Project: Africans, African-Americans and the American Frontier
Linda Ritchie – ENG 11A classes
Objectives:
To gain new knowledge about West African origins and early African-Americans
To explore enslaved people’s backgrounds and their life in America
To make connections to early African-American culture and its influences
To differentiate through the use of rubrics and varied grouping of students to
assess the needs/strengths of the class
Directions/Criteria:
You and your group will be researching cultures in five African countries: Ghana, Mali, Gambia,
Sierra Leone and Angola. These countries were selected as they were highly affected by the
slave trade. Each country has unique features in its culture. You will be working to discover
these distinct cultures. For your topic, you will be researching the following:
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Geography of the country
Language
Religion
Food
Music
Art
Stories/Storytelling
Customs
Other interesting facts
The above categories will be covered in a short research paper from each student who will be
assigned (within the group) two or more of the categories. As a by-product, you and the group
will need to create a visual aid that represents the country. This could be in the form of a poster
or another visual representation. Each of the topics will be featured. As a group, you will
present your culture to the class. Where possible, students should try to connect the country’s
culture to slave culture. Part of the group’s presentation will include sample(s) of the food of
that particular culture that will be shared with the class. A bibliography must be included.
Assessment: Each member will participate equally, as the grade given will reflect the work of
the group. You will be graded on the written portion of the project and the oral presentation
which includes the visual representation of the culture.
(See chart on next page)
African-Americans and the American Frontier – Linda Ritchie
Part I – Unit Lesson Plans (3)
Lesson One –
Title: Telling Slavery Stories: Interdisciplinary Lesson for 11th grade English/History
Pacing: 2 days (Block) 3 days traditional schedule + time for outside of class essay
Objectives:
--To use an interdisciplinary approach to understanding slavery in America through storytelling
and by writing historically and creatively.
--To engage students in exploration of enslaved people’s backgrounds and their life in America
--To make connections to early African-American culture and its influences on American culture
--To gain new knowledge about West African traditions through storytelling
Activity:
Group activity with no more than 3 per group. Teacher will choose who will tell the story.
Suggested Materials:
--images of Colonial slavery from the Jamestown/Yorktown Foundation
--Ben Latrobe watercolor of slaves hoeing
--“The Old Plantation” watercolor of slave musicians and dancers
--runaway slave ads/selling slave ads
--text selections of Olaudah Equiano, Phyllis Wheatley and Benjamin Banniker
--text selections from Thomas Jefferson (for opposite perspective)
Procedure:
--model a story with a beginning, middle and end
--divide students into groups and hand out materials to be included in their stories
--show pictures/images of enslaved persons at work
--have facts to be included in the story (criteria)
Assessment/Evaluation:
--have groups turn in papers they used to outline their stories
--have each group present completed story that has a beginning, middle and end
--Score groups using a rubric. Include student assessment of other groups for a grade (optional)
--Assign essays individually requiring each student to add one item that is different from the
group story
--Assign essays that require students to add a second part to the group story and tell what
happened by offering an alternative ending (may include historical or literary
Virginia Standards of Learning:
VAUS standards for History and Social Studies
English: 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4, 11.8
Lesson Two – Olaudah Equiano
Title: from “The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano” (“Kidnapped”)
found in the 11th grade literature text of Elements of Literature by Holt, Rinehart and
Winston, pages 56-66.
Pacing: 2 days (Block) and 3 days Traditional Schedule
Objectives:
--To engage students in exploration of enslaved people’s backgrounds and homelands
--To make connections to early African-American culture and its influences on American culture
through various and related activities
--To gain new knowledge about West African origins and early African-Americans
--To read, interpret, and analyze autobiography
Pre-reading:
--Read the brief biography from text introduction
--Read Make the Connection and make a KWL chart, filling out the first two columns and
leaving the last one blank to fill in after reading.
--Review any unfamiliar vocabulary words of the selection in the Words to Own section
--Examine a large map of Africa, highlighting the areas from which the slaves came and where
they were bound according to their region and area of expertise
Reading:
--Use the audio CD library Disc 2, track 4 to listen to the narrative, stopping the disc and asking
questions during reading such as, “What is your reaction to the opening sentence?” or “Why does
Equiano point out the relative kindness of the African slavers?”
--Discuss the drawings of the slave ships. Ask students what they would have done to keep their
courage up in such a situation.
Post-reading:
--brainstorm thoughts and reactions about the selection as a lead into an out of class essay
--Compare students’ first thoughts about life in the eighteenth-century West Africa and
Equiano’s actual experiences and their first thoughts about The Middle Passage and Equiano’s
actual experiences. Did any events from any part of the selection surprise them?
--fill in the last section of the KWL chart, discussing what they learned after reading the story
Assessment/Evaluation:
--Formal Assessment Selection Text
--Compare texts (Equiano and Bradford, Equiano and Wheatley or Banniker) in a formal essay
--Research foods introduced by the West Africans to the American diet and have a food day
where students will prepare a native West African dish to present to the class including the
background of the dish, the particular culture that brought it over, etc.
Materials: Textbook and ancillary materials/resources (see Part II Resources for supplementary
materials)
Virginia Standards of Learning:
11.2, 11.3, 11.4, 11.8, 11.10 (optional)
Lesson Three – Frederick Douglass
Title: from “The Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass” (The Battle with Mr. Covey)
found in the 11th grade text of Elements of Literature by Holt, Rinehart and Winston pp.
424-431.
Pacing: 1 day (Block), 3 days Traditional + outside of class essay or research paper
(optional)
Objectives:
--To gain understanding of the time period of the Narrative
--To read and interpret the autobiography
--To monitor students’ comprehension
--To express understanding through critical and creative writing
--To work collaboratively to assess the information presented in the narrative
Pre-reading:
--Have students read and discuss “The Rise of Realism”: The Civil War and Postwar” pp. 408422.
--Read and discuss “Spotlight On: Spirituals and Code Songs” pp. 432-434)
Reading:
--Use the audio Disc #11 track 2 to listen to the narrative, stopping when necessary for
comprehension purposes or to discuss various aspects of the selection.
Post reading:
--Discuss the questions related to Douglass’ Metaphors on page 431 either orally as a class or as
a writing assignment
--use the “Concepts in Conflict” on page 43 of Graphic Organizers for Active Reading to spark
group discussions as students fill in the chart and answer the questions.
Assessment/Evaluation:
--Activities listed above in pre-reading and post reading may be used for assessment purposes
--Formal Assessment: Selection Test, p. 88
--Expository Writing/Research paper using exercises outlined on pages 515-19, utilizing the
computer lab to allow for research and guidance for choosing a related topic of interest
--Using the “Shaping Interpretations” questions on page 430, group students to respond to the
questions, monitoring their specific contributions. Supply a rubric for this activity (optional)
Materials:
--Textbook and ancillary resources
--See Part II Resources for supplementary materials
Virginia Standards of Learning:
11.1, 11.3, 11.7, 11.8, 11.10 (optional)
Part II - RESOURCES
Internet
1. http://www.slaveryinamerica.org/history/hs_lp_cultures.htm
This website is a great source for detailed teacher- prepared lesson plans with activities
and assessments that are easily adapted to the high school classroom. Includes National
Curriculum Standards, Time constraints, Materials, Procedures, Rubrics and a link to
Related Works and Resources.
2. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/pf/13903289.html
In addition to offering a photo gallery (after all this IS National Geographic), this website
has articles with information that relate directly to information about the slave trade.
Excellent talking points to lead discussions in a middle or high school venue.
3. http://www.uni.edu/gai/Nigeria/Lessons/Contract
Focuses primarily on research-based projects and activities where students develop a
contract with the instructor. Includes helpful lesson plans and offers extensive variety of
activities to choose from for primarily high school or advanced middle schoolers.
4. http://www.docsouth.unc.edu/neh
An excellent website to use with high schoolers. This site gives an overview of the
institution of slavery in an easy- to- read -and -understand context. In addition to the
value of the study, historical and literary aspects, it relates the importance of this project
by the University of North Carolina, to our nation. Use with English, US History/Social
Studies.
5. http://vgskde.net/prosjekt/slavrute/primary.htm
This “Excerpts from Slave Narratives” is edited by Steven Mintz from the University of
Houston. There are 46 narratives that run the gamut from a European slave trader John
Barbot, to Olaudah Equiano, to a James Martin remembering a slave auction. Very userfriendly. Accounts have high interest/easy to read appeal to grades 8-12. Can also be
used with lower level classes.
6. http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/pdf/kwl.pdf
KWL graphic organizer.
Books
1. Chamber, Douglas B. Murder at Montpelier: Igbo Africans in Virginia. University
Press of Mississippi, Jackson 2005.
Strangely, the book is less about the murder of Ambrose Madison (James’ grandfather)
and more about the culture of the Igbo slave community of Montpelier from the 1720’s to
the 1850’s. Extensive statistics and charts of ages and numbers of slaves to what primary
crops were grown (corn), production amounts, etc. and other facts and figures with stories
attached to each.
2. Gomez, Michael A. Exchanging Our Country Marks: The Transformation of
African-American Identities in the Colonial and Antebellum South. University of
North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill and London, 1998.
Loaded with riveting facts! For instance: “it was Americo-Liberians who organized
the
Masons and the United Brotherhood Fellowship in Liberia as male societies,
both are extremely secretive about affairs of the organization.” A great resource for
projects as the book explores the influences and impact that the enslaved had on an
emerging America. So much is included that it is hard to choose what to use on high
school level. Would make an excellent college text.
3. Hamilton, Virginia. Many Thousand Gone: African-Americans From Slavery to
Freedom. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1993.
Filled with captivating (no pun intended!) stories of a mix of well-known and littleknown people who helped shape America and managed to go from bondage to freedom
in the most extraordinary way. A great source for middle and high school classes of
students who struggle with reading. Also could be used with a storytelling unit.
4. Jones, Nancy Bondurant. Zenda: An African-American Community of Hope,
1869-1930. Good Printers, Bridgewater, Virginia, 2007.
I chose this book because it deals with local facts, figures and stories of Long’s Chapel,
a church established by newly freed African-American slaves. Zenda was an emerging
black community in neighboring Rockingham County. The book is filled with charts,
stories, and pictures of the people of the Zenda community and familiar names of the
area. Study of this well organized book could precede a field trip to the church which
is currently being restored.
5. Twitty, Michael. Fighting Old Nep: The Foodways of Enslaved Afro-Marylanders
1634-1864. Self-published paperback, 2008.
What a wealth of information that is interspersed with fascinationg facts and stories
about the food, culture and customs of the West Africans who came to America and
the foods they brought with them. Mr. Twitty covers the various tribes such as the
Wolof, the Asante and Fante, the Bankongo and their contributions to the food of
America. This cookbook is a great resource not only for research purposes but for an
opportunity for a food day with the students where they bring in dishes they have
prepared from the recipes. An excellent hands-on activity that they can appreciate.
Part III - JOURNAL
Day 1 – We did the tour of the Frontier Culture Museum, visiting the English house and
learning about spinning wool. Then it was on to the blacksmith forge where we learned
what “red hot” really means and then trekking to the Scotch-Irish farmhouse where we
learned that oatmeal was the staple, not the potato! Last stop was the Bowman house with
its unique heating system. Our day concluded with an American barbeque and getting
better acquainted with one another.
Day 2 – Morning activity was a fascinating lecture from Jak Njoku, Ph.d. He took us
backwards from America to the West Coast of Africa and the journeys back to the villages
of the soon to be slaves and how they were brought to the ports for shipment. Afternoon
activity was the much anticipated hearth cooking demonstration by Michael Twitty. It was
amazing to learn just how heavily influenced our food is today by what the slaves brought
over and introduced to the bland English diet. The list is almost endless. We also learned
that the enslaved Africans brought a penchant for being entrepreneurs. The prepared meal
was absolutely delicious. The rest of the afternoon was spent learning how to sing and
dance in the Igbo tradition and watching a power point presentation concerning the
conception and eventual completion of the West African Exhibit at the Museum.
Day 3 – The morning started with a woodworking demonstration by Jason Gordon of the
Duke Homestead. We all learned how to peel bark from a stick using tools that would have
been used by enslaved persons. The afternoon was a highly entertaining demonstration of
the oral tradition of storytelling by Dylan Pritchett. We paired off and came up with our
own stories based on old pictures of plantation slaves. We learned that we all have stories
to tell and to encourage our students to tell theirs. That evening we took a road trip to
Long’s Chapel in Rockingham County and learned the story of this building, the site and
the efforts to restore the church to its original structure.
Day 4 – Wrapping up our experiences were Linda Olson and Jean Wimmer from Newport
News who shared their wealth of information about Slavery in America, its impact,
importance, etc. We were given booklists, websites of virtual tours and related information
for our students. We had an opportunity to get together with our fellow grade-level
teachers and create a practical lesson plan that we could take back to our classrooms. I will
definitely use the information gathered at this Institute to use in my classroom.