Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Updates/Announcements: Featuring the Green Book!


Hi All - We had a great visit to the wonderful exhibit at the Bronx museum. If you weren't able to go, and would like to visit, I have passes for you to visit free. Directions are on their website here.

After the visit, post your impressions- what historical events did these photos shed more light on? If you can't make it, stay tuned for an alternative post. If you haven't yet signed up, let me know if you're coming.

If you can't make it up to the Bronx, take a look at this gallery of photos of civil rights figures. Click on some of the images and describe one that speaks to you - want does the photo and the story behind it suggest about the history of civil rights and the issues we've been discussing. The essay on this page is also interesting: what do you make of Obama's statement that African-American history is very different from the experiences of minorities in other countries?

For Monday: Choose one of these readings from the green book to report back on: what is the author's core argument and how does it relate to the themes we've been discussing? Which of authors would agree or disagree with these arguments?

1) Robin D.G. Kelley, excerpt from "Race Rebels" (p. 96-99)
2) Adoph Reed Jr., "Why is There No Black Political Movement?" (p. 99-100)
3) Thomas Frank, "Why Johnny Can't Dissent," (p. 316-27)

On essay 3: Be sure you have gotten your topic chosen and approved. Then begin looking for sources that talk about the context of your source, or that describe its reception or afterlives. See Step II on your handout for guidelines about this. Post links to the sources you find. Then start to think about theoretical/course texts to use. Make suggestions for your colleagues and post your own.

For the week of May 21st, begin your draft - see the second half of your handout for guidelines. Post a first or a body paragraph on the blog for feedback.

For those working with issues of the police and incarceration, this interview might be helpful: notice how the title of the author's book points to the connection to the civil rights era.