouldbemostdifficultaboutadoptingthephilosophyofnon-violence?Whatdoesitsayabout
civilrightsprotestorswhowereabletodothis?
2. Next,askstudentstorespondtothefollowingstatement:
• TrueorFalse:Allcivilrightsprotestorsbelievedthatnon-violencewasthebestwaytoachievetheir
goals.
3. AllowstudentstosharetheirthoughtsthenasktheclasswhattheyalreadyknowaboutMalcolmX,
nationalspeakerfortheNationofIslam,anorganizationwithadeclaredaimofresurrectingthespiritual,
mental,social,andeconomicconditionsoftheblackmenandwomenofAmericaandtherestofthe
world.Afterstudentshaveresponded,projectthefollowingquotesfromMalcolmX:
29
“Whenapersonplacesthepropervalueonfreedom,thereisnothingunderthesunthathewillnotdoto
acquirethatfreedom.Wheneveryouhearamansayinghewantsfreedom,butinthenextbreathheisgoing
totellyouwhathewon'tdotogetit,orwhathedoesn'tbelieveindoinginordertogetit,hedoesn'tbelieve
infreedom.Amanwhobelievesinfreedomwilldoanythingunderthesuntoacquire...orpreservehis
freedom.”
“Ibelieveinthebrotherhoodofman,allmen,butIdon’tbelieveinbrotherhoodwithanybodywhodoesn’t
wantbrotherhoodwithme.Ibelieveintreatingpeopleright,butI’mnotgoingtowastemytimetryingto
treatsomebodyrightwhodoesn’tknowhowtoreturnthetreatment.”
Discuss:
• Basedonourdiscussionandthesequotes,howwouldyoucompareandcontrastMalcolmX’sbeliefs
tothoseofDr.Kingandthenonviolentphilosophy?
• HowdoyouthinkMalcolmXwouldhaverespondedtotheviolencebestoweduponprotestorsduring
sit-insandfreedomrides?
• WhatdoesMalcolmXmeanwhenhesays,“Amanwhobelievesinfreedomwilldoanythingunderthe
suntoacquireorpreservehisfreedom?”
• WhatisyouropinionofMalcolmX’sviewofthe“brotherhoodofman?”
• WhydoyouthinkMalcolmXandtheBlackPowerMovementisoftenleftoutofourlessonsregarding
theCivilRightsMovement?WhydowelearnmoreaboutMartinLutherKing,Jr.?
• ManypeoplestereotypeMalcolmXandsaythatheperpetuatedviolence.Basedonthisquote,ishe
condoningunprecedentedviolence?
• WhydoyouthinksomepeoplemayhavebeenintimidatedbyMalcolmX,whowasassassinatedin
1965?
• Likewise,whydoyouthinksomepeoplewereintimidatedbyMartinLutherKing,Jr.,whowas
assassinatedin1968?
4. PointouttostudentsthatmanymisconceptionsremaintodayregardingtherealityoftheCivilRights
Movement,andthatintruth,the“socialchangeswroughtbytheblackfreedommovementcameaboutby
acomplexmixtureofviolenceandnonviolence,economiccoercionandmoralappeal.”(252)Today,we
areoftentaughtaone-sidedversionoftheCivilRightsMovement,orastorythatreadslikeafairytale,
whenourhistoryismuchmorecomplex.
Tohighlightthispoint,readaloudbeginningonpage106with“Thesugar-coatedconfectionsthatpassfor
thepopularhistoryofthecivilrightsmovementofferoutrightlies…”stoppingat“Butourmemoriesabout
whatactuallyhappenedinthecivilrightseraaresofaultythatDr.King’senemiescansafelyusehiswords
tothwarthisgoals,”onpage107.
Discussasaclass:
• Whydoyouthinksuchinconsistenciesexistinourunderstandingofthefightforequalrightsinour
countryandinourstate?
• Whydoyouthinkmuchofwhatwearetaughtinvolves“sugar-coatedconfections”thattell“outright
lies”regardingwhitepeople’sresponsesduringthemovement?Whyisitimportanttofacethetruth?
• WhatmessageisTysontryingtoconveywhenhesays,“Intheyearssincehismurder,wehave
transformedKingintoakindofinnocuousblackSantaClaus,genialandvacant,abenignvesselthat
canbefilledwithwhatevergenericgoodwishestheoccasiondictates…”?
• Howcanwepreventmisconceptionssuchasthese?
• “Itisimpossibletocreateaformulaforthefuturewhichdoesnottakeintoaccountthatoursociety
hasbeendoingsomethingspecialagainsttheNegroforhundredsofyears.”Whatpointisbeing
made?WhymustwetrulyacknowledgeallthatsocietyhasdoneagainstAfricanAmericansbeforeour
communitiescantrulymoveforward?
30
•
Whydoyouthinksomepeoplerefusetoacknowledgeallofthewrongsthathavebeendoneto
minoritiesinourcountry?Whydosomepeoplefeelthatweshouldmoveonandnot“dwellinthe
past?”Inwhatwayscanwemakeothersunderstandthatthepasthasagreateffectonourpresent
andfuture?
5. Instructstudentstoreadfrompage247-253,stoppingatthetopofthepagewith“…wasawhitepolitical
backlashofsustainedferocity.”Afterwards,discuss(insmallgroupsorasaclass):
• WhatdoesTysonmeanwhenhesays,“Buttruthandfalsehoodkeephouseonbothsidesofthecolor
line,andweallhaveourownstoriestotell?”(247)
• Whydidsomeblacks,particularlycitizenswhodidnotparticipateinthemovement,“sometimes
dismissthemovementwithawaveofthehand”?(247)
o “Havingmissedthefreedomtraininthe1960sand1970s,thebystandersnowtoldthestorythat
thetrainhadnevercome,thatfreedomhadbeenaneasywalk,orthatthetrackshadbeenlaidby
afederalgrant.”(248)
• WhymightAfricanAmericancitizenshavechosennottoparticipateintheMovement?Ifyouwerea
middleclassAfricanAmericanlivinginOxfordin1970,whatdidyouhavetolosebyparticipatingin
civilrightsprotests?Whatdidyouhavetogainbyparticipating?ImaginethatyouwereanOxford
residentduringthistime.Doyouthinkyouwouldhaveparticipatedoravoidedparticipatinginthecivil
rightsmovements?Explain.
• Discussandevaluatetheroleofthefederalgovernmentduringthefreedommovement.Whatsteps
didthegovernmenttaketoensuretherightsofAfricanAmericancitizens?Doyoufeelthe
governmentdidenough?Whyorwhynot?Inyouropinion,what(ifanything)shouldthefederal
governmenthavedonedifferently?(Ensurediscussionofthefollowingtopics.)
o Brownv.BOE,1954
o CivilRightsActof1964
o VotingRightsActof1965
o “Theroleofthefederalgovernmentintheblackfreedomstrugglewasconsiderable–andyet
addeduptolessthanhalftruth,offeredatleastinparttodefendthestorytellersagainstthefact
thatmanyofthemwerefreedbyamovementtheyhadbeenafraidtosupport.”(248)
• AccordingtoTyson,whydidAfricanAmericanssometimesreacttotheinequalitytheywere
experiencingwithviolence?(Readaloudthefollowingquoteforfurtherdiscussion.)
o “Andsosometimesitwasnecessarytoescapefromanendlessandpointlessconversationwith
whitepaternalismbystrikinghardandsometimesviolentlyagainstthearchitectureoftheir
oppression-Oxford’stobaccowarehousesbeingonlythelocalexample.”(249)
• Whatroledoesmemoryplayinshapingourhistory?
• Describetheflawedmemoriesandconceptionsofthefreedomstrugglethatexist.Whydoyouthink
suchmisunderstandingshavedevelopedovertime?(Readaloudthefollowingquoteforfurther
discussion.)
o “Thestrugglewasfarmoreviolent,perilous,andcriticalthanAmericaiswillingtoremember.
Thosewhotellthemselvesthatwhitepeopleofgoodwillvoluntarilyhandedoverfirst-class
citizenshiptotheirfellowcitizensofcolorfindcomfortinselectivememoryandwishfulthinking.
Andthosewhobelievethatthefederalgovernmentrodeoverthehilllikethecavalry
andrescuedthepoorblackfolksfromwhite‘rednecks’haveforgottenorneverknewwhat
happenedinthecivil-rightseraSouth.”(249)
• DescribetheroleoftheGranvilleCountySteeringCommitteeforBlackProgress.
• Beyondtheinjusticeexperiencedinthecourtsystem,inwhatwaysdidblacksexperienceinequalityin
Oxford?
• InwhatwaysdidtheblackcommunityinOxfordworktoensureparticipationandsupportofthe
boycottamongallAfricanAmericans?WhatimpactdidtheboycotthaveonOxford?
• ThinkagainaboutTyson’squotethat“Thesocialchangeswroughtbytheblackfreedommovement
cameaboutbyacomplexmixtureofviolenceandnonviolence,economiccoercionandmoralappeal.”
31
CiteexamplesfromthemovementinOxfordthatfallintoeachofthesethreecategories.Cite
examplesfromthemovementacrosstheentireSouththatfallintoeachofthesecategories.
6. Asaculminatingactivity,havestudentscompleteoneofthefollowing:
• PartnerRolePlays:“HearMyPoint”
Youandyourpartnerwillroleplayameetingbetweentwopeoplewhoparticipatedinsomeaspectof
theCivilRightsMovement,butwhohelddifferentideasregardinghowtogoaboutadvocatingfor
change.Possiblechoicesinclude:
o MartinLutherKing,Jr.andMalcolmX
o AFreedomRiderandaBlackPanther
o Asit-inparticipantandarioter
o Awhitepersonafraidtoparticipateandablackpersonattemptingtoconvincehimorherto
participate
o MayorCurrinandanblackOxfordveteran
o BenChavisandVernonTyson
Beginbyresearchingthepeopleinvolvedinthisroleplay,learningabouthis/herideasand
experiences.Asyoulearnaboutthisperson,considerwhytheyholdsuchbeliefs.Roleplaysmust
involveeachcharactersharinghis/herviewsregardinghowtobringaboutchange,andadvocatingfor
his/herownphilosophy.Thepurposeofthisconversationistoclarifyanymisconceptionsthatexist
andyoudiscusswithoneanotherincharacter,aswellastoexplainwhyyou(asthischaracter)made
thechoicesyoumadeduringtheCivilRightsMovement.Roleplayswillbepresentedtotheclasson
theduedateandmustbeatleast4minutesinlength.
• MusicalComposition:“ISingtheTruth”
WriteasongforsomeoneyoufeltwasinstrumentalintheCivilRightsMovement.Choicescanbe
specificindividuals,suchasDr.King,orgenericparticipants,suchassomeonewhoboycotted.The
songshoulddetailwhattheCivilRightsMovementwasreallylikefromyourperspectiveasthiscivil
rightsparticipant.Songsmustbeatleast2-3minutesinlengthandmustbeperformedforclasson
theduedate.Lyricscreatedcanbeputtoanalreadyexistingtune.
Ensurestudentsunderstandthatwhiletheirdramaticinterpretationswillbecreative,theinferencesthey
makemustbebasedonfactualinformation.Ifpossible,itisrecommendedtoallowstudentsadditional
researchtimeinclasssothattheymayfurtherexploretheirfigureortopic.Teachersmayalsowantto
encouragestudentstodressastheirpersonawhenperformingfortheclass.
32
ConfrontingOurHistory
Overview
TimTysondescribesBloodDoneSignMyNameas“…astoryofthebluesandastoryofthegospel…theblues
andthegospelstartedasSouthernthingsbutspeaktothewholehumandilemma.Thebluesareaboutlooking
apainfulhistorystraightintheeye;thegospelisaboutcomingtogetherasacommunityoffaithinorderto
risebeyondthatanguish.”Inthislesson,studentswillexplorehowcommunitiesshouldgoabout“lookinga
painfulhistorystraightintheeye”bycreatinga“MuseumofTruthandReconciliation.”
Materials
• CopiesofBloodDoneSignMyName
• PowerfulWords:Morethan200YearsofExtraordinaryWritingbyAfricanAmericans,byWadeHudson
• ReadingNotes,attached
• MuseumResponseSheet,attached
Duration
2classperiods;homeworktimeforcompletionofmuseumexhibit;andclasstimeforworkingonand
presentingmuseumexhibit
Procedure
1. Asawarm-up,projectthefollowingquoteandinstructstudentstowritedowntheirinterpretationofit:
“Weareallcaptivesofourorigins,especiallywhenwedonotfullyknowandunderstandthem.”
Oncestudentshavehadafewminutestoexplorethequoteindividually,discusstheirthoughtsasaclass.
Next,tellstudentsyouwantthemtocontinueconsideringthisstatementasyoureadashortexcerptto
themfromBloodDoneSignMyName.Instructingstudentstofollowalong,startatthebottomofpage
265with“TheAmericanstorydidnotstartwhenThomasJeffersonwrotethatallmenhavecertain
inalienablerights…”andreaduntilthemiddleofpage266,stoppingat“…moreworthyanddarker-skinned
peopleintrinsicallylessworth.”
Discuss:
• ConsideroncemoreTyson’sstatementthat“Weareallthecaptivesofourorigins,especiallywhenwe
donotfullyknowandunderstandthem.”Intheparagraphswejustread,what“paradoxesand
predicaments”doesTysonnotefromhistorythatillustratethis?
• ConsideringwhatTysonmentionsaboutThomasJefferson,whatisironicaboutJeffersonwritingthat
“allmenarecreatedequal”andthattheyareentitledto“inalienablerights”andtolife,liberty,and
thepursuitofhappiness?”DidtheDeclarationofIndependenceapplytoenslavedAfricanslivingin
America?Explain.
• Howdidthosewhoparticipatedintheslavetrade“justify”it?Howdosuchhistoricalinjusticesstill
affectustoday?
• Whydoyouthinkpeopleoftenwanttoignorethisharshhistory,orbrushitunderthetablebysaying
ithappenedsolongagothatweshouldforgetit?Whyisitimportanttotrulyunderstandwhat
occurredinthepast,andtoconfrontithonestlyasTysonadvises?
• Inyouropinion,whatneedstohappentoensurepeopleknowthefullandtrue“AmericanStory?”
2. Explaintostudentsthatmisconceptionsaboutthefoundingofourcountryaswellastheslaveexperience
areperpetuatedtothisdayatcertainhistoricalsites.Instructstudentstoturntopage313andexplainthat
theywillbereadinganexcerptaboutafieldtripTysonandhisfatherleadfor40collegestudents,inwhich
theytraveledacrosstheSouth,visitingvarioushistoricalsitesandpeopleinvolvedintheCivilRights
Movement.TellstudentsthattheexcerptbeginsasTysonandthestudentsarriveatDestrehan,anold
plantationopenfortoursinLouisiana.Instructstudentstobeginreadingatthefirstfullparagraphwith
33
“ThismixedblessingwasneversoclearasonthatmorninginNewOrleans…”Instructstudentstostop
readingonpage315whentheyreach“Butthisharderwisdomwaslesssurprisingtome,havingonceread
aletterofprotestsigned‘Afellowsinner,VernonTyson.’”Discussasaclass:
• WhatoccurredwhenthegroupvisitedDestrehaninLouisiana?
• WhywereTysonandthestudentsfrustrated?
• WhydoyouthinktheDestrehantourdidnotaddressslavesorslavery,orthe1811revolt?
• HaveyouvisitedanySoutherntouristspots,suchasplantationsormuseums,yourself?Whatwasyour
experiencelike?Doyoufeelthesitedidagoodjobaddressingthehistoryofeveryonewhohadroots
atthelocation?HowdoesDestrehancomparetootherSoutherntouristspots?
• IfyoucouldofferanyadvicetotheDirectorofTourismatDestrehan,whatadvicewouldyouofferto
improvethesiteandwhy?
o OptionalActivity:IfInternetaccessisavailable,teachersmaywanttohavestudentsvisitthe
websiteforDestrehanathttp://www.destrehanplantation.org/andthencomposealettertothe
DirectorofTourismofferingtheiradvice.Studentscanalsobeinstructedtosearchhistoricalsite
websites,evaluatingwhetherthesitesofferanencompassinghistoryornot.
3. Askstudentstomakesomeguesses,basedonwhattheyhavereadthusfar,astowhytheythinkTim
Tysonwrotethisbook.Oncestudentshavesharedtheirthoughts,instructthemtoturntopage317andto
beginreadingatthesecondparagraphwith“Asanationandasindividualhumanbeings,wewouldrather
hear…”Studentsshouldstopattheendofthechapteronpage322.Asaclassdiscuss:
• Beforeyouread,IaskedyoutoconsiderwhyyouthinkTysonwrotethisbook.Didanythingyouread
changeorconfirmyourideas?Explain.
• WhatisTysonreferringtowhenhementions“unjustsocialorders”onpage317?AccordingtoTyson,
whatdoesittakeforunjustsocialorderstofall?
o “Unjustsocialordersdonotfallmerelybyappealstotheconsciencesoftheoppressor,though
suchappealsmaybeanimportantelement;historyteachesusthattheyfallbecausealarge
enoughnumberofpeopleorganizeamovementpowerfulenoughtopushthemdown.Rarelydo
suchrevolutionsemergeinaneatandmorallypristineprocess.”(317)
o “Moreoften,whatgrabbedwhiteAmerica’sattentionwasthechaosinthosestreetsandthe
threatofracewar.”(318)
• WhatdoesTysondescribeasthemostpopularmemoryofDr.KingandtheCivilRightsMovement?In
whatwayisthememoryflawed?Whydoyouthinksuchflawedmemoriesexistandareperpetuated?
o “Theproblemiswhywecherishthatkindofstory:becausewewanttotranscendourhistory
withoutactuallyconfrontingit.Wecannotaddresstheplacewefindourselvesbecausewewillnot
acknowledgetheroadthatbroughtushere.Ourfailuretoconfrontthehistoricaltruthabouthow
AfricanAmericansfinallywontheirfreedompresentsamajorobstacletogenuineracial
reconciliation.”(318)
• Tysonnotesthatourfuturedependsupon“anhonestconfrontationwithourownhistory.”(319)In
youropinion,whatdoesthisentail?Howdoweconfrontourhistory,blackandwhite,honestly?How
dowebridgethe“enduringchasmofrace?”
o “Thathistoryrevealsthatthebloodthathassignedeveryoneofournames.Thesacrificehas
alreadybeenmade,inthebottomsofslaveships,intheportalsofEllisIsland,inthetobaccofields
ofNorthCarolinaandthesweatshopsofNewYorkCity.Thequestionremainswhetherornotwe
cantransfigureourbrokenpastsintoafuturefilledwithcommonpossibility.”(319-320)
o “Thathistoryisnotdistant.ManyofthosewhomarchedwithDr.KinginAlabamaandstartedthe
movementinOxfordwerethegrandchildrenofslaves.Theboywhotoldme“DaddyandRoger
and’emshot’emanigger:isbarelymiddle-aged.Andtheenduringchasmofraceisstillwithus,in
somewayswiderthanever.”(320)
• WhatevidencedoesTysonnotethat“whitesupremacyremainslethal?”(321)
• Whydoyouthinkthatit“remainseasierforourleaderstoapologizeforthepastthantoaddressits
lingeringimpactinoursociety?”Inwhatwaycanweencourageourleaderstochangethese
ineffectivehabits?
34
4. Explaintostudentsthattheywillcontinueexploringtheconceptofhonestlyconfrontingourpastby
creatingaliving“MuseumofTruthandReconciliation.”Teacherscanleadthisactivityasashorter,in-class
activity,orassignitasamoreintensivepartnerproject(seedescriptionsbelow).
• In-ClassActivity
a) PartnerstudentsupandtellthemthattheywillbereadingaboutAfricanAmericanswhohave
madeimportantcontributionstoourhistory,andthatthesecontributionsshouldbe
acknowledgedasweconfrontourhistoryhonestly.Teachersshouldassigneachpairadifferent
reading/personfromPowerfulWords:MoreThan200YearsofExtraordinaryWritingbyAfrican
Americans(teachersshouldmakecopiesoftheexcerptstheywanttoassignaheadoftime),or
assignstudentsaparticularperson/excerptfromBloodDoneSignMyName(suchasHenry
Marrow).TeacherscanalsoprintbiographiesandarticlesoffoftheInternet,orusealternate
books.
b) Afterpartnershaveread,handouttheattachedreadingnotesandaskthemtodiscussandanswer
thequestions.Tellstudentsitisimportantthereadcarefullyanddiscusstheirpersonindepth,as
theywillbeteachingclassmatesaboutthispersonintheirnextactivity.
c) Oncestudentshavefinishedreadinganddiscussing,tellstudentsthattheywillbecreatinga
“living”exhibitforamuseumexhibitiononthethemeof“TruthandReconciliation.”
d) Tellstudentstherearetworequirementsoftheirexhibit:
o Astatue/visualrepresentationofthepersonassignedtoyou:
Youandyourpartnerwilltaketurnsplayingtherolesof“clay”and“sculptor,”sharingideas
andusingyourbodiestocreateastatueorimagethatrepresentsthepersonyoureadabout.
Thefinalstatue/imagemustincludeatleastonestudentofthepair(butcanincludeboth
partners),props,andanattempttoshowappropriatedressfromthetimeperiod(ensure
studentsunderstandtheyaren’trequiredtostitchoutfits,butrathershouldjustattemptto
‘lookthepart’asbesttheycan).Thestatuecanbeliteralorabstract.Theonlyrequirementis
thatthefinalproductisavisualandrespectfulrepresentationofyourpersonthataids
museumguestsinlearningabouthim/her.Itisadvisedthatyourfinalproductbesomething
thatcanbeheldinplaceforashortperiodoftime.
o Averbalpresentationaboutyourstatue/visualrepresentation:
Whenvisitorswalkuptoyourexhibit,themuseumdocent(tourguide)shouldbeabletotap
theimage,resultingininformationaboutyourpersonbeingshared.Thisinformationwillbe
sharedbyoneorbothofyou,andshouldbeapproximately2minuteslong.(Forexample,a
sculpturemightcomealivetotellhis/herstoryinfirstperson,orperhapsthesculpture
remainsfrozenwithoneofthepartnersassumingtheroleofanarratorwhodeliversthe
information.)Oncetheinformationisshared,the“living”exhibitreturnstoitsoriginal
position.
e) Givestudents15-20minutestopreparetheirmuseumexhibit.Onceallstudentsarefinished,ask
halfofthepairstoassumetheroleoftheirexhibits,andinstructtheotherhalfoftheclasstojoin
you.Theteachershouldnowassumethepersonalityofamuseumdocent(tourguide),takinghalf
theclassonan“artwalk.”Leadstudentstoeachoftheirclassmates’“living”exhibitsandask
them:
o Whatdoyouseehere?
o Whydoyouthinktheartisthasplacedtheclayinthisposition?Whatmightthisrepresent?
Whatmessageistheartististryingtoconvey?
f) Oncestudentshavediscussedthepiece,theteachershouldtaptheexhibitto“bringittolife,”at
whichpointthestudent(s)willsharetheinformationtheyhavecompiledabouttheirassigned
personinwhatevercreativewaytheyhavechosentopresent.Afterwards,thetourwillcontinue
ontothenextpieceofart.(Onceastudent’sexhibithasbeenvisited,theycanjointhetouras
35
•
well.Also,studentscanrelaxtheirpositionsabitwhiletheyarewaitingforthetourtoarriveto
theirexhibit.)
Note:TeachersmaywanttohavestudentstakenotesonAfricanAmericanthattheyview.See
theattachedMuseumResponseSheet.
g) Onceallsculptureshavebeenviewed,theclassshouldswapplaces,withallstudentswho
presentedtheirexhibitsnowbecomingtourists,andthestudentswhotookthetournowassuming
thepositionsfortheirexhibit.Repeatthesameprocess.
h) Afterallstudentshavepresented,debriefthemuseumbydiscussing:
o Whichexhibitdidyoufindmostinterestingandwhy?Whichpersonwereyoumostimpressed
withandwhy?
o HowwouldyoucharacterizethehighlightedAfricanAmericansoverall?Weretheresomeyou
hadneverheardof?Whydoyouthinkthatis?
o InwhatwaysdidsomeoftheseAfricanAmericansexperienceinjusticeand/orinequality?In
whatwaysdidsomeofthemengagethemselvesandotherstobringaboutchangeintheir
societies?
o Wehonorourancestorsbylearningaboutandcaringaboutthehistorytheyendured.What
areotherwayswecanhonorthem?Whatareourresponsibilitiesascitizenstodaytoensure
lawssuchasthoseenforcedduringslaveryandJimCrowarenotsetortolerated?
PartnerProject
a) HandouttheattachedTheMuseumofTruthandReconciliationassignmentsheet.Partner
studentsupandexplainthattheywillbeassignedanimportantAfricanAmericanwhohasideasor
experiencedaparticularsituationthatshouldbesharedaspartofconfrontingourhistory
honestly.Goovertheassignment’sstepssothatstudentsunderstandwhattheirfinalproductwill
be.
b) Inclass,assigneachpaireithersomeonefromPowerfulWords:MoreThan200Yearsof
ExtraordinaryWritingbyAfricanAmericansoracharacterfromBloodDoneSignMyName.Again,
provideaninitialreadingforstudentstocomplete,explainingthattheywillthencompletefurther
researchonthispersonandtheirtimeperiod.Teachersshouldusetheirdiscretionregardinghow
muchclasstimeisprovidedforresearch(i.e.providingInternetaccess,libraryaccess,etc.)Seta
datebywhichstudentsshouldhavetheirresearchcompleted.
c) Allowclasstimeforstudentstobeginexploringtheir“living”statuefortheexhibit,followingthe
sameguidelinesforstepcintheIn-ClassActivitydescription.Again,teachersshouldusetheir
discretionregardinghowmuchclasstimeisprovidedforfinalizingthe“living”statuesand
planningpropsandcostumes,creatingtheexhibit’sverbalpresentation.Theprojectalsoincludes
creatingabackboardorposterboardwithadditionalinformationabouttheirassignedAfrican
American;studentsmayneedclasstimetoprepare.
d) Ontheduedateoftheproject,followthesameprocedureasoutlinedaboveinstepsd-goftheInClassActivitydescription.Teachersmayalsowanttoconsiderhostinganeveningeventinwhich
familiesandthecommunityareinvitedtotourthe“livingmuseum”aswell.
36
ReadingNotes
AssignedPerson’sName:___________________________
Whatisyourinitialreactiontothepersonyoureadabout?Didanythingsurpriseyouabouthim/herorthetimeperiodin
whichhe/shelived?
Howwouldyoucharacterizethepersonyoureadabout?
Whatideasdidyourpersonholdregardingsociety,citizenship,equality,etc.?
Didthispersonexhibitactiveconcernforandengagementinhis/hercommunity?
Whatdoyoumostadmireaboutthisperson?
Whatismostimportanttoteachaboutthispersonandwhy?
"
ReadingNotes
AssignedPerson’sName:___________________________
Whatisyourinitialreactiontothepersonyoureadabout?Didanythingsurpriseyouabouthim/herorthetimeperiodin
whichhe/shelived?
Howwouldyoucharacterizethepersonyoureadabout?
Whatideasdidyourpersonholdregardingsociety,citizenship,equality,etc.?
Didthispersonexhibitactiveconcernforandengagementinhis/hercommunity?
Whatdoyoumostadmireaboutthisperson?
Whatismostimportanttoteachaboutthispersonandwhy?
37
TheMuseumofTruthandReconciliation
Assignment:Tysondescribeshisbookas“…astoryofthebluesandastoryofthegospel…thebluesandthe
gospelstartedasSouthernthingsbutspeaktothewholehumandilemma.Thebluesareaboutlookinga
painfulhistorystraightintheeye;thegospelisaboutcomingtogetherasacommunityoffaithinordertorise
beyondthatanguish.”Howshouldcommunitiesgoabout“lookingapainfulhistorystraightintheeye?”What
willittakeforusto“cometogether”and“risebeyond?”
Oneofthewaysyouandyourpartnerwillbegintodothisisbydesigningatruthful“living”museumexhibiton
apersonassignedtoyouwholivedanytimefromslavery,allthewayuptopresent.Eachofthesepeoplehad
importantideas,hadexperiencesthatshouldbeshared,orhavesomethingtoteachusinsomeway.Your
assignmentistoensuresocietyiseducatedaboutthesepeople,theirideas,and/orexperiencessothatwe
mayfaceourtruehistoryandmovefurtherforwardtogetherasacommunity.
StepstoTakeforCompletion
1. Youandyourpartnerwillbeassignedapersonfromhistorywhohasanimportantstorytotellandwho
livedanytimefromslavery,allthewayuptopresent.Onceyouhavebeenassignedyourfigure,youmust
researchthispersonandlearnallyoucanabouthis/herlife,experiences,andcontributionstothesociety
inwhichtheylived.Rememberthatthispersonmayunfortunatelybeunfamiliartomany,and/ormay
comefromaperiodfromwhichmanymisconceptionsexist.Ensurethatasyouresearchyoufocuson
highlightingthingsthatyoufeelmuseumvisitorsreallyneedtoknowaboutthispersonandtheyearsin
whichtheylived.
2. Basedonwhatyoulearnedinyourresearch,begintodesignacreativeandtruthfulmuseumexhibitthat
willteachvisitorsallaboutthispersonandthetimeinwhichhe/shelived.Focusonwhatyoufeelismost
importantforpeopletoknow,thingspeoplemaynotknoworunderstand,andwhatsetsthispersonaside
assomeonewhoshouldberemembered.Considerquestionssuchas:
o Whatisyourinitialreactiontothepersonyoureadabout?Didanythingsurpriseyouabout
him/herorthetimeperiodinwhichhe/shelived?
o Howwouldyoucharacterizethepersonyoureadabout?
o Whatideasdidyourpersonholdregardingsociety,citizenship,equality,etc.?
o Didthispersonexhibitactiveconcernforandengagementinhis/hercommunity?
o Whatdoyoumostadmireaboutthisperson?
o Whatismostimportanttoteachaboutthispersonandwhy?
3. Onceyouhaveagrasponwhothispersonis,andwhatneedstobesharedaboutthem,beginworkingon
your“living”museumexhibit.Exhibitsmustcontain:
o Astatue/visualrepresentationofthepersonassignedtoyou:
Youandyourpartnerwilltaketurnsplaying“clay”andtheroleof“sculptor,”sharingideasandusing
yourbodiestocreateastatueorstatuesqueimagethatrepresentsthepersonyoureadabout.The
finalstatue/imagemustincludeatleastonestudentofthepartnership(butcanincludeboth
partners),props,andanattemptatdressingfromtheappropriatetimeperiod.Thestatuecanbe
literalorabstract.Theonlyrequirementisthatthefinalproductisavisualandrespectful
representationofyourpersonthataidsmuseumguestsinlearningabouthim/her.Itisadvisedthat
yourfinalproductbesomethingthatcanbeheldinplaceforashortperiodoftime.
o Averbalpresentationaboutyourstatue/visualrepresentation:
Whenvisitorswalkuptoyourexhibit,themuseumdocent(tourguide)shouldbeabletotapthe
image,resultingininformationaboutyourpersonbeingshared.Thisinformationwillbesharedbyone
orbothofyou,andshouldbeapproximately2minuteslong.(Forexample,asculpturemightcome
alivetotellhis/herstoryinfirstperson,orperhapsthesculptureremainsfrozenwithoneofthe
partnersassumingtheroleofanarratorwhodeliverstheinformation.)Oncetheinformationis
shared,the“living”exhibitreturnstothepositionitwasoriginallyin.
38
o Abackboardorposterboardcontaininginformationaboutyourexhibit:
Writtenworkshouldbeaccurate,neatlyandartisticallypresentedonabackboardorposterboard,
andmustcontainimportantinformationaboutyourexhibit,thepersonrepresented,andthesociety
inwhichhe/shelived.Remembertoteachmuseumvisitorsaboutthethingsyoufeelaremost
importantforthemtoknow,andalsoaddressanymisconceptionsthatmayexistaboutthispersonor
theirlifetime.Thefinalproductshould:
-Haveatitlethatnotesyourperson’snameandtheyearshe/shelived
-Containatleastonepageofsummarizedinformation(inyourownwords)
-Containatleastoneartisticrepresentationofyourperson(createdbyyou)
-Anyotherprintouts,visuals,etc.ofotherimportantinformationyouchoosetoinclude;
rememberthepurposeof
suchinformationistobettereducateus
DUEDATES:
ResearchCompleted:____________FirstDraft:_____________FinalProduct/PresentationofMuseum:
___________
Notes:
39
Name:_________________________________
TheMuseumofTruthandReconciliationResponseSheet
Citizenname
Characteristicsthatdescribehim/her
Actionshe/shetooktoaffectsociety/change
40
TheWilmingtonRaceRiotof1898
Overview
Studentswilllearnabouttheeventsofthe1898WilmingtonRaceRiotviaaPowerPointpresentation,
analyzingprimarysourcedocuments,andclassdiscussion.Studentswillexploretheroleofpropagandaand
spinininstigatingtheeventsof1898andwilldiscusstheimportanceoflearningaboutsuchhistory,though
painfulandcontroversial,today.Thislessonwillculminatewithstudentscreatingamemorialdesignfor
teachingaboutthe1898riotandhonoringthoseaffected.
Grade
8
Course
NorthCarolina:CreationandDevelopmentoftheState
NorthCarolinaStandardCourseofStudy
• Objective5.05:Assesstheinfluenceofthepolitical,legal,andsocialmovementsonthepoliticalsystem
andlifeinNorthCarolina.
• Objective9.02:Identifypastandpresentstateandlocalleadersfromdiverseculturalbackgroundsand
assesstheirinfluenceinaffectingchange.
EssentialQuestions
• WhywasWilmington,NCconsideredasymbolof‘blackhope’inthelate19thcentury?
• Whatweretheeventsofthe1898raceriotinWilmington,NC?
• CompareandcontrasttheDemocratic,Republican,Populist,andFusionistPartiesof1898.
• Whateffectdidpropagandaandspinhaveontheunfoldingof1898events?
• Howdidtheeventsof1898impactAfricanAmericanprogress?
• Whatarethemosteffectivewaystoremembertheeventsof1898andhonorthosewhoexperienced
unjustactions?
Materials
• TheWilmingtonRaceRiotof1898PowerPoint,availableintheDatabaseofK-12Resources(inPDF
format)[email protected]
o ToviewthisPDFasaprojectablepresentation,savethefile,click“View”inthetopmenubarofthe
file,andselect“FullScreenMode”
o TorequestaneditablePPTversionofthispresentation,[email protected]
• PowerPointResponseSheetandAnswerKey,attached
• Excerptfrom“TheGhostsof1898,”byTimTyson;specialfeatureoftheNewsandObserver,attached
• DiscussionQuestionsforExcerpt,attached
Duration
2classperiods
Additionalhomeworktimewillbeneededfortheculminatingmemorialassignment
StudentPreparation
StudentsshouldhaveabasicknowledgeoftheJimCrowEra,aswellasanunderstandingofexpectationsfor
discussingcontroversialissues.
TeacherPreparation
WhiletheWilmingtonRaceRiotdealswithsensitivetopics,itisimportantforstudentstoexploretheeventsof
1898.Inordertostudythishistoryeffectivelyandsafelyhowever,teachersmusthaveestablishedasafe
41
classroomwithclearexpectationsofrespect,open-mindedness,andcivilconversation.SeetheConsortium’s
“Activities”sectionoftheDatabaseofCivicResourcesforwaystoensureaclassroomenvironmentconducive
totheeffectiveexplorationofcontroversialissues.
Procedure
Day1
IntroductiontotheWilmingtonRaceRiotof1898
1. ProjecttheimageonSlide2oftheWilmingtonRaceRiotPowerPointandaskstudentstoexamineit,
jottingdowntheirobservationsandinferences.(Donotgivestudentsanyindicationregardingtheevents
ofthepictureortimeperiodrepresentedyet.)Probestudentthinkingbyasking:
• Whatdoyouseehere?
• Whatappearstobecurrentlyhappening?Whatdoyouthinkmayhavehappenedbeforethisphoto
wastaken?Whatwouldyoupredictwillhappennext?
• Whenandwheredoyouthinkthisphotowastaken?Whatevidencemakesyouthinkthis?
2. AllowstudentstosharetheirthoughtsthenexplainthatthisphotowastakenonNovember10,1898in
Wilmington,NCandgivestudentsanintroductiontotheWilmingtonRaceRiot,suchas:
At8:00A.M.onNovember10,1898,about500whitemenassembledatthearmoryoftheWilmington
LightInfantry.Ledbysoon-to-bemayorAlfredMooreWaddell,thecrowdmarchedtotheDaily
Recordoffice,thestate’sonlyblackownednewspaperatthetime.Astheymovedacrosstown,the
crowdswelledtoapproximately2,000.Themobbrokeintothebuilding,setitonfire,andwatchedit
burn.Thecrowdthenposedforaphotographinfrontoftheburned-outframe.
Destroyingtheblack-ownednewspaperofficewasonlyoneeventinthestringofracistactionstaken
bywhitesupremacistsin1898inWilmington,NorthCarolina.Inthenameofwhitesupremacy,dozens
ofWilmington’sblackresidents(theprecisenumberisn’tknown)weremurderedandmanysuccessful
blackcitizensandtheirwhiteallieswerebanishedfromthetown.“Anewsocialorderwasborninthe
bloodandflames,rootedinwhattheNewsandObserver’spublisher,JosephusDaniels,heraldedas
‘pernamentgoodgovernmentbythepartyoftheWhiteMan.’””)
Thisstringofevents,whichbecameknownastheWilmingtonRaceRiotof1898,“wasacrucialturning
pointinthehistoryofNorthCarolina.Itwasalsoaneventofnationalhistoricalsignificance.Occurring
justtwoyearsaftertheSupremeCourthadsanctioned‘separatebutequal’segregationinPlessyv.
Ferguson,theriotsignaledtheembraceofanevenmorevirulentracism,notmerelyinWilmington,
butacrosstheUnitedStates.”(Source:TimTyson,“TheGhostsof1898”)
ExploringtheEventsof1890sWilmington,NC
3. Next,askstudentshowmanyofthemhaveheardabouttheWilmingtonRaceRiotsbeforeorknow
somethingaboutwhatoccurredinthe1890sinWilmington.Havestudentssharewhattheyalreadyknow
andnotethenumberofstudentswithpriorknowledge,asthisnumberwillberelevantlaterinthelesson.
4. ExplaintostudentsthattheyaregoingtobelearningabouttheWilmingtonRaceRiot,andthecausesand
effectsofthistumultuoustimeperiod,viaaPowerPointpresentationanddiscussion.Letstudentsknow
thatstudyingthisperiodofhistorycanbedifficultduetotheovertracismthatwasatplay,aswellasthe
unfairandviolenttreatmentofAfricanAmericansbymuchofthewhitecommunity.Letstudentsknow
thatyoutrustthemtohandletheinformationwithmaturityandencouragestudentstoaskquestions
throughoutthepresentationanddiscussion.Providestudentswiththeattachedresponsesheettofillout
throughoutthePowerPointdiscussion.ItisimportantteachersusethePPTasabasisfordiscussion
ratherthanlecture.Examplediscussionquestions:
• Slide3:
42
Beforewebegin,takeafewmomentstoexaminethisgraph.Whatinformationdoesthegraph
provide?
o Whatdoyounoticeaboutthepopulationofwhitestoblacks?
o Baseduponthispopulationinformation,whatinferencesmightwemakeaboutWilmington’s
societyduringtheseyears?
Slide5:
o WhydoyouthinkWilmingtonwasconsideredasymbolof“blackhope?”
o HowdoyouthinktherolesofAfricanAmericansinWilmingtoncomparedtootherSouthern
towns?
o WhyaresuchaccomplishmentsbyAfricanAmericans(suchasbeingshopownersand
professionals)evenmorenoteworthyduringthisparticulartimeperiod?(Reviewwithstudents
thatReconstructionaftertheCivilWarhadonlycometoacloseafewyearsearlier,in1877.)
Slide6:
o AretheRepublicanandDemocraticPartiesoftodaythesameastheywereinthe1890s?(Discuss
withstudentshowDemocratandRepublicanmeandifferentthingsthantheydidduringthe
beginningofthepartyplatforms.)
o Basedonthedescriptionsofthesethreepoliticalpartiesinthe1890s,doanyofthepartieshave
anythingincommon?
o Let’sassumeanelectionwasrightaroundthecorner-whatmighttwoofthesethreepartiesgain
byfusing/mergingintooneparty?
o Whichofthesetwopartieswouldyouthinkwouldbemostlikelytofuseandwhy?
Slide7:
o GivenwhatyouknowthusfarabouttheDemocraticPartyduringthe1890s,howdoyouthinkits
membersreactedtosuchchanges?
Slide8:
o BasedonDanielSchenck’scommentthatthe1898campaignwouldbe“themeanest,vilest,
dirtiestcampaignsince1876,”whatdoyouenvisiontookplacethroughout1898?Whatkindof
tacticsdoyouthinktheDemocraticPartyresultedtospecifically?
o WhydoyouthinktheDemocraticPartywassopassionateaboutwinningthe1898campaign?
Slide9:
o Whatispropaganda?Canyouthinkofanyrecentexamplesofpropagandathatyouhave
encountered?
o Dopoliticalcampaignstodaystillutilizepropaganda?Inwhatways?
o Ispropagandaalwaysanegativething?Explain.
o DoyouthinkthetypeofpropagandautilizedbytheDemocratsduringthe1898electionwasabad
thing?Whyso?
o Whyisitimportanttobeeducatedregardingpropaganda,andtoknowhowtoidentifyit?
Letstudentsknowtheyaregoingtobeexaminingvariouspiecesofpropagandafromthe1898
electionperiodonslides10-12.Projecteachslideandhavestudentsexamineitforafewsilent
moments,allowingthemtowalkuptotheimageprojectedatthefrontoftheroomforacloserlookif
theychoose.Aftersilentreflection,discusseachpieceofpropaganda.
Slide10:
o Whatdoyousee?Whatdoyoufirstnoticeaboutthisdocument?
o Askastudentvolunteertoreadthetext.
o Whatisthepurposeofthisdocument?Whodoyouthinkcreateditandwhy?
o HowdoyouthinkyouwouldfeelseeingthisdocumentifyouwereawhiteRepublicanduring
1898?IfyouwereanAfricanAmericanRepublican?IfyouwereawhiteDemocrat?
o Howdoyouthinkthisdocumentaffectedtheelectionandwhy?
o LetstudentsknowthatthisisanactualhandbilldistributedbyDemocratsthroughoutWilmington
tointimidatethesixleadingwhiteRepublicansatthetime.AfterRepublicanPostmasterWilliam
ChadbourngaveintoDemocraticpressuresthe“6”waschangedtoa“5”inlocalnewspapers.
o WhydoyouthinkChadbournfoldedtothepressure?
o
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
43
•
Slide11&12:
o Whatdoyousee?Whatdoyounoticefirst?
o Whattextisbeingusedinthispoliticalcartoon?
o Whatsymbolsarebeingused?
o Whatmessageistheartisttryingtoconvey?Whatishisgoal?
o Inwhatwaysmightthecartoonhaveinfluencedvoters?
o Whataboutthiscartoonisoffensivetoourmoderndayperspectives?Howdoesourperspective
comparetothatof1898society?
• Slide13:
o HowwouldyoucharacterizetheRedShirts?
o ArethereotherhategroupstheRedShirtsremindyouof?(i.e.KKK)
Whydoyouthinksuchhateshowsitselfingroupsofpeopleinthisway?(Begindiscussingthe
conceptofmobmentalitywithstudents.)
• Slide14:
o Whydoyouthinkfearissuchagoodmotivatorinsituationslikethis?
o Whatdoyouthinkcertainmembersofthewhitecommunityweresoafraidof?
• Slide15:
o HowwouldyoucharacterizeAlexManlyandwhy?Whatdoyouthinkofhisdecisiontofightback
withhispen?Doyouthinkheknewwhattheconsequenceswouldbe?Whatdoyouthinkyou
wouldhavedone?
• Slide16:
o WhatwasWaddell’sgoalinthisspeech?
o IfyouwereanAfricanAmericanlivingin1898,howwouldthisspeechmakeyoufeelandwhy?
o HowmightyourespondifyouwereanAfricanAmericanRepublican?AwhiteRepublican?A
whiteDemocrat?Whatmighttheconsequencesbeofsuchresponses?
o PredictwhatisgoingtohappenonElectionDay.Whatmakesyouthinkthis?
• Slide17:
o WhydoyouthinksomanyDemocratsturnedoutatthepolls?
o Whatdoyouthinktheconsequenceswereforthosewhoillegallystuffedballots?(Thereweren’t
anyconsequencesforthem!)
o Doyouthinkthepeacewilllast?Whyorwhynot?
• Slide18:
Basedoneverythingyouhavelearnedsofar,howwouldyoucharacterizeWaddell?
• Slide19:
o CharacterizetheresponseoftheCommittee.Whydoyouthinktheyrespondedinthisway?
• Slides20-21:
o Whowastheretostopthismobof2,000angrymen?Howdoyouimagineitwouldfeeltobein
WilmingtononthisdayifyouwereanAfricanAmericanorawhiteRepublican?
o Doyouthinkthemobisgoingtostophere?
CreateaNewscastfromtheDailyRecord
5. Atthispoint,pauseonSlide22andasawaytohavestudentsreflectonwhatthey’velearnedthusfar,tell
studentstoimaginethattheyareatelevisionreporterstandinginfrontoftheWilmingtonDailyRecord’s
officeasthewhitemobisbeingphotographed.Tellstudentstopreparea3-minutenewscastlivefromthe
scene,recappingwhathashappened.Thenewscastmustincludeatleastsixfactsfromthediscussionand
mustberealistictotheactualhistory.Studentsshouldwriteouttheirscriptandshouldalsobeprepared
todelivertheirnewsreporttoclassmatesatthestartofthenextclass.(Studentscancompletethisfor
homework.)
TeacherNote:Teachersshouldpointouttostudentsthatthisissimplyacreativewayforthemto
summarizewhattheyhavelearned,andthatinactualitytherewasnoTVreportertherethatday,since
televisionhadnotbeeninventedyet.Also,teachersshoulddiscusswhatlanguageisappropriatetousein
44
theirTVcast.Whileracialslurswouldhavebeenutilizedin1898,studentsshouldnotmakeuseofsuch
languageintheirassignment.
Day2
6. Startclassbyhavingafewstudentvolunteerspresenttheirnewscaststoclass.Correctany
misinformationandusetheinformationstudentsshareasconversationstarters.Encouragestudentsto
considernotjustthefacts,butalsotheemotionsexperiencedin1898Wilmington.Also,ifthereareany
differencesbetweenthestoriesoranglesstudentstakeintheirnewscast,pointthisoutasitwillbe
relevanttothelater“Propaganda&Spin”activity.
7. ContinuewiththePPTanddiscussion,pickingupwithSlide23.
• Slide23:
o WhatdoyouimaginetheatmospherewaslikeinWilmingtononthisday?
o Whatprotectionwouldyouhave?Ifyouwereharmedbythewhitemob,whatrecoursedoyou
thinkyouwouldhave?
• Slide25:
o HowdidWaddellmanagetooverthrowthelocalgovernment?
o Didtheblackcitizenswhowereunfairlyfiredhaveanyrecourse?Why?
• Slide26:
o OfalltheunjusttreatmentwehavelearnedAfricanAmericansexperienced,whichdoyouthink
wouldhavebeenmostdifficulttodealwithandwhy?
• Slide27:
o WhattrenddoyounoticethatoccurredinWilmington’sdemographics?
o WhatmightthistellusregardingwhatwasoccurringinWilmingtonatthetime?
• Slide28:
o Lookingoverthisfour-prongedplan,doyouthinkthetitleof“WilmingtonRaceRiot”is
appropriate?Meaning,giventhattheriotwasonlyonepartofacalculatedcampaignofwhite
supremacy,whatothertitlemightbetterdescribethisperiod?
o “Formorethanacentury,mosthistorianshaveobscuredthetriumphofwhitedominationin1898
bycallingita‘raceriot,’thoughitwasnotthespontaneousoutbreakofmobviolencethatthe
work‘riot’suggests…historianH.LeonPranthercallsita‘massacreandcoup.’Whatanother
scholartermsthe‘genocidalmassacre’inWilmingtonwastheclimaxofacarefullyorchestrated
campaigntoendinterracialcooperationandbuildaone-partystatethatwouldassurethepower
ofNorthCarolina’sbusinesselite.”(TimTyson)
• Slide29:
o Howdidtheeventsof1898affecttheAfricanAmericancommunityinWilmington?The
Wilmingtoncommunityatlarge?
o Whatlingeringeffectsdoyouthinkresulted?
o Atthestartofthelesson,Iaskedhowmanyofyouknewanythingabouttheriotandmostofyou
didnot.Eventhoughthisissuchamonumentalaspectofourstate’shistory,whydoyouthinkitis
largelyhidden/notdiscussed?
Optional:PropagandaandSpin
8. Optional:Tellstudentsthatyouwanttofocusonthemedia’sroleinthe1898events,whichwouldhave
consistedofnewspapers.Dividestudentsintosmallgroupsandtellthemthattheyarefirstgoingtodo
somepracticingasanewsreporter,specificallyasgroupsofreportersrepresentingtheschoolnewspaper.
Writethefollowingstatementupfrontwhereallstudentscanseeit:
• Asofnextmonth,allsnackmachinesarebeingremovedfromschoolpremises.
Tellstudentsthatyouwantthemtowriteashortblurb(paragraph)announcingthisnewsintheschool
newspaper.However,theymustwriteitfromtheperspectiveofagroupthatyouassigntothem.Hand
45
outoneofthefollowingassignmentstoeachgroup(groupassignmentscanberepeatedifyouhavea
largerclass):
• Group1:Schooladministratorswhoaretiredofthesnackmachinesgettingknockedoverand
vandalized
• Group2:Studenthealthadvocacygroupcalled“MakingHealthierChoices”
• Group3:Studentathletes,whoraidthesnackmachinesdailywhenstarvingafterpractice
• Group4:12thgraderswhocan’tleavecampusforlunchanddespisethecafeteriafood
• Group5:Cheerleaderswhohavebeenadvocatingforlowcalorieandfat-freesnackstobeputinthe
vendingmachines
• Group6:TheBoosterClub,whohasreliedontheproceedsfromthevendingmachinetofund
athletics(i.e.newuniforms,improvedfootballfield,etc.)
9. Givestudents5-10minutestocompiletheirnewsblurbthenhaveeachgroupsharetheirblurbwithclass.
Discuss:
• Inwhatwaysdidourblurbsdiffer?
• Eventhoughwewereallrespondingtothesametopic,whydidourblurbsdiffer?(theyweretoldfrom
peoplewithdifferingperspectivesandagendas)
• Inwhatwaysdoesthishappeninthemediatoday?
Explaintostudentsthatwhennewsworthyeventsoccur,thoseinvolved(beitpoliticians,citizens,etc.)
oftenutilize“spin,”whichisaheavilybiasedportrayalinone'sownfavorofaneventorsituation.“Spin
Doctors”providetheirpointofvieworinterpretationofaneventinawaythatiscompatiblewiththeir
ownagendainanefforttoswaypublicopinion.Whiletraditionalpublicrelationsmayalsorelyoncreative
presentationofthefacts,"spin"often,thoughnotalways,impliesdisingenuous,deceptiveand/orhighly
manipulativetactics.Politiciansareoftenaccusedofspinbycommentatorsandpoliticalopponents,when
theyproduceacounterargumentorposition.Discuss:
• Inwhatwaysdoyouusespininyourownlives?
• Howwasspinandpropagandausedtofueltheconflictof1898?(ReviewhowDemocratsusedracist
propagandaandspintobreakuptheFusionCoalition;howDanielRussellusedtheNewsandObserver
topublishnewspaperstoriestospreadfearandangerregardingblackcitizens;reviewAlexWaddell’s
“WhiteDeclarationofIndependence”)
• Foranygivenevent,isthereasingletruthaboutwhathappenedordoesitalwaysdependonwhois
tellingthestoryandhowtheytellit?Explain.
10. Project(orhandoutcopiesof)Slide30,whichisanimageoftheWilmingtonMorningStaranddiscusswith
students:
• Whatdoyouseehere?
• Accordingtothisarticle’sheadlines,whathappenedin1898Wilmington?
• Whatisthegoalofthisarticle?
• Doesthisarticleutilizepropagandaorspin?Explain.
Project(orhandoutcopiesof)Slide31,containinganimageofaNewYorkHeraldarticleandcontinue
discussing:
• Whatdoyouseeinthissecondimage?
• HowdoesthisarticlecompareandcontrastwiththatoftheWilmingtonMorningStar’s?
• Whyistheresuchavastdifferenceinthesetwoarticles?
• Whicharticledoyouthinkrepresentsthe“truth?”Why?In1898,whicharticledoyouthinkcitizens
wouldhaveassumedwasthe“truth?”Why?
46
RememberingtheEventsof1898Today–ConstructaMemorial
11. HandouttheattachedexcerptfromtheNewsandObserver’s2006specialfeatureontheWilmington
RaceRiots.Insmallgroups,instructstudentstoreadthearticlethendiscussandanswerthequestions
provided.(Ifeachgroupmemberistowritetheirresponsesdown,they’llneedtodosoonnotebook
paper.)Oncestudentshavediscussedinsmallgroups,comebacktogetherasaclasssothatstudentscan
sharetheirthoughtsasawhole.
12. Tellstudentsthattheagroupcalledthe1898Foundationwasorganizedin1996withthefollowing
mission:to"tellthestory"of1898anditslegacy,"honorthememory"ofthosewhowerekilledor
sufferedin1898(aswellasthosewhohaveworkedforracialprogresssincethosetimes),"healthe
wounds"bycontinuingtoworkforreconciliationand"fosterthehope"byenvisioninganinclusivesociety.
Toreachthesegoals,itwasdeterminedthatanartmemorialtothe1898riotwouldbeconstructed.
13. Explaintostudentsthatasaculminatingactivity,theyaregoingtocreatesuchamemorial.Teachers
shoulddeterminewhethertohavestudentscompletethisasanindividual,partner,orsmallgroup
assignment,thenproject/explainthefollowing:
Youworkforanartfirmthatishopingtoconstructthememorialcommissionedbythe1898Foundationfor
the1898WilmingtonRiot.Itisyourjobtocomeupwithanideaforthememorialthendesignasmall
versionofittopresenttothe1898Foundation,inhopesthattheywillhireyourfirmbasedonyourdesign.
Thememorialcanbeanythingyouchoose,aslongasitworkstowardsthegoalsof:
• Tellingthestoryofthe1898events
• Honoringthememoryofthosewhowerekilledorsuffered
• Healingwoundsandworkingtowardsreconciliation
• Fosteringhopebyenvisioninganinclusivesociety
Yourmemorialcanbedesignedonpaper;in3-Dformusingclay,wire,cardboard,orinanycreativewayyou
seefit.Yourmemorialcanbeliteralorabstract,butmustconnecttothe1898WilmingtonRaceRiotinthe
wayslistedabove.
Goodluckwithyourdesign,andmaythebestartfirmwin!
14. Letstudentsknowwhentheirmemorialisdueinclass,aswellashowtheywillbepresentingit.Itis
recommendedthatteachersreserveanopenspace,suchasthelibrary,wherestudentscansetuptheir
variousworksofart.Teacherscangivestudentstimetofreelyrotateamongthememorialsthenholda
votewheretheclassassumestheroleofthe1898Foundationandpickswhichmemorialreceivesthe
“bid.”
CulminatingActivities
• Ingroups,havestudentsresearchanotherurbanraceriotinU.S.history(i.e.theNewYorkCityriotsduring
theCivilWar,the"RedSummerof1919,"thehate-strikesof1943,etc.)andpresenttheirfindingsinthe
formofanewspaper'sfrontpage.Foradetailedlessonandrubric,goto:
http://www.inmotionaame.org/education/lesson.cfm?migration=9&id=9_000LP
Resources
• WilmingtonRaceRiotCommission:http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/1898-wrrc/
• 1898MemorialClosertoReality:http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20060710/NEWS/607100371/1/news28
• “TheGhostsof1898,”byTimTyson;NewandObserver:http://www.newsobserver.com
47
Name:____________________________________
TheWilmingtonRaceRiotof1898–PowerPointResponseSheet
1. WhywasWilmington,NCconsideredasymbolof“blackhope”attheendofthe19thcentury?
2. Completethefollowingchartwithinformationaboutthepoliticalpartiesatplayin1898Wilmington:
DemocraticParty
PopulistParty
RepublicanParty
FusionCoalition
3. WhattacticsdidwhiteDemocratsusetobreaktheallianceoftheblackandwhiteFusionCoalitionin
effortstowinthe1898campaign?
4. Whatroledidthemediaandpropagandaplayinthe1898WilmingtonRaceRiot?
5. HowdidAlexManly’seditorialfueltheDemocrats’campaignofpropagandaandwhitesupremacy?
6. CharacterizeAlfredWaddell:
48
7. WhoweretheRedShirtsandwhat“scaretactics”didtheyusetoaffectthe1898campaign?
8. WhataffectdidWaddell’s“WhiteDeclarationofIndependence”have?
9. Summarizethefour-prongedplanthatoccurredinWilmington,NC:
1_______________________________:
2_______________________________:
3_______________________________:
4_______________________________:
10. SummarizetheaftermathoftheeventsinWilmington.OutofthevarioustypesofinjusticetheAfrican
Americancommunityexperienced,whatdoyouthinkwouldhavebeenmostdifficulttodealwithand
why?
11. Whyisitimportanttostudythisperiodofhistorytoday,eventhoughitmightbedifficulttohearbasedon
theracism,violence,andcalculatedcrueltythatwasatplay?
49
TheWilmingtonRaceRiotof1898–PowerPointResponseSheet
ANSWERKEY
th
1. WhywasWilmington,NCconsideredasymbolof“blackhope”attheendofthe19 century?
Answerscaninclude:Itwasastrongreligiouscommunitythatsupportedcharitableorganizations,andpromoted
educationalimprovementsforAfricanAmericans;AfricanAmericansfromawiderangeofbackgroundswereableto
managetheirownbusinessesandbuyhomesthroughoutthecity;AfricanAmericanentrepreneursownedbarbershops,
restaurants,tailorshops,anddrugstores.Thecityboastednumerousblackprofessionalssuchasattorneys,andAfrican
Americansheldpositionsasfiremenandpolicemen.IngreaternumbersthaninmanyotherNorthCarolinatowns,
Wilmington’sAfricanAmericansparticipatedinpoliticsandheldmunicipalandpoliticalpositions.Theblackmaleliteracy
ratewashigherthanthatofwhites.
2. Completethefollowingchartwithinformationaboutthepoliticalpartiesatplayin1898Wilmington:
DemocraticParty
RepublicanParty
Originallythepartysupportingslave
holding;developedintoacoalitionof
wealthy,workingclass,andruralwhite
members;controlledtheNCstateand
localgovernmentsfrom1876-1894;
coalitionbegantobreakupafter
1880s/depression
Originallyemergedastheanti-slavery
partyinthemid-1850s,thoughwas
notofficiallyorganizedinNCuntil
1867;platformconsistedoffree
enterprise,racialtoleration,and
politicalequalityforAfricanAmericans
PopulistParty
The“People’sParty”;foundedby
workingclassandruralwhites
(predominatelyfarmers)wholeftthe
DemocraticParty;
FusionCoalition
Astheeconomicdepressiondeepened,whitePopulistsjoinedwithBlack
Republicansformingthe“FusionCoalition”from1894-1896;championedlocal
self-government,freepubliceducation,andelectoralreformsthatwouldgive
blackmenthesamevotingrightsaswhites;woneveryNCstatewideofficein
1894and1896elections;electedDanielRusselltobegovernor
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
WhattacticsdidwhiteDemocratsusetobreaktheallianceoftheblackandwhiteFusionCoalitionineffortstowin
the1898campaign?
WilmingtonDemocratsdeterminedthatacampaignofracismwouldappealtoWilmingtoncitizens;causingdoubt
andfearinwhiteresidentswithwhitesupremacistpropagandawouldultimatelyshatterthefragilealliancebetween
whitesandblacksintheFusionCoalition;IntimidationofwhiteRepublicansandAfricanAmericansthroughoutthe
campaignwaschanneledthroughgroupssuchastheWhiteGovernmentUnionandRedShirtbrigades,both
developedandengineeredbySimmons
Whatroledidthemediaandpropagandaplayinthe1898riot?
Newspaperstoriesandpublicspeechesofwhitesupremacistswereusedtocreatefearinwhitecitizensofblacks;
whitesocietywascautionedof“blackbeasts”whowouldharmwhitewomenandwhitesocietyifnotstopped;with
thesupportoftheracisteditoroftheNewsandObserver,JosephusDaniels,whocontinuallysupportedandprinted
suchpropaganda,whitecitizenswereconvincedthatblackequalitywouldmeantheendoftheirsocietyastheyknew
it;StudentsmayalsomentionthepoliticalcartoonsdiscussedaspartofthePPT
HowdidAlexManly’seditorialfueltheDemocratscampaignofpropagandaandwhitesupremacy?
Hewasoutragedbyaspeechthatsupportedthecruelactoflynching(blackmenwereoftenlynchedwhenaccusedof
attemptingarelationshipwithormakinganytypeofcommentstowhitewomen).Manlypointedoutthatwhite
womenmaychoosetobewithablackman.ThisgavetheDemocratssupportfortheirpropaganda,andtheybeginto
spreadmorehateandviolenceregardingWilmingtonblacks.
CharacterizeAlfredWaddell:
HewasaformerConfederatesoldier;passionatespeaker;racist,whitesupremacist;spreadhateandpropagandain
fieryspeechesthatwereaimedatturningwhitecitizensagainstblacks,thusgivingDemocraticPartymorepower;
WhoweretheRedShirtsandwhat“scaretactics”didtheyusetoaffectthe1898campaign?
50
GroupofDemocraticPartymemberswhodisruptedAfrican-AmericanchurchservicesandRepublicanmeetings;
patrolledstreetsbeforetheelectionandintimidatedblackcitizensfromvotinginthe1898election
8.
WhataffectdidWaddell’s“WhiteDeclarationofIndependence”have?
Wilmington’sFusionistsremainedinofficeafterthe1898election,sincetheyhadnotbeenupforreelectioninthis
year;WaddellandtheDemocratswantedthemgonehowever,soheissuedthe“WhiteDeclarationofIndependence”
callingforthedisenfranchisementofblackvoters;thedayafterthedeclaration,heleadthemarchof2000whitesto
destroytheRecord;RedShirtsrodeintoblackcommunitiesonhorsebackspreadingviolenceagainstblacks;duringthe
chaos,acoupd’étatwasstagedforcingtheFusionistmayor,aldermen,andpolicechieftoresign;theywerebanished
fromthecityandreplacedbyDemocratssuchasWaddell,whobecamemayor
9. Summarizethefour-prongedplanthatoccurredinWilmington,NC:
• Stealtheelection.Underthebannerofwhitesupremacy,theDemocraticPartyusedthreats,
intimidation,anti-blackpropagandaandstuffedballotboxestowinthestatewideelectionsonNov.8,
1898.
• Riot.OnNov.10,armedwhitesattackedblacksandtheirproperty.
• Stateacoup.Astheriotunfolded,whiteleadersforcedthemayor,policechiefandotherlocalleaders
toresignfromtheiroffices,placingthemselvesincharge.
• Banishtheopposition.Afterseizingpower,whitesremovedoppositionbybanishingtheirmostable
anddeterminedopponents,blackandwhite.
10. SummarizetheaftermathoftheeventsinWilmington.OutofthevarioustypesofinjusticetheAfrican
Americancommunityexperienced,whatdoyouthinkwouldhavebeenmostdifficulttodealwithand
why?
Answerswillvary.
11. Whyisitimportanttostudythisperiodofhistorytoday,eventhoughitmightbedifficulttohearbasedon
theracism,violence,andcalculatedcrueltythatwasatplay?
Answerswillvary.
51
Excerptfrom“TheGhostsof1898”,byTimTyson
Despitetheirimportance,theeventsinWilmingtonhaveremainedlargelyahiddenchapterinour
state’shistory.Itwasonlythisyear[2006]thatNorthCarolinacompleteditsofficialinvestigationof
theviolence.ThereportoftheWilmingtonRaceRiotCommissionconcludedthatthetragedy
“markedanewepochinthehistoryofviolentracerelationsintheUnitedStates.”Itrecommended
paymentstodescendantsofvictimsandadvisedmediaoutlets…totellthetruthabout1898.
Evenaswefinallyacknowledgetheghostsof1898,longshadowedbyignoranceandforgetfulness,
someask:Whydredgethisupnow,whenwecannotchangethepast?Butthosewhofavoramnesia
ignorehowthepastholdsourfutureinitsgrip,especiallywhenitremainsunacknowledged.The
newworldwalksforeverinthefootstepsoftheold.ThestoryoftheWilmingtonraceriotabidesat
thecoreofNorthCarolina’spast.
Andthatstoryholdsmanylessonsforustoday.Itremindsusthathistorydoesnotjusthappen.It
doesnotunfoldnaturallyliketheseasonsorriseandfalllikethetides.Historyismadebypeople,
whobendandshapethepresenttocreatethefuture.ThehistoryofWilmingtonteachesusthatthe
uglyracialconflictthatshapedNorthCarolinaandthenationduringmuchofthe20thcenturywasnot
inevitable.Solongaswerememberthatpast,wemightovercomeitslegacy.
…
Whentheviolenceended,awarofmemorypersisted.Ourpoliticallycorrectpublichistory,carved
intomarbleonouruniversitybuildingsandthestatehouselawn,exaltsthemenwhooverthrewan
electedgovernmentinthenameofwhitesupremacy,includingCharlesB.AycockandJosephus
Daniels.Nomonumentexiststothehandfulofvisionarieswhowereabletoimagineabetterfuture,
beyondtheboundsofwhitesupremacy.Nordowerememberthosewhogavetheirlivesforsimple
justice.Instead,wemistakepowerforgreatnessandcelebratethoseresponsibleforourworst
errors.Thelosersof1898,thoughflawedthemselves,havefarmoretoteachusthanthewinners.
…
AnewFusionmovement,onerootedinhopeandgenerosity,andencompassingnotonlyblacksand
whitesbutnewimmigrantstothestate,couldstillredeemthebestdreamsthathavemadeus.We
looktoWilmingtonin1898,then,nottowringourhandsinafruitlessnostalgiaofpain,butto
redeemademocraticpurpose.AndsoweholdfasttowhatCharlesChesnutt,anAfricanAmerican
fromNorthCarolinaandoneofourgreatwriters,called“theshiningthreadofhope,’which
permittedhim,overacenturyago,toclosehisownstoryoftheWilmingtoncatastrophe:“There’s
timeenough,butnottospare.”
TimTyson,“TheGhostsof1898”
SpecialFeature,NewsandObserver,November17,
2006
52
Name:_____________________
DiscussionQuestionsfor“TheGhostsof1898”
1. Tysonstatesofthe1898eventsinWilmingtonthat“despiteitsimportance,theriothasremainedahidden
chapterinourstate’shistory.”Whydoyouthinkthisis?
2. Tysonrecountsthequestionthatsomepeopleask,“Whydredgethisupnow,whenwecannotchangethe
past?”Whatanswerdoesheprovideforwhyitisimportanttostudythepast,evenasdifficultasitmay
be?
3. Inyouropinion,whyisitimportanttobeawareofthe1898Wilmingtonevents?Whatcanwestilllearn
fromthishistoryintoday’sworld?
4. WhatmessageisTysontryingtoconveywhenhesaysthat“historydoesnotjusthappen?”
5. Tysonstates“Whentheviolenceended,awarofmemorypersisted.”Whatishereferringtoinhis
descriptionofa“warofmemory?”
6. Manymonumentsexistacrossourstate(fromthenamesofcollegedormstostatuesindowntownareas)
ofpeoplewhomayhavemadecontributions,butalsooftenmadebadchoices.Inyouropinion,what
shouldhappentosuchmonumentsandwhy?(i.e.shouldtheybetorndown,shouldtheybeamended
withadditionalinformation,shouldothermonumentsbeadded,etc.)
7. WhydoyouthinkTysonnotesthatthe“losers”ofhistoryareflawedalso?Whatdoeshemeanwhenhe
saystheyhavefarmoretoteachus?
8. TysonmentionstheWilmingtonRaceRiotCommission,whichwasformedin2000todevelopahistorical
recordoftheeventandtoassesstheeconomicimpactoftheriotonAfricanAmericanslocallyandacross
theregionandstate.WhydoyouthinkthisCommissionwasfinallyformedover100yearslater?
9. TheCommission’sfinalreportrecommendedthatdescendantsofvictimsoftheriotreceivepaymentsfor
thewrongsdonetotheirancestors(reparations.)Doyouagreewiththisrecommendation?Whyorwhy
not?Whatareotherwaysthatthosetreatedwronglyin1898canbehonoredtoday?
10. WhatdoesTysonmeanwhenhesaysthat“WelooktoWilmingtonin1898,then,nottowringourhandsin
afruitlessnostalgiaofpain,buttoredeemademocraticpurpose?”
11. WhenTimTysoncallsforanewFusionmovement,whatdoyouthinkheisencouraging?Inwhatways,in
youreverydaylife,canyoumeetthiscall?
53
ReadingGuide
Thefollowingquestionscanbeusedforclassdiscussion,writtenresponses/journalentries,literaturecircles,
testquestions,etc.Thequestionsareamixtureofcomprehensionchecks,questionstoencouragehigher
orderthinking,andquestionstoencouragestudentstorelatethebooktopresentsocietyandtheirown
individuallives.Relevantquotesforfurtherdiscussionandexplorationarebulletedunderappropriate
questions.
Chapter1-Baptism
Pages1-10
1. Accordingtothefirstpageofthebook,whydidRobertTeelshootHenryMarrow?(1)
2. TheeveningafterHenry’smurder,youngTimTysonwenttosleep“wonderingaboutwhathadhappened
andfearing,withoutreallyknowingwhattofear,thethingsthatmighthappennow.”(4)Inferwhyhefelt
thisway.
3. DescribehowsomemembersofOxford’sblackcommunityrespondedtothebeatingandmurderofHenry
Marrow.Whydoyouthinktheychosetobehaveinthisway?(4-6)
4. Tysonwritesthat“agroupofriotersrantotheConfederatemonument,threwalengthofropearoundthe
oldRebel’sneck,andtriedtopullhimoffhisgranitepedestal,butthebronzeinfantrymanwouldnot
budge.”(5)WhydoyouthinktheAfricanAmericanrioterstriedtopulldowntheConfederatemonument?
Howisthestatue’srefusaltofallsymbolic?(5)
5. EvaluateMayorCurrin’sdecisiontokeepOxford’spoliceforceunderrestriction,instructinghismentonot
shootatrioters.(5)
6. WhatimmediateeffectsdidthemurderofHenryMarrow,andthesubsequentriots,haveonOxford,NC?
7. EddieMcCoycommentedofintegration,“Theydidn’tjustopenthedoorupandsay,‘Y’allcomein,
integrationdonecome.’”(9)Whatpointwashetryingtoconvey?
8. Whatotherconflictswereoccurringacrossthecountryduring1970,whenAmerica“seemedtoteeteron
thebrinkofapocalypse…”?(9)
9. Tyson’sfriendThadStemcommentedthat“…itisbettertounderstandalittlethantomisunderstanda
lot.”(9)Howdoesthiscommentapplytothestudyinganddiscussionofpastandpresentissuesregarding
race?
o “SowhilethisisthestoryofasmallboyinasmalltownonehotSouthernsummer,itisalsothestory
ofanationtornapartbyracial,political,social,andculturalclassessodeepthattheyechoinourlives
tothisday.Thecheerfulandcherishedlieswetellourselvesaboutthoseyears-thattheblack
freedommovementwaslargelyanonviolentcallonAmerica’sconscience,whichAmericaanswered,
tocitethemostglaringfiction–dolittletorepairthebreach.”(10)
10. Tysonendsthischapterbystating,“…anypsychiatristcantellyouthatgenuinehealingrequiresacandid
confrontationwithourpast…ifthereistobereconciliation,firsttheremustbetruth.”Doyouagreeor
disagree?Explain.Whyisconfrontingthepast,evenwhenitiscontroversialordifficult,importanttodo?
11. ShouldtheUnitedStatesformaTruthandReconciliationCommissionsimilartoSouthAfrica’s?Whyor
whynot?Whatshouldsuchacommitteedoifformed?(10)
Chapter2-OriginalSins
Pages11-42
1. WhatevidencedoesTysoncitethathefeelsclassifieshisfamilyas“Southern?”(11)Doyourelatetoa
“Southernculture”yourself?Explain.
2. Tysonexplains,“Tobaccoputfoodonourtables,steeplesonourchurches,stainsonourfingers,spotson
ourlungs,andcontradictionsinourhearts.”(13)Interpretthiscommentandexplaintheimportanceof
tobaccoinOxford.(12-13)
3. HowdidmanywhiteresidentsofOxfordview‘racemixing’inchurch?CharacterizeVernonTyson’s
responsetosuchviews.
o “JustfindmearacialformulafromtheNewTestamentandI’llfollowthat,ifyoufindone.”(p.17)
54
4. “Whitesupremacypermeateddailylifesodeeplythatmostpeoplecouldnomoreponderitthanafish
mightdiscussthewetnessofwater.”(17)Whatmessageistheauthortryingtoconvey?
5. HowdidwhiteresidentsofOxfordrespondtotheCivilRightsActof1964?(18-20)
o “ThelawmeantlittleinOxford.”(18)
6. InreflectingonOxford’sresponsetotheCivilRightsActof1964,aresidentcommented,“Thegrown-ups
wereallscared.Weshouldhavelistenedtothechildren.”Analyzetheresident’smeaning.(20)
7. Basedonthischapter,evaluateviewsregardingtheroleofwomenin1970.InwhatwaysdidMrs.Tyson
contradictsuchexpectations?
o “Inthosedayssomepeopleatchurchconsidereditsomewhatdisgracefulforawhitewoman–
especiallythepreacher’swife–toworkaftershegotmarried.”(p.21)
8. Tysonexplains,“Mymothergrewupintheshadeofthatspreadingpaternalistoakof“goodrace
relations,”butsheherselfbrokefreeofit.”(32)Explainthesymbolisminthisquote.Inyouropinion,what
enabledMrs.Tysonto“breakfree”?
o “ThiswasthefirstsignforMamathatthereexistedaworldonyondersideofthecolorline,where
whiteeyesandearscouldnotreadilypenetrateandwhereblackpeopledidnotnecessarilyaccept
whitevaluationsofmoralworth.”(26)
9. Explaintheconceptof“whitepaternalism”.(24-25)
o “Mymotherhadbeenraisedbylovelypeoplewhobelievedthatwhitepeoplebelongontopandthat
whitepeople,especiallythebetterclasses,hadanobligationtotreatblackscharitablyandhelplift
themup,thoughnottothepointof‘socialequality.’(23)
o “Paternalismwaslikeadancewhosestepsrequiredmygrandmothertoprovidecharitytoblack
peopleaslongastheyfollowedtheprescribedroutine…”(24)
10. Tysondescribesthecharitablenatureofhisgrandparentsonpage26-27,yetnotesthat“thehierarchyof
whitesupremacy,atitsheart,wasasrottenasthatpileofoldshoes,andthegenerationsthatfollowwill
bemanyyearscleaningitup.”(27)Interpretthemeaningofthisquote.Whywascharity,orwhite
paternalism,notasbeneficialfortheAfricanAmericancommunityasthewhitecommunitythought?
11. HowdidAfricanAmericanstoriesofslaverydifferfromthestoriespasseddowninwhitefamilies?(28)
Whydoyouthinksuchavastdifferenceexistsintheversions?
12. Inwhatwaysdidwhitepreachersduringslaveryusereligiontopromoteservitude?(30)
13. SomepeopleinOxfordbelievedthat“goodracerelations”existed.However,Tysoncomments,“Butthese
ties,evenwhentheaffectionwasgenuineonbothsides,werelikeaclaypotthathadtobeshatteredfor
thetreeinsidetogrow.Whatkindoffruitthattreewouldyield,inthelongrun,remainedanopen
question.”(31)WhatmessageisTysontryingtoconvey?
14. WhatimpactdidintegrationhaveonOxford?Inwhatwaysdidwhiteresidentsavoidschoolintegration?
(40-42)
15. ExplainwhysomanywhitesconsideredthemurderofHenryMarrowtobe“justifiablehomicide.”(42)
16. Throughoutthischapter,Tysondescribesseveralmanifestationsofwhitesupremacy.Whichdidyoufind
mostdisturbingandwhy?
o ‘niggerknocking’
o limitationsonAfricanAmericanemployment(i.e.cookthefoodbutcan’tservethefood)
o ignoringCivilRightsActof1964
o closeOxfordestablishmentsratherthanintegrate
o changeestablishments(i.e.RuckerPool)to‘privatelyowned’
o blacksoldiershavingtoeatoutsideBiscoe’s
o memoriesofslavery
17. Afterreadingthischapter,explainwhatTysonmeantwhenhesaid“ThecolorlineinOxfordwasasbright
asblood.”(14)Citeevidencefromthechaptertobackupyouranswer.
Chapter3-TooCloseNotToTouch
Pages43-60
55
1. Basedontheinformationsharedinthischapter,characterizeRobertTeel.Whatquoteinthischapterdo
youfeelbestsummarizeshispersonality?
o “I’vealwayshadtheambitiontowantanicehome,”saidTeel,“aten-thousand-dollarbrickhome,a
nice,bigCadillac,atleastoneboy,thingslikethat.”(47)
o “Cozartstrolledcalmlyoutofthebarbershop,feelingnoneedtoprovehimselfinafightwithalittle
bantamroosterofawhitemanwhomheregardedasadangerousidiot.”(46)
o “Goodbarber,andarightgoodfellow,too,thoughIwouldnotadviseyoutocrosshim.”(47)
o “Hewashotheaded,hiswifewashotheaded,andthechildrenwerehotheaded.Ithinkitwasjustin
theirbloodtobehotheaded.Imean,youjustdidn’tneedtobemessingwiththeTeels.”(48)
o “Hemademoneynotfromaninheritedplantationorapositionatthebank,butwithhisownhands.”
(48)
o “NotalloftheclashesatTeel’splaceinvolvedrace.‘Hedidn’tcarewhoitwas,’observedoneyoung
blackmanwhofrequentedtheabandonedTidewaterSeafoodMarketnextdoor.‘Hewasamean
person-toanybody.Didn’tmakenodifferencewho,blackorwhite,’”(50)
o “Hewashisownlaw,asfarashewasconcerned.”(50)
o “Itwasboundtohappen…Withhistemperandhisattitudes,itwasliketwonakedelectricalwires,that
iftheyevertouched,allhellwouldbreakloose—andtheyweretooclosenottotouch.”(60)
2. WhatevidencedoesTysonnotethatTeelwasamemberoftheGranvilleCountyKlavernoftheKKK?(51)
3. WhydidVernonTysontakehissonstoaKlanrally?Doyouagreeordisagreewiththisdecision?Explain.
(52)
o “Iwantedyoutoknowwhathatelookslike.”(52)
4. CiteexamplesofKlanterrorismduring1965inNorthCarolina.(53)
5. WhydidtheKlanburnacrossinJudgeWinborne’slawn?Howdidherespond?(54)
6. TysondescribesReverendJames“Catfish”Coleasan“evangelistofhate.”WhatevidencedoesTyson
describethatbacksthischaracterizationup?(55-57)
7. WhatpromptedtheresurgenceoftheKlaninGranvilleCountyinthemid-1960s,whenTeelmostlikely
joined?(58)
8. TheFourteenthAmendmentoftheUSConstitutionrequiresthestatestoprovideequalprotectionunder
thelawtoallpersons(notonlytocitizens)withintheirjurisdictions.DoyoufeelthatClydeHarding
receivedequalprotectionunderthelaw?Explain.(58-59)
9. HowdidmanyofOxford’sblackresidentsrespondtotheClydeHardingincident?(59)
10. “ItremainsamatterofcuriosityforsomepeopleinOxfordastowhyTeel,amanknowntodislikeblack
peopleandwidelyrumoredtobealeaderoftheKuKluxKlan,wouldsetupshopinGrab-all.”Inyour
opinion,whydidTeelopenastoreinthislocationwhenitmeantservingpredominantlyblackcitizens?
(60)
Chapter4-MissAmy’sWitness
Pages61-81
1. HowdoyouimagineMrs.FannyMaeMcIver’ssonfeltwhentauntedwithracialslursbyTysonandhis
friend?
2. WhydoesTysoncomparehimselfandDavidtothePoles?
o “Theveryideaof‘nigger’…wastheheartofhumanevil,theavenuedownwhichtheNazishad
marchedintoPoland,andDavidandI,likesomeofthePoles,hadsomehowwelcomedthem.”
(63)
3. Tysonexplainshowhejoinedintheracialtauntingofthelittleboybecausehedidn’twanttolosehisbest
friend,explaining:“Likemanypeoplewhofailtoliveuptotheirbestlights,Ifoundthatmydeepsenseof
belongingandmytenaciousdesireforacceptancetrumpedmymoraljudgment.Ijoinedinthesong.”(63)
Haveyouevermadeadecisionsuchasthis,orsuccumbedtopeer-pressure?Explain.Whydoyoung
peoplesometimesallowthemselvestobeswayedtodosomethingtheyknowiswrong?
4. “Thoughonlyafirstgrader,IwasforcedtoconfrontwhatJamesBaldwincalled‘therealizationthata
civilizationisnotdestroyedbywickedpeople;itisnotnecessarythatpeoplebewicked,butonlythatthey
56
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
bespineless.’”(61)InterpretthemeaninginBaldwin’swords.Howdotheyapplytothesituationinvolving
Tyson,David,andthehousekeeper’sson?(60)
Interpretthefollowingquote:“Inourfamilyatleast,ifyoudidn’ttakeastandatall,youweren’tmuchofa
manormuchofapreacher;the‘racequestion’wastheacidtestofintegrity.(64)
HowwouldyoudescribeVernonTyson’sdecisiontonotsaythewords“libertyandjusticeforall”when
recitingthePledgeofAllegiance,eventhoughhewasstandingbesidehisfuturefatherinlaw?Whydid
VernonTysonfeelhecouldnotsaythesewords?(65)
o “WhenthemeetingopenedwitheveryonestandingforthePledgeofAllegiance,myfatherwould
notsaythewords.‘Itsaid‘libertyandjusticeforall,’andIknewthatwasalie,andjustnottrue,’
Daddytoldmeyearslater.‘Iknewitoughttobetrue,butitwasnomoretruethanthetoothfairy.
Icouldn’tsayit.’”(65)
WhywasitdifficultforVernonTysontoregisterasa“conscientiousobjector”towar?Haveyouever
experiencedasimilardifficulty?Explain.(65)
o “‘HewastryingtoputhishandovermymouthbeforeIhadevenopenedit,’Daddy
remembered.”(66)
WhydoyouthinkMartinLutherKing,Jr.wasreferredtoasa“SouthernblackGandhi”?(67)Doyouagree
withthischaracterization?Whyorwhynot?
Tysonsaysthathisfatherlearnedthat“goodintentionswerenotenough.”Clarifythisstatement.(67)
WhatwasthemainpointofMartinLutherKingJr.’s“LetterfromaBirminghamJail”?
o …Kingpennedhisfamous‘LetterfromBirminghamJail,’aneloquentcritiqueof‘thewhite
moderatewhoismoredevotedto‘order’thanto‘justice.’(69)
o “Itexplainedthatthe“biggestobstacle…wasthesympatheticwhiteliberalwhowantedto
preservepeaceandcivility.”(69)
WhatdoesKingmeanwhenheexplainsthatAfricanAmericansare“foreverfightingadegeneratingsense
of‘nobodiness’?”(69)
WhateffectdidMarinLutherKinghaveonVernonTyson?(69)
o TheeffectofKing’swordsonmyfatherwaselectric…Dr.Kinghithimwiththeconvictionthathe
neededtodosomething.”(69)
Explainthe“trap”thatDr.KingandcivilrightsorganizerssetforEugene“Bull”Connor.(70)
InwhatwaydidDr.Kingusethemediatohisadvantage?Inwhatwaysdopublicfiguresusethemediato
theiradvantageintoday’ssociety?
WhydidVernonTysonwritealettertotheeditoroftheSanfordHerald?Howdidhislettercompareto
“King’sLetterfromaBirminghamJail?”(71-72)
o …DaddywrotealettertotheeditoroftheSanfordherald,notfromjailbutfromtheconfinesof
hisconscienceinacommunityofwhiteChristiansthatdidnotwanttohearhim.Hisletterclearly
drewonthetoneofKing’sBirminghammissive.‘Lastnight,a14-year-oldboyspenthisfirstnight
injail,’Daddywrote.‘Hewasoneofthemorethan50youngpeoplewhowerearrestedyesterday
inourcity.Hisonlyrealcrimeisthathehadthewrongmother.’“(71-72)
ExplainwhatVernonTysonmeantwhenhesaid“AmomentoftruthhasarrivedforSanford.”(72)
WhatriskwasVernontakingbywritingthisletter?Inwhatwaysdidvariouscommunitymembers
respond?(72)
Afterdeliveringhis“IHaveaDreamSpeech,”theFederalBureauofInvestigationsaidofDr.King,“…mark
himnow,ifwehavenotdonesobefore,asthemostdangerousNegroofthefutureinthisnationfromthe
standpointofcommunism,theNegro,andnationalsecurity.”WhydoyouthinktheFBIcharacterizedDr.
Kinginthisway?(73)
Whateventstookplacein1963thatTysondescribedascausing“thefixedstarsandimmovablepillarsof
Americanhistory…toreelandrock.?”(73)
HowdidVernonTysonworktoreversewhatDr.Kingreferredtoas“themostsegregatedhourin
America?”(73)Howdidhisparishionersrespondtohischoices?
WhatwasVernonriskingbycontinuingtofightforDr.Proctor’svisit?Whyisitsometimesdifficulttofight
forwhatyoubelievein?
57
“Iwasapolitician,tryingtoleadpeopleandpreservemyinfluenceanddomyjobasbestIcould…I
wantedtodotherightthing,butIdidn’twanttopaythatkindofprice[oflosinghisjob].”(76)
22. WhatgaveVernonthestrengthtocontinuefightingforDr.Proctor’svisit?(76)
23. Howdid“MissAmy”WomblehelpconvincethesegregationiststosupportDr.Proctor’svisit?(77-78)
24. HowdidDr.ProctorputVernon’scongregationatease?(79-80)
Chapter5-KingJesusandDr.King
Pages82-118
1. WhatracialtensionexistedinOxfordduringWorldWarII?WhywereAfricanAmericanveterans
particularlyfrustrated?Imagineenlistingtogiveyourlifeforyourcountrywhenthatsamecountrydenies
yourbasicrights.Howwouldthismakeyoufeel?
o “AcrosstheWorldWarII-eraSouth,dozensofblackG.I.sdiedinuniformatthehandsoftheirown
countrymen.”(91)
o “Afterthewar,localblackveteranscamehomedeterminedthatthewarfordemocracyabroad
wouldexpanddemocracyathome…Thoughsomewhitesrecognizedthecontradictionsindenying
theballottoblackmenwhohadriskedtheirlivesfordemocracytheyremainedsilent.Black
registrationdrivesmetwithconsiderableresistance.”(92)
2. WhatpromptedsixtyblacksoldiersfromCampButnertostormtheOxfordjail?(90-91)
3. DescribehowEddieMcCoyrespondedtothegrowingcivilrightsmovementinthesouth.Whattypesof
civilrightseventstookplaceinOxford?(93)
4. HowdidthemanagerofHerring’sDrugstorerespondtothesit-inathisstore?(94)
5. SummarizewhathappenedtoJamesLyonsafterthesit-inwasbrokenupbyKKKmembers.Whenrunning
tothepolicestationforhelp,howdidthepoliceofficerrespond?
6. EvaluatethesuccessofthevariouscommissionsandcouncilsthatexistedinOxfordandforthestateto
promotecommunicationandintegrationbetweenblacksandwhites.(96)Ifyoucouldgivetheleadersof
thesecommissionsandcouncilsadvice,whatwouldyoutellthem?
o “TheproblemofcoursewasthatwhiteSouthernersmayhaveneeded‘communication’asaway
ofcongratulatingthemselvesontheirpaternalisticgenerositytoward‘theNegro,’butblack
Southernersneededwhatamountedtoawholenewsocialstructure,onethatdidnotstigmatize
andimpoverishthem.”(96)
o “…Coltranetendedtostresstheimportanceof‘communication’betweentheraces,asifslavery
andsegregationhadbeensometerriblemisunderstanding.The‘raceproblem,’hiscalmwords
suggested,couldbesolvediftherightpeoplewereonthecommittee.”(97)
o “We’reaboutthreehundredyearslateforthe…‘GoodNeighborCouncil.’(97)
7. CharacterizeThadStem.DescribetheimpacthisfriendshiphadonVernonTyson,aswellasTimTyson.Do
youhaveafriendwhohasmadesuchahugeimpactonyourlife?Explain.
o “Hetaughtme,withisunforgettablestories,thatthepoetandthepreacher-ifthey’rebothdoingtheir
jobs-areonlyworkingdifferentsidesofthesamestreet,evenifThadwasprettysurethathissidewas
morefun.”(98)
8. WhattypesofchallengesdidVernonTysonfacewhentryingtohostintegratedchurchevents,suchas
invitingReverendGillespietospeakandhostingamemorialserviceforDr.King?Howdidhedealwith
thesechallengestohisdecisions?
9. WhatmessageisTysontryingtoconveywhenhesays,“Intheyearssincehismurder,wehave
transformedKingintoakindofinnocuousblackSantaClaus,genialandvacant,abenignvesselthatcanbe
filledwithwhatevergenericgoodwishestheoccasiondictates…?”(107)
10. DescribeDr.King’sviewsonpoverty.Whydoyouthinktheseviewsareoftenexcludedfrommodern
portrayalsandcharacterizationsofKing?
o “ThereremainsnoplaceinAmericanmemoryfortheeconomicvisionofKing,whosaidin1957,‘I
neverintendtoaccommodatemyselftothetragicinequalitiesofaneconomicsystemwhichtakes
necessitiesfromthemanyinordertogiveluxuriestothefew.’NotmanypeopletodayrecalltheKing
o
58
11.
12.
13.
14.
whodiesinanattempttoorganizethedowntroddenofAmericaintoanonviolentrevolutiontotake
politicalandeconomicpowerfromtherich.”(107)
o “Wemustrecognizethatwecan’tsolveourproblemnowuntilthereisaradicalredistributionof
economicandpoliticalpower.”(107)
HowdidAmericarespondtotheassassinationofMartinLutherKing,Jr.?Whydoyouthinkpeoplereacted
intheseways?
o “MorethanahundredcitieshadexplodedovernightintotheflamesKinghadworkedsohardto
forestall.”(108)
o RonaldReagan,thengovernorofCalifornia,blamedDr.King’sassassinationonKinghimselfandthe
politicsofnonviolentdirectaction,callingit“agreattragedythatbeganwhenwestarted
compromisingwithlawandorder,andpeoplestartedchoosingwhichlawsthey’dbreak.”(111)
DoyoufeelthatDr.King’svisionofracialequalityandreconciliationhascometofruitiontoday?Explain.
TimTysonconfrontshisown“receivedassumptionsthatwhitepeopleweresomehowbetterthanblack
people”,explainingthat“…whitesupremacywaslikethewaterandwewerethefish,andofcoursewe
werealldrenchedtotheskin.”(112)SpendsometimefollowingTyson’sexampleandself-reflect.Are
thereprejudices,biases,orothercharactertraitsyouinhabitthatcouldbeimproved?Explain.
Manywhiteemployersfeltthatbybeingkindtotheirblackemployees,theywerenotparticipatingin
society’sracistculture.HowdoesTysonviewthisattitude?
o “‘Whyshe’sjustlikefamilytous,’wasthepaternalistexplanation.(113)
o “Therewasnothingcleanaboutthewaywhitepeople’shousesgotcleanedinOxford,NorthCarolina,
includingourownhouse.”(113)
Chapter6-TheDeathofHenryMarrow
Pages118-145
1. Accordingtotheinformationgiven,howwouldyoudescribeHenry“Dickie”Marrow?
2. “AndhedidnotwanttogotoVietnam;likemostyoungAfricanAmericansofhisgeneration,he
consideredthisfiascoinSoutheastAsiaawhiteman’swarandablackman’sfight.”(119)Interpretthe
meaningofthisquote.WhymightMarrowandotherAfricanAmerican’shavefeltthisway?
3. WhydoyouthinkLarryTeelbeatandmurderedHenryMarrow?
4. WhydidBooChavisnotwanttogotothepolicestationafterhisassaultandHenry’smurder?
o “ItoldthemIwon’tgoingtothe…policestation,theywon’tgon’listentoawordIsaid…”(126)
o “‘Wewentdownthereandsatdownthere–westayeduntiltwointhemorning,’Chavisrecalled.
‘Mr.Yanceystayedwithmethewholetime.Theydidn’teventrytotalkwithme,theydidn’tdo
nothing.’”(127)
5. WhydoyouthinkthatsomeofOxford’sAfricanAmericancommunitychosetoriotafterHenryMarrow’s
death?(128)Doyouthinktherewasanywaytheriotscouldhavebeenprevented?Explain.
o “WordracedthroughblackOxfordthenextmorningthatTeelandhisboyshadkilledHenry
MarrowinfrontoftseveralpeopleandthatthepolicehadneitherarrestedTeelnorshownany
interestintalkingtothewitnesses;itwasseveraldayslaterbeforethepolicefinallygotaroundto
talkingtoBooChavis.”(128)
o TheangerintheblackcommunitythatTuesdaynightreflectedacommonbeliefthatTeelandhis
sonswereliterallygoingtogetawaywithmurder.”(128)
o “ItspeaksvolumesabouttheracialsituationintheUnitedStatesin1970thatvirtuallyevery
AfricanAmericaninthecountrybelievedthatwhitemencouldbutcherablackmaninpubicand
notevenfacearrestandprosecution,letaloneconviction.”(129)
6. Evaluatetheeffectivenessofrioting.
7. WhatdoyouthinktheMayor’spurposewasininstatingacurfewinOxford?Inwhatwayswereblacksand
whitesaffecteddifferentlybytheOxfordcurfew?
o “Afterthemurder,despiteMayorCurrin’scurfewandthepresenceofdozensofstatetroopers,
Oxfordwasatinderboxandmatcheswerenotinshortsupply.”(135)
8. HowdidwhiteandblackviewsoftheNorthCarolinaHighwayPatroldiffer?(138)
59
9. BasedonthehandlingofHenryMarrow’scase,evaluateSamCox’sstatementthat“thereisnojusticein
thejudicialsysteminGranvilleCounty.”(142)Citeevidencetobackupyouranswer.
10. WhattypesofracialinequalitiesweredescribedbyAfricanAmericansattendingtheHumanRelations
CouncilMeeting?(142)
11. “Theshootingandtheburningandthedestructionwhichfollowedit[theshooting]areonlythefever,not
thedisease…Thediseasehasbeenaroundforthreehundredyears.”(143)InterpretVernonTyson’s
meaning.Whatdoes“thedisease”symbolize?
12. Recounttheeventsof“BlackThursday.”Towhatothercivilrightseventsacrossthestatedid“Black
Thursday”compare?
Chapter7-Drinkin’ThatFreedomWine
Pages146-166
1. AssomecitizensreactedtothesituationinOxfordwithviolence,whydoyouthinktheyspecifically
targetedtobaccowarehouses?
2. “LikethemotherinOhiowhotoldajournalistthatsameweek,aftertheNationalGuardhadkilledfour
studentprotestors,‘AnybodywhoappearsonthestreetsofacitylikeKentwithlonghair…deservestobe
shot,’thedepartmentstoremanagerapparentlycaredmoreaboutwhatwasonDaddy’sheadthanwhat
wasinit.”(149)WhatdoesTysonmeanwhenhesaysthemanagercaredmoreaboutwhatwasonhis
father’sheadthaninit?Whatotherexamplescanyouthinkofwhenpeoplejudgeothersbytheir
appearanceratherthanthe“qualityoftheircharacter?”Howdoesthisrelatetoyourownexperiencesin
life?
3. CharacterizeGoldenFrinks.
o “‘IwasrestlessbecauseIhadbeenintroducedtoatypeoffreedomthatthetruthwasin.’Frinks
knewhisrole.‘Iwasthestoker,’helaughed,‘thatkeptthefireburning.Iwouldstickthatfiretoit
andshakeitandkeepithot.’”(151)
o “Racialseparatism,asaphilosophicalposition,madenosensetoFrinksatall.Buthesharedthe
BlackPowercohort’smilitantoppositiontowhitedomination,theirsensibleemphasison
economicuplift,andespeciallytheirfieryassertionofAfricanAmericanpride”(152-153).
4. HowdidFrinksandDr.Kingdifferintheirviewsofwhiteswhodidnotsupportthecivilrightsmovement?
o “Theoldfreedomfighterknewthatmanywhites,thoughtheybenefitedfromwhitedomination,did
notwholeheartedlysupportit,evenifmostofthedissenterswereafraidtosayanything.Dr.King,in
his‘LetterfromBirminghamJail,’arguedthatsuchpeoplewereoftenworsethanoutrightopponents.
ButFrinkssawthemasanopportunity.‘Alotofthegoodwhitescouldn’tjustcomedownhereand
speak.‘You’rewrong,Mr.Teel,’theycouldn’tsaythat,buttheyhadwhatyoumightcallasilencethatI
couldhear.Ifyouforgotthat,youwouldn’tbenowhere.AmanlikeTeel,gettinghisbadgeofhonor
fromthemurderofamanwhohadnocausetobeputtodeath,thatmanwassomewhatoutofplace.
Lotsofthemsupportedhim,butlotsofthemdidn’t,andsomethatdidwasashamedofthemselves.
Youcouldn’tforgetthat.”(152)
5. WhatphilosophiesdidFrinkssharewiththeBlackPowermovement?Inwhatwaysdidhediffer?(153)
6. WhatopportunitydidFrinksseeinOxfordafterthekillingofHenryMarrow?
o “AndinOxford,FrinksdetectedamomentofDivinepurposeandhistoricopportunityfortheshaken
movementtopickupthedisparatethreadsofprotestandrestitchfreedom’squilt.”(153)
7. WhyarecitizenssuchasHenryMarrowviewedaspartofthecivilrightsmovement,eveniftheyweren’t
activists?
o “‘AndafterOxford,wecouldalllookbackandsay,“Yougonnabeasymboltousforalongtime.””
(153)
8. WhatdidittaketoconvincetheChiefofPolicetoletHenry’sfuneralprocessionmarch?
o “YouknowaswellasIdothattighteningthevalveain’tgonnakeeptheboilerfromblowing.”(156)
9. WhydidVernonTysonandThadStemnotparticipateinthemarchdowntownafterHenryMarrow’s
funeral?
60
“Thetwoofthemduckedoutofthemarchandturnedtowardhome,andoutofhistory,fortherewas
nowhereelsetogo.”(159)
Inwhatwaydidthefailureofwhitestoparticipateinthefreedommovement(whetherbychoiceorby
exclusionfromtheBlackPowermovement)hinderprogress?Howmightoutcomeshavebeendifferentif
thiswerenotthecase?
o “Thetragicironywasthatbythetimemainstreamwhiteliberalshadmasteredafewversesto‘We
ShallOvercome,”theyoungBlackPowerinsurgentshadbeguntosneerthatthelyricsshouldbe
changedto‘weshalloverrun.’”(157)
o “Insomerespects,thesplitbetweenwhiteliberalsandblackradicalswasafailureofmemory.This
tragicpartingofthewaysoccurredacrossthecountry.Thatmayhavebeeninevitable,butitwould
havemixedandenduringconsequencesforAmericanhistory.”(159)WhatpointisTysonconveying?
o “Inthe1890’s,however,whenblackandwhiteNorthCaroliniansmanagedtosetasidesomeoftheir
differences,theircombinedforcesroutedcorporatedomination,returnedpowertolocal
governments,reformedelectionlaws,andregulatedsomeoftheworstexcessesofmonopoly
capitalism.”(161)
WhydidFrinksfeelitwasimportanttoleadMarrow’sfuneralprocessioninamarchtotheConfederate
monument?
o “Toconfrontwhitesupremacywasnotjustaboutconfrontingwhitepeople,Frinksbelieved,but
alsoamatterofstampingoutinternalizedfeelingsofinferiorityamongblacks.”(162)
o “ForhundredsofblackcitizensinGranvilleCounty,thiswasamomentofhealing,amomentwhen
theystoodupforthemselves,defyingsubjugationwithsuchforcedthatcenturiesoffear
evaporatedlikespilledlemonadeonhotpavement.
o Freedompoundedintheirhearts.Severalhundredblackcitizensmarchedsilentlytothe
courthouse,spiritssoaringwithpossibilitydespitethesadnessoftheoccasion.‘Wewasdrinkin’
thatfreedomwine,’Frinkslikedtosay.
WhydidBenChavisfeeltheConfederatemonumentneededtobemoved?
o “Themonumentneededtobemoved,hesaid,‘becauseit’sastigma,becauseitstandsfor
hundredsofyearsoarepressiveperiod-slavery,segregation,JimCrow,discrimination,bigotry,
andallofthatcomplicityofkeepingapeopledown.”(163)
WhattypesofdiscriminationdoesEddieMcCoyrecount?(164-165)
AccordingtoEddieMcCoy,whymightmiddle-classblackchildrenembracenonviolence,whereaspoor
childrenembraceviolence?DoyouthinkthattherearechildrentodaywhofeelasMcCoyfeltwhen
young?Inyouropinion,whatcouldbedonetohelpchildrenlikethis?
o “Theblackchildrenwhoseparentsmanagedtoprovidethemsomethinglikeamiddle-class
existence,McCoyexplainedtomyfatherandthecollegestudents,mightembracenonviolence.
Butthepoor,towhomthesystemhadbeenbrutallyindifferent,werefastertogrababrickora
firebomb.‘Itwasalwayspoorchildren,’McCoyobserved,‘peoplethatdidn’thavenothingtolose,
andtheirparentswerepooranddidn’thavenothingtolose…Wewasdispensable,wecouldsee
that…Iwasawrite-offkidfromthetimeIwasborn.Iwon’tgon’benothing,won’tnothinggon’
becomeofme,Iwon’tgon’finishschool,Iwassupposedtogotojail…’”(165)
o “‘Ariotisatbottomthelanguageoftheunheard,’Dr.KingtoldAmerica…”(165)
WhatdoesMcCoymeanwhenhesays“peoplenolongerappreciatedthesacrificesthathadbeenmade
regardlessofmethods…”?(166)
o “Intheyearssincethefreedommovementended,thememoryofwhathadbeenrequiredof
peoplefaded,McCoyexplainedtome,andpeoplenolongerappreciatedthesacrificesthathad
beenmaderegardlessofmethods.‘Iwasdoingthatstuffbackthen,sit-insandmarchesandallthe
restandnowadaysnobodyevenknowswhatitwaslike.Peoplerightnowthinkthatthewhiteman
openeduphisdrugstoreandsaid,‘Y’allcomeoninnow,integrationdonecome.’”
Chapter8-Our“OtherSouth”
Pages167-196
o
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
61
1. CompareandcontrastFrederickDouglass’sviewsonimprovingequalrightstothatofVernonTyson.
Whoseviewdoyoumostagreewithandwhy?
o “‘Powerconcedednothingwithoutademand,’asFrederickDouglasshadpointedoutacentury
earlier;itneverhadanditneverwould.Butmydaddylongedforjusticetorolldownlikewaters,
forthecrookedplacestobemadestraightandtheroughplacestobemadesmooth,andforall
fleshtoseeittogether.ButbothDaddy’scommittedChristianfaithandhisEleanorRoosevelt
liberalismledhimtoyearnthatwhitepeoplewouldconcedepowerratherthanblackpeople
merelyseizeit.”(168)
2. WhereasTysonnotesthatsomepeoplecriticizedhisfamilyforbeing“fanatics”intermsoftheirviewson
race,howdoeshecharacterizehisfamily?
3. WhatdoesTysonmeanwhenhereferstomanyaccountsofthecivilrightsmovementbeing“conventional
narratives”fullof“saintsandheroes?”Whydoyouthinksomuchofthecivilrightsmovementhasbeen
reducedtosuchnarratives,ratherthantoldinarealisticandtruthfulway?
o “Somepeoplecriticizedmyfatherandsomeofhisbrothersforbeing‘fanatics,’anditwouldbe
soothingandself-congratulatorynow,afterthefact,toacceptthatcritiqueandportraymy
kinfolksasthekindofsaintsandheroesthatpopulatemanyconventionalnarrativesaboutthecivil
rightsmovement.”(169)
o ButthetruthisthattheTysons…were[not]crusadingheroesorpoliticalleaderssomuchasthat
theywerepassionate,willful,stubbornChristiansrespondingtotheworldaroundthem….they
drankdeeplyfromthatuncompromisingandrebelliouspridethatmovesintheheartsofboth
ruthlesstyrantsandsaintlyvisionaries”(169).
o “…wedowelltorememberthattheyrebellednotonlyagainstanunjustsocialorderbut
sometimesagainsttheirownbestlights,too.”(170)
4. Throughoutthebook,Tysonexplainsthatheandhisfamilywere“notuntainted”bywhitesupremacy,yet
theywere“dissentersfromthemajorityopinionamongwhitesonthematterofrace.”(170)Whatfactors
influencedhisfamilytobemoresupportiveofequalrightsthanmanyotherwhitecitizens?
o “Termslike‘niggerlover’wereintendedtohurt,buttheybecameabadgeofhonorfortheTyson
boys.”(186).
5. Tysondevotesmuchtimeinthebooktobeingself-reflectiveofhimselfandhisfamily,honestlysharing
thatwhiletheywereperhapsmoreopen-mindedthanmanywhitecitizens,therewerestillnotperfect.
Whyisitimportanttoconstantlyexamineandreexamineyourownprinciplesandbehaviors,inallaspects
oflife?
o “Mostofuswouldratherclaimtohavealwaysbeenperfectthanadmithowmuchwehavegrown.”
(176)
6. Whowere“theRedStrings”andforwhatreasonsdidmenjointhem?(171)
7. WhendiscussingtheCivilWar,whatmisconceptionsdoesTysonnotethatwhitesupremacistshave
spread?
o “SomeofthemwilleventrytotellyouthattheslavesloyallysupportedtheConfederacy,whichisjust
a…lie.Infact,assoonasfederaltroopsunderGeneralAmbroseE.Burnside,guidedbyrunawayslaves,
invadedeasternNorthCarolina,thousandsofthose‘loyaldarkies’fledstraighttotheUnion
encampments.”(172)
8. WhatcontradictiondoesTysonnoteregardingtheassumptionthat“poor,ruralwhiteSoutherners”are
the“worstracistsinthecountry”?
o “Thoughpeopletendtothinkofpoor,ruralwhiteSouthernersastheworstracistsinthecountry,
thesewerenotthepeoplewhoredlinedblackfolksoutoftheirneighborhoods,thewaynorthern
bankersandrealestateagentsdid.TheywerehardlyinapositiontokeepblacksoutofAmerica’smost
eliteschools,thewaynortheasternacademicsdid.AndwhitecountrypeopleintheSouthoftenlived
rightalongsideblacks,insimilarmaterialconditions,whichbothsoftenedandsharpenedracial
clashes.”(178)
9. Basedontheexperiencessharedinthischapter,howwouldyoucharacterizethelifeofapoor,ruralwhite
tenantfarmer?Whatdidpoorwhiteshaveincommonwithblacks?
62
“Thelandscapepoorwhitessharedwithblacks,inroughandunequalfashion,wasahardhanded
worldofhogkilling,hookworm,andbackbreakinglabor,wheretheGreatDepressioncameearlyand
stayedlate…”(179)
10. Inwhatwaysdoyouthinktheracismheldbysomepoorwhiteshinderedthem?
o “KarlMarxexaggeratedonlyslightlyinpointingoutthatpoorwhiteshadnothingtolosebuttheir
chains.ButMarxcouldn’thaveknownthatthelinksthatwhitesupremacyandtheCivilWarhad
hammeredintothosechainsgavewhiteworkingpeopleinDixieabone-deepsenseofthemselvesas
whiteSoutherners,tiedtoabloodyhistorythatusuallypittedthemagainstAfricanAmericans,evenin
oppositiontotheirowninterests.”(178)
11. HowdidsomeChristiansjustifywhitesupremacy?
o “TheracialviewsoftheAlmightywerewellknowntothewhitecitizensofeasternNorthCarolina.
MostwhiteChristiansbelievedthatwhitesupremacywasthewillofGod…”(182)
o WhiteSoutherners,withtheirabidingsenseofplace,alsosawGod’sblessingforthesocialorderin
thenaturalworldaroundthem.‘Segregationisafundamentallawofnature…andthe
mockingbirdsandrobinsleadseparateandpeacefullives.’Anychallengetowhitesupremacy
wouldrepresent‘aviolationofGod’seternallawsasfixedasthestars,’theNorthCarolina
superintendentofschoolstoldanauditoriumfilledwithAfricanAmericancollegestudentswhen
myfatherwasaboy.IfGodhadintendedblackandwhitepeopletomixasequals,mostwhite
folksfigured,Hewouldnothavemadethemdifferentcolors.’”(183)
12. WhydidTim’sUncleEarlrefusetomovefromthe“coloredsection”ofthecourthouse?Whateffectdid
thisonedecisionhaveonhimandhisfamily?
Chapter9-TheCashRegisteratthePoolHall
Pages197-219
1. Whydidthetoneofthe“BlackPowercrowd”disturbthe“older,moretraditionallymindedAfrican
AmericansinOxford?”(197-198)
2. DescribetheconflictbetweentheBlackPowermovementandthetheoryofnonviolence.Howdidactivists
whocondonedviolenceorthosewhoacceptedviolenceasalastmeasureofresponsejustifyit?Inyour
opinion,whichapproachismoreeffective?Citeevidencefromthebookorfromyourknowledgeofhistory
todefendyouranswer.
o “TheassassinationofDr.Kingsealedthedeathofnonviolence,evenasatacticalapproach.Inshort,
virtuallynobodybelievedanymore,asDr.Kinghad,that‘unarmedtruthandunconditionallovewill
havethefinalwordinreality.’AndinOxford,themurderofHenryMarrow‘madeuslookagainat
everyaspectofoursituationhere,’BenChavisexplained.‘Thefactthattherewerenoblacksworking
downtown.NotoneinCityHall,notevenasecretary.Thehighest-rankingblackofficerinthepolice
departmentwasapatrolofficer.Noneinthefiredepartment.AndlotsofOxfordstillsegregated.I
mean,wejustdecidedenoughwasenough.’”(198)
o “’WhatTeeldidwasanactofracialviolence…Andwhatthepoliceandcourtsdidwastosustainthis
racialviolence.Whatthewhitebusinesscommunitydid,excludingblacksfromemploymentand
stigmatizingthemwithsegregation,wasadifferentkindofracialviolence.Andviolencebegat
violence.”(202)
o “TheliberalRaleighNewsandObservercondemnedthe‘tossingofrocksandbottlesandfirebombs’in
Oxfordas‘themostfruitlessformofprotestimaginable,’arguingthat‘discussionisamorepromising
waytoracialaccommodationthandestruction.’ButtheindisputablefactwasthatwhitesinOxforddid
notevenconsideralteringtheracialcastesystemuntilrocksbegantoflyandbuildingsbegantoburn.”
(204)
3. DescribetheculturethatevolvedattheSoulKitchen.(198-199)
4. AccordingtoRichardWright,whatwerethethreeoptions“ablackmanintheJimCrowSouthhad…with
respecttowhitepeople…?”Howwouldyoucharacterizetheseoptions?
o “RichardWrightonceobservedthatablackmanintheJimCrowSouthhadthreeoptionswithrespect
towhitepeople,noneofthempoliticallypromising.Hecouldadoptadocileandreligionsposture,
o
63
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
acceptinghisracialsubordination.Hecouldplaythepartofthe‘respectableNegro,’superiortothe
poorblacksbeneathhim,andtherebybecomecomplicitintheracialcastesystem.Orthefinal–and
frequentlysuicidal–optionwastoadoptthe‘criminalattitude’oftheblackdesperado,the‘bad
nigger’whohauntedthefearfulimaginationofthewhiteSouth.Thisalmostnihilisticfigureaffirmed
whiteterrorsthatwhatlaybehindblackmasksofservilitywasaboilingblackragethathadfewother
outlets.”(200)
WhenTysonsaysthat“…asthemovementgrew,thedivisionsgrew,too,manyofthemalonggenerational
lines…,”describethedivisionstowhichheisreferring.(200)
o “Theincongruousresult,ofcourse,wasthatwhitecityofficialstriedtonegotiateanendtotherioting
andthearsonwithpeoplewhocouldnothavedoneanythingtostopit.”(201)
Atseveralpointsinthischapter,itisnotedthatcivilrightsactivistsfelttheyneededtoplace“economic
pressure”onwhites.Whydoyouthinktheyfeltthiswouldbringaboutchange?Doyouagreeordisagree
thatthistacticiseffective?Explain.
o “Butifhedidnotendorseororganizeviolence,Chaviswasmorethanwillingtousetheviolence
committedbyothersasnegotiatingleverage.TheheartofChavis’spoliticalstrategywaseconomic
pressureagainstthemostwealthyandpowerfulwhites.Thoughhedidnotcounselfirebombing,he
rationalizedblackviolenceagainstwhitepropertybyplacingitinthecontextfromwhichithad
emerged.”(201)
o “’Itwaslikewehadacashregisterupthereatthepoolhall,;oneofthearsonistsrecalledyearslater,
‘justringinguphowmuchmoneywedonecostthesewhitepeople.Weknewifwecost’em
enough…moneytheywasgon’startdoingsomething.’”(204)
“Eleveno’clockonSundaymorningcontinuedtobe,asDr.Kinglikedtopointout,themostsegregated
hourinAmericanlife.”(207)Whyisthisironic?Arethereotherplacesinwhichsegregationstillexists
today,eventhoughnolongerimposedbylaw?Whydoyouthinkthisis?
Tysonnotesthathehas“oftenponderedwhetherornotmyfatherandhishandfulofalliescouldhave
donemoretopreservethetiesbetweenblacksandwhites.”(208)Inyouropinion,basedonwhatyou
haveread,couldVernonTysonandthefewotherswhothoughtlikehimhavemademoreofanimpacton
bridgingtheracialdivideinOxford?Explain.IfyoucouldgobackintimeandgiveVernonTysonadviceor
otherideas,whatwouldyousay?
o Butthatfearthathe’dexpressedinhisdiaryin1962-‘Ihopeitisnottoolate’-turnedouttobe
prophetic.Andinthelate1960s,whenBlackPowerhitthemfromonesideandthewhitebacklashhit
themfromtheother,whiteliberalslikemyfatherwereleftwithfewoptions.”(208)
o “MayorCurrinandCityManagerTomRaglandannouncedonthedayofthemarchthatsixbasketball
goalswouldbebuiltoncityproperty.That’sjusthowcluelesslocalwhiteauthoritieswere—they
thoughtthatblackpeoplemightstopcomplainingifthetownsimplybuiltenoughbasketballcourts.”
(211-212)
o Explainwhyitwaspointlessforthehigherofficialstotryandcalmdowntherioters.Whydidthey
continuetotry?
WhatvariousstrategiesdidOxfordofficialsusetotrytostoptheriotingandeaseOxfordtensions?Why
werethesestrategiesineffective?IfyouweretheMayorofOxfordin1970,whatwouldyouhavedone
differently?
o “MayorCurrinandCityManagerTomRaglandannouncedonthedayofthemarchthatsixbasketball
goalswouldbebuiltoncityproperty.That’sjusthowcluelesslocalwhiteauthoritieswere—they
thoughtthatblackpeoplemightstopcomplainingifthetownsimplybuiltenoughbasketballcourts.”
(211-212)
WhydidChavisandOxfordorganizersplanafifty-milemarchtoRaleigh?(211)
Thecivilrightseraismarkedthroughoutbymanymarchesandprotests.Whatisthepurposeofthese
tactics?
WhatdidthemulehaulingDr.King’scoffin,aswellasthesuggestedcoffinofHenryMarrow,symbolize?
(212)
o Inyouropinion,wasthemarchtoRaleighasuccess?Whyorwhynot?“Thegovernor’srefusalto
acknowledgetheprotestreignitedtheangerofblackincendiariesinOxfordwhofeltthathispolitical
64
postureshowedthatheandthewhite-dominatedstateapparatusstoodwiththemurderersofHenry
Marrow.”(219)
Chapter10-PerryMasonintheShoeshineParlor
Pages220-246
1. WhywereOxford’sblackveteransburningvariouswarehousesandbuildingsinOxford?Whatwas
effectiveaboutthisstrategy?Whatwasineffective?
o “Theycouldgetanall-whitejuryandlet’emoff,theycouldsureenoughdothatiftheywantedto,”
oneoftheblackmensaidyearslater,“butweweregoingtosureenoughlet’emknowthatwewon’t
gonnatakethatshit.”(220)
2. WhatwastheimpactofthefiresonthesmalltownofOxfordanditsresidents?
o “Whatwouldcomeofallthisdestructionandangerandfear?Ididnotknowenoughhistoryto
understandwhatwashappening,anditwouldbemanyyearsbeforeIdid,butOxfordwouldburnin
mymemoryfortherestofmylife.”(222)
3. AccordingtoJudgeMartin,he“‘harborednoprejudice’againstAfricanAmericans…‘Iwasraisedina
mainlyblackcounty,’hewasquotedassaying.‘Iatewiththemandplayedwiththem.Wehadan
instinctivelovefortheNegrorace.Why,mysecretaryisblack.ThatshouldshowyouhowIfeelabout
them.’”(229)Inyouropinion,dohiscommentsprovehisacceptanceofblackpeople?Whyorwhynot?In
whatwaysareJudgeMartin’sattitudestowardsblackpeoplerepresentativeofmanywhiteattitudes
towardsblacks?
4. “Teelwasthewhitechampion,”saidawhitewomanbornofanoldandprestigiouslocalfamily.“Itwasthe
fearofintegration–itwasnotsomuchthatyouidentifiedwithTeelbutthathisskinwaswhite.Itwaslike
youhadtobanktogether.”(230)Giventhisattitudeamongsomemembersofthewhitecommunity,how
mightanallwhitejuryaffecttheoutcomeofthetrial?
5. Inwhatwaysdidthedefenseplayontenseracialattitudestosupportitsside?
o “Foradefiantyoungblackmantoputhishandsonawhitemanincourtcouldnothelpbutmake
whitejurorsuneasy,butthejudgedidnotintervene.”(234)
6. Whywereseveralwitnessesafraidtotestify?(234)
7. Inyouropinion,whatwasthemostimportantpointmadebytheprosecution?Thedefense?
8. Whatinconsistencieswereevidentinthedefense’sargument?
9. WhatdoestheverdictinHenryMarrow’smurdertrialsayaboutracialissuesinthe1970s?
o “‘Ifyouturnthesemenloose,’Fergusontoldthejury,‘youmayaswellhangawreathonthe
courthousedooronyourwayout,becausejusticeisdeadinGranvilleCounty.’”(241)
o “’Thisisoneofthemostseriouscasesevertobetriedinthisstate,’Burgwynnoted,openinghisbrief
summation.‘Theoutcomewillaffecteventsinthiscommunity,theentirestateofNorthCarolina,and
acrossthenation.’ThemurderofHenryMarrowwas‘auseless,senselessdeath,’hesaid,butit
occurred‘atamomentofgreatupheavalonthesubjectofrace.Wecannottelltheworldthatwehave
onesystemofjusticeforNegroesandanotherforwhites,’Burgwynadvisedthejury.”(242)
10. Thecourtreporterrecalledababy’scriesechoingthroughthecourtroomatabreakintheprosecution’s
closingargument,andhowitmadeherthink“hownoneofthiswastheirfault,noneofit.Allofthiswas
ourfault,nottheirs.Itwasallourfault.’”(242-243)Whatdoyouthinkshemeantbythis?
11. Imaginethatyouaresittinginthecourtroomwhentheverdictcomesback“notguilty”.Howdoyou
imagineyouwouldfeel?Whatwouldyouthink?Howwouldyourespond?
12. DoyouagreewiththeNewsandObserver’sclassificationofTeel’strialasa“shamandamockeryof
justice”?Whyorwhynot?Inwhatotherwayswouldyoudescribethetrial?(245)
o “Yearslater,referringtothepopulartelevisionattorneyofthetime,whosecasesalwaysendedwitha
dramaticcourtroomtwist,Burgwynsaid,‘ItwasjustaPerryMasonkindofthing.’”(225)
o “JimmyChavishadheldHenryMarrow’sheadinhislaponthewaytothehospital.‘Thatcourt,’Chavis
toldmeyearslater,‘thatcourtwon’tnothingbutashoeshineparlor.”(246)
65
13. IsthereanythingthatcouldhavebeendonetoensureafairtrialforHenryMarrow?Explain.
14. Inyouropinion,whatwasthegreatestinjusticethroughoutthepreparationforandduringHenry
Marrow’smurdertrial?
Chapter11-WeAllHaveOurOwnStories
Page247-287
2. WhatdoesTysonmeanwhenhesays,“Buttruthandfalsehoodkeephouseonbothsidesofthecolorline,
andweallhaveourownstoriestotell?”(247)
3. Whydidsomeblacks,particularlycitizenswhodidnotparticipateinthemovement,“sometimesdismiss
themovementwithawaveofthehand”?(247)
o “Havingmissedthefreedomtraininthe1960sand1970s,thebystandersnowtoldthestorythat
thetrainhadnevercome,thatfreedomhadbeenaneasywalk,orthatthetrackshadbeenlaidby
afederalgrant.”(248)
4. WhymightAfricanAmericancitizenshavechosennottoparticipateinthemovement?Ifyouwerea
middleclassAfricanAmericanlivinginOxfordin1970,whatdidyouhavetolosebyparticipatingincivil
rightsprotests?Whatdidyouhavetogainbyparticipating?ImaginethatyouwereanOxfordresident
duringthistime.Doyouthinkyouwouldhaveparticipatedoravoidedparticipatinginthecivilrights
movements?Explain.
5. Discussandevaluatetheroleofthefederalgovernmentduringthefreedommovement.Whatstepsdid
thegovernmenttaketoensuretherightsofAfricanAmericancitizens?Doyoufeelthegovernmentdid
enough?Whyorwhynot?Inyouropinion,what(ifanything)shouldthefederalgovernmenthavedone
differently?
o Brownv.BOE,1954
o CivilRightsActof1964
o VotingRightsActof1965
o “Theroleofthefederalgovernmentintheblackfreedomstrugglewasconsiderable–andyet
addeduptolessthanhalftruth,offeredatleastinparttodefendthestorytellersagainstthefact
thatmanyofthemwerefreedbyamovementtheyhadbeenafraidtosupport.”(248)
6. AccordingtoTyson,whydidAfricanAmericanssometimesreacttotheinequalitytheywereexperiencing
withviolence?
o “Andsosometimesitwasnecessarytoescapefromanendlessandpointlessconversationwith
whitepaternalismbystrikinghardandsometimesviolentlyagainstthearchitectureoftheir
oppression-Oxford’stobaccowarehousesbeingonlythelocalexample.”(249)
7. Whatroledoesmemoryplayinshapingourhistory?
8. Describetheflawedmemoriesandconceptionsofthefreedomstrugglethatexist.Whydoyouthinksuch
misunderstandingshavedevelopedovertime?
o “Thestrugglewasfarmoreviolent,perilous,andcriticalthanAmericaiswillingtoremember.
Thosewhotellthemselvesthatwhitepeopleofgoodwillvoluntarilyhandedoverfirst-class
citizenshiptotheirfellowcitizensofcolorfindcomfortinselectivememoryandwishfulthinking.
Andthosewhobelievethatthefederalgovernmentrodeoverthehilllikethecavalry
andrescuedthepoorblackfolksfromwhite‘rednecks’haveforgottenorneverknewwhathappened
inthecivil-rightseraSouth.”(249)
9. DescribetheroleoftheGranvilleCountySteeringCommitteeforBlackProgress.(249-252)
10. Beyondtheinjusticeexperiencedinthecourtsystem,inwhatwaysdidblacksexperienceinequalityin
Oxford?(250)
11. InwhatwaysdidtheblackcommunityinOxfordworktoensureparticipationandsupportoftheboycott
amongallAfricanAmericans?WhatimpactdidtheboycotthaveonOxford?
12. Tysonexplains,“Thesocialchangeswroughtbytheblackfreedommovementcameaboutbyacomplex
mixtureofviolenceandnonviolence,economiccoercionandmoralappeal.”(252)Citeexamplesfromthe
movementinOxfordthatfallintoeachofthesethreecategories.Citeexamplesfromthemovement
acrosstheentireSouththatfallintoeachofthesecategories.
13. WhydidtheTysonfamilymovetoWilmington,NC?
66
14. DescribetheexperiencesofwhiteandblackstudentsduringintegrationatRoland-GriseJuniorHigh
School.
o “Inariot,itwasalways‘saltandpepper,’andyoueitherranorfought;nobodystoppedtocheck
yourpoliticalcredentials.”(259)
o “…Irealizedthatwewereinthemiddleofasocialrevolutiongonesour.”(262)
15. ExplainTyson’smeaningwhenhesaysthathisfatherwas“mireduptohisanklesinwhitepaternalism.”
o “Asawhiteliberal,myfather’sunconsciouswhitesupremacytemptedhimtofeelthatheknewwhat
wasbestfortheblackfreedomstruggle.”(266)
16. WhydidVernonTysongotovisitBenChavisattheChurchoftheBlackMadonna?Describetheirmeeting
anditsoutcome.
17. Tysonstates,“Weareallthecaptivesofourorigins,especiallywhenwedonotfullyknowandunderstand
them.”(265)Intheparagraphsthatfollow,what“paradoxesandpredicaments”doesTysonnotefrom
historythatillustratethis?
18. Howdidthosewhoparticipatedintheslavetrade“justify”it?(266)Howdosuchhistoricalinjusticesstill
affectustoday?
19. DescribetheeventsthattookplaceinWilmingtononFebruary6,1971.(268-270)
20. Whenreferringtothetrialofthe“WilmingtonTen,”whydoesTysonsaythat“itbecameclear,whatever
thefactsofthecase,thattheprosecutionhadflungdownanddancedupontheU.S.Constitution?”(269)
21. “Sometimesmurderdoesitsbestworkinmemory,afterthefact…Terrorliveson,continuingtoserveits
purposelongaftertheviolencethatgaverisetoitsends.”(270)HowdoesthisstatementbyGlenda
GilmoreapplytotheWilmingtonRaceRiotof1898?
22. WhydidTimTysonleavehome?
o “Likemanypeopleinthemid-1970s,myyoungfriendsandIweretryingtoescapefromhistory.We
lovedDr.Kingandtheblack-and-whitefilmfootagewe’dseenofthemovementinthestreetsofthe
civilrights-eraSouth.Welovedtheidealismoftheyoungpeoplewho’dgonetoMississippianddied
someofthem,tochangeAmerica.Butthatwasnotourgeneration.Thedreamsofthecivilrights
movementandtheNewLeftthatinspiredus,eventhoughwe’dbeentooyoungtogotoSelmaor
Chicago,hadsouredintoagoniesofassassination,defeat,anddelusion.Taughttobelieveinleaders,
wecametobelievethatanybodywithafightingchancetoalterthereactionarytrajectoryofAmerican
politicalhistoryendedupassassinated.Trainedtoreveredemocracy,wesawtheAmericanpresidency
disintegrateontelevisioninanelectronichazeoflie.”(279)
23. Tysonreferstoalossof“akindoffaiththatIwonderedifIwouldeverfindagain.”Interpretwhathe
means.
o “Myownscrawledindictmentagainsttheworldhadbegun,thoughitdidnotend,withthewords
‘DaddyandRogerand’emshot’emanigger.’Somepeople’sworldsareorganizedaroundawartime
trauma,aluckybreak,acrucialmentor,oralostloveaffair.Astheyearspass,theycometoseethe
wholeworldthroughthatparticularlensoflossorluck.Inmycase,whatwaslostwasakindoffaith
thatIwonderedifIwouldeverfindagain.”(286)
Chapter12-GoBacktotheLastPlaceWhereYouKnewWhoYouWere
Pages288-310
1. “If,inmovingthroughyourlife,youfindyourselflost.”SaidBerniceJohnsonReagon,theguidingspiritof
theSNCCFreedomSingersandnowSweetHoneyintheRock,“gobacktothelastplacewhereyouknew
whoyouwere,andwhatyouweredoing,andstartfromthere.”(288)InwhatwaydoesTysontakethis
advice?
2. WhywasTysonanxiousregardingvisitingRobertTeel?Describetheirmeeting.
3. HowdidTeelcharacterizethekillingofHenryMarrow?
o “ThekillingofHenryMarrow,itbecameclear,wasthecrucialpointatwhichhislifehadfallenapart,
andTeelsawhimselfastheprincipalvictiminthematter.”(290)
67
“TeelissuedwhatheconsideredthesummaryassessmentofwhathadhappenedbackonMay11,
1970:‘Thatniggercommittedsuicide,wantingtocomeinmystoreandfour-letter-wordmydaughterin-law.’ThatwasthemomentIbecameahistorian.”(293)
WhyisitironicthatTeelcommented“howmucheasierlifewouldbeifhehadbeenablackman?”(291)
WhydidTeelfinallyagreetotellTysonwhathappenedonMay11,1970?
WhatdoesTysonfindwhenhegoestotheOxfordlibraryandLedgerofficeforbackissuesoftheOxford
PublicLedger?Similarly,whatdoeshefindwhengoingtothecourthousetoreviewtherecordsofthe
arrestsandtrial?Whydoyouthinktheinformationwasmissing?Howmightthissamescenariohave
appliedtootherhistoricalhappenings,andhowdoessuchaffectourunderstandingofhistory?
o “Itbafflesmethatpeoplethinkthatobliteratingthepastwillsavethemfromitsconsequences,asif
throwingawaytheemptycakeplacewouldhelpyoulostweight.”(295-296)
o “Forawhiteboy,itseemed,itwaseasiertocrossthecolorlinethantopenetratethewhiteveilof
silence.”(296)
WhydoesTysonguessthatBillyWatkins’ssupportersmayhavesomethingtodowiththedisappearances
oftheOxfordPublicLedgers?(296)
CharacterizeWatkins’viewsonrace.
o “Itwasn’tasbadasIprobablythoughtitwas,hetoldme.Blackpeopleandwhitepeoplehadalways
gottenalonginGranvilleCounty.‘Ablackmanwasmyhuntingpartner,’hesaid.‘Hekeptthedogsand
fedthem,andIboughtthefeed.Relationswerealwaysgoodhere.Ablackmankeepsmyhorsesnow
I’vegothorses,andwasraisedonafarm,andwehadsomeblacksouttherewhostayedonourfarm
forfiftyyearsandmore.’”(297)
o “Likemanywhitepeople,mostofwhathethoughtheknewaboutracehe’dlearnedfromAfrican
Americanswhohadworkedforhisfamily,andmostofitwasludicrous…‘Youknow,’hesaidasI
turnedtoleave,‘ablackgirlworkedinmyofficeduringthatwholetrial.’”(297)
SummarizeTim’sexperienceatthepolicestationandafterwards.Whydoyouthinktheofficersare
adamantthathenotwriteabouttheMarrowincident?Howmightresponsessuchasthisaffectthehistory
thatwearetaught?
Describewhathappenedin1992whenTysonandhisfriendHermanwenttoseePercySledgeperform.
Thoughthisexperiencewaspainfulandembarrassing,whydoesTysonfeelitshouldnotbeforgotten?
o “ThelandthathadproducedHitlerseemedsaferforamixed-raceAmericanfamilythanthenation
thathadliftedupMartinLutherKingJr..”(306)
o “Whatoccurredtomethenandstillstrikesmenowishowmuchofthepainfulpastwehaveyetto
confront,evenwhenweloveoneanotherandthinkthatweknowoneanother.Somuchofwhat
agonizesanddividesusremainsunacknowledged.Evenmoreofitsimplyfadesintooblivion.Thereit
shouldstay,manypeopleseemtothink-whydredgethisstuffup?Whylingeronthepast,whichwe
cannotchange?Wemustmovetowardabrighterfutureandleaveallthathorrorbehind.It’struethat
wemustmakeanewworld.Butwecan’tmakeitoutofwholecloth.Wehavetoweavethefuture
fromthefabricofthepast,fromthepatternsofaspirationandbelonging-andbrokendreamsand
anguishedrejections-thathavemadeus.Whattheadvocatesofourdangerousanddeepeningsocial
amnesiadon’tunderstandishowdeeplythepastholdsthefutureinitsgrip-even,andperhaps
especially,whenitremainsunacknowledged.Wearerunawayslavesfromourownpast,andonlyby
turningtofacethehoundscanwefindourfreedombeyondthem.”(307)
o
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Epilogue
Pages311-322
1. Howcanyouchallengeyourselves“toconfrontthedeepertruthsofAmericanhistory?”(312)
2. DescribewhatoccurredwhenTysonandhisstudentsvisitedDestrehaninLouisiana.WhywereTysonand
thestudentsfrustrated?HowdoesDestrehancomparetootherSoutherntouristspots?
3. Tysondescribeshisbookbysayingit“...isreallyastoryofthebluesandastoryofthegospel.Boththe
bluesandthegospelstartedasSouthernthingsbutspeaktothewholehumandilemma.Thebluesare
aboutlookingapainfulhistorystraightintheeye;thegospelisaboutcomingtogetherasacommunityof
68
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
faithinordertorisebeyondthatanguish.”(316)Howdoyourecommendcommunitiesgoabout“looking
apainfulhistorystraightintheeye”?Inyouropinion,whatwillittakeforusto“cometogether”and“rise
beyond”?
AccordingtoTyson,whatdoesittakeforunjustsocialorderstofall?
o “Unjustsocialordersdonotfallmerelybyappealstotheconsciencesoftheoppressor,though
suchappealsmaybeanimportantelement;historyteachesusthattheyfallbecausealarge
enoughnumberofpeopleorganizeamovementpowerfulenoughtopushthemdown.Rarelydo
suchrevolutionsemergeinaneatandmorallypristineprocess.”(317)
o “Moreoften,whatgrabbedwhiteAmerica’sattentionwasthechaosinthosestreetsandthe
threatofracewar.”(318)
WhatdoesTysondescribeasthemostpopularmemoryofDr.Kingandthecivilrightsmovement?Inwhat
wayisthememoryflawed?
o “Theproblemiswhywecherishthatkindofstory:becausewewanttotranscendourhistory
withoutactuallyconfrontingit.Wecannotaddresstheplacewefindourselvesbecausewewillnot
acknowledgetheroadthatbroughtushere.Ourfailuretoconfrontthehistoricaltruthabouthow
AfricanAmericansfinallywontheirfreedompresentsamajorobstacletogenuineracial
reconciliation.”(318)
Tysonnotesthatourfuturedependsupon“anhonestconfrontationwithourownhistory.”(319)Inyour
opinion,whatdoesthisentail?Howdoweconfrontourhistory,blackandwhite,honestly?Howdowe
bridgethe“enduringchasmofrace?”
o “Thathistoryrevealsthatthebloodthathassignedeveryoneofournames.Thesacrificehas
alreadybeenmade,inthebottomsofslaveships,intheportalsofEllisIsland,inthetobaccofields
ofNorthCarolinaandthesweatshopsofNewYorkCity.Thequestionremainswhetherornotwe
cantransfigureourbrokenpastsintoafuturefilledwithcommonpossibility.”(319-320)
o “Thathistoryisnotdistant.ManyofthosewhomarchedwithDr.KinginAlabamaandstartedthe
movementinOxfordwerethegrandchildrenofslaves.Theboywhotoldme“DaddyandRoger
and’emshot’emanigger:isbarelymiddle-aged.Andtheenduringchasmofraceisstillwithus,in
somewayswiderthanever.”(320)
WhatevidencedoesTysonnotethat“whitesupremacyremainslethal?”(321)
Whydoyouthinkthatit“remainseasierforourleaderstoapologizeforthepastthantoaddressits
lingeringimpactinoursociety?”Inwhatwaycanweencourageourleaderstochangetheseineffective
habits?
Author’sNote
Pages323-325
1. Tysonleftacopyofhismaster’sthesisintheOxfordlibrary,andexplainsthatsomeonehassincetornout
thepagesthatdescribethekillingofHenryMarrow.Whydidhenotreplacethepages?
o “Thosemissingpagesmakemycentralpointmoreclearly,insomerespects,thantheircontentsever
couldhave.Ourhiddenhistoryofracehasyettobefullytold,andwepersistinhidingfrommuchof
whatweknow.”(324)
2. “LoveandworkhavetaughtmethatEudoraWeltywasrightthatpeoplearemostlylayersofviolenceand
tendernesswrappedlikebulbs,anditisdifficulttosaywhatmakesthemonionsorhyacinths.”(325)What
messageistheauthortryingtoconvey?
3. HowdothelastwordsoftheAuthor’sNote,“There’stimeenough,butnonetospare,”makeyoufeel?
WhatdoyouthinkTyson’spurposewasinendingwiththesewordsinparticular?
4. Aftercompletingthisbook:
• IfyouwereabletospeaktoTimTyson,theauthor,whatquestionswouldyouaskhimandwhy?
• Ifyoucouldspeaktoanyonecharacterinthebook,whowouldyouwanttotalktoandwhy?What
wouldyouwanttosaytothem,orask?
• Whatisyourfavoritequoteandwhy?
69
•
•
“Inourfamilyatleast,ifyoudidn’ttakeastandatall,youweren’tmuchofamanormuchofa
preacher;the‘racequestion’wastheacidtestofintegrity.(64)Throughoutthebook,inwhatwaysdid
theTyson’s“takeastand?”
Tysonreferstoalossof“akindoffaiththatIwonderedifIwouldeverfindagain.”Uponcompleting
thebook,reconsiderthisstatement.DoyouthinkTysonfoundthatfaithoncemore?Whyorwhynot?
70
HistoricalConnectionsforFurtherExploration
Chapter1
• Useof“N”word
• ThemurderofEmmetTeel
• Brownv.BOE
Chapter2
• ControversyoverConfederatemonuments,theConfederateflag;buildings,roads,etc.beingnamedafter
peopleconnectedwithwhitesupremacy
• MLK’sconceptof“thingification”
• WEBDuBois
• Currentschoolsegregation
Chapter3
• KKK(historyof)
• SimeonOxendine
• MedgarEvers
• DaisyBates
• ThurgoodMarshal
• ReverendGlenSmiley,FellowshipofReconciliation
• JesseHelmsandStromThurmond
• CivilRightsAct
• VotingRightsAct
Chapter4
• Quakerviewsonslaveryandrace
• NAACP
• CharlotteHawkinsBrown
• MarianAnderson
• MLK’sviewsonwarandVietnam
• TheGreensboroSit-ins-February1,1960
• TheSouthernChristianLeadershipConference(SCLC)
• Sit-insandboycotts
• King’s“LetterfromBirminghamJail”
• Eugene“Bull”Connor
• Colonel“Stone”JohnsonandtheCivilRightsGuards
• PresidentJohnKennedy’sresponsestocivilrights
• AssassinationofMedgarEvers
• Dr.King’s“IHaveaDream”speech
• BombingofBirmingham’sSixteenthStreetBaptistChurch
• AssassinationofPresidentKennedyandDr.MartinLutherKing,Jr.
• Dr.SamuelProctorandtheNCAgriculturalandTechnicalCollege
Chapter5
• FreedomSummer,1964
• PhilipRandolph
• AfricanAmericancontributionstoWWIIandVietnam
• CongressofRacialEquality(CORE)
• GoldenFrinks,SCLC
• StudentNonviolentCoordinatingCommittee(SNCC)
• GovernorTerrySanford
Chapter6
• JohnHopeFranklin
• NatTurnersRebellion
71
• EmmettTill
• StokelyCarmichael
• RobertF.Kennedy
• EugeneMcCarthy
• BlackCulturalAssociation
• BlackPantherPartyandthe“TenPointProgram”
Chapter7
• “BlackPower”movement
• TheFBI’sCOINTELPROprogram
• FloydMcKissick(CORE)
• Sharecropping
Chapter8
• FrederickDouglas
• MylesHorton
• AnneandCarlBraden
• VirginiaDurr
• LillianSmith
• HouseUn-AmericanActivities
• The“Red-Strings”
• TheLittleRock9
Chapter9
• KentState,May4
• Augusta,Georgia,May12
• JacksonState,May16
Chapter11
• UnitedChurchofChrist’sCommissionforRacialJustice
• RightsofWhitePeople(ROWP)
• WilmingtonTen
• Scottsborotrialsofthe1930s
• BenChavis,NAACP
• NationofIslam,LouisFarrakhan,MillionManMarch
• MalxolmX
• TheGreensboroMassacre,1979(CommunistWorkersPartyandKKK)
• TheWilmingtonRaceRiotof1898
• Fusionmovement
72