African American Cultural Event
During this unit, you will participate in some activity outside of Conard related to Black History. You must attend a play, movie, lecture, or museum exhibit and then write a two page paper in response. My suggestions include:
1. Amistad collection of African American art at the Wadsworth Athenaeum
2. West Hartford Public Library in the center: Connie Nappier, Jr. Tuskegee Airman – Sunday Feb 6, 3:00.
3. Movie at Trinity’s Cinestudio: The Black Power Mixtape http://www.cinestudio.org/ current-schedule – See this documentary which includes Angela Davis, Stokely Carmichael, and Bobby Seale – Feb 9, at 7:30.
4. Movies: Red Tails
Download, Amistad, Glory, Rosewood, Malcolm X , Bamboozled, , (or another movie okayed by me)
5. Webb Deane Stevens tours focusing on slavery 2/18 and 2/25 http://www.webb-deane-stevens.org/events_calendar.html
6. Read several poems or view several paintings by the same African American author. This experience should be about 2 hours in length – so a series.
7. Read Warriors Don’t Cry.
8. Hartford History Center at the Hartford Public Library:
To Robert Charles Hudson, a monkey wrench is not just a monkey wrench, an hourglass is not an hourglass, a bear claw is not a bear claw.
These, and dozens of other visual cues, were used during the days of the Underground Railroad as designs on quilts. Quilters sympathetic to the abolitionist movement could use these symbols to embed a message into each quilt, which they then hung outside their homes. Escaped slaves could interpret the quilts and use the symbols to help them find a safe path to freedom.
Hudson, a prolific quilter, is the focus of a show at the Hartford History Center at Hartford Public Library, 500 Main St., “Exploring the Underground Railroad: Stories In Quilts and Canvas.” It will be there starting with a reception from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 26. The exhibit will run through Sunday, May 20.
9. Other Local Events: http://www.dailypress.com/entertainment/arts/hc-black-history-month-0205-20120201,0,3316987.story?page=2
10. Farmington’s role in return of Amistad people to Sierra Leone, February 18, 2 p.pm
10. If you choose something else, please check it first with me.
Your paper should be 2 pages and include the following:
•the date, time, place and title of your event
•information you learned, point of view, beauty of the event, what you never knew before, what the audience was like (Level 1)
•point of view of event -
- accommodationist – psychological adjustment on part of teh African American to attach to master, or white who was in charge to find a way to survive
- resistance – in lives separate from whites, African Americans develop their own culture; resiliency
- Revolution? Attack on system of slavery, Jim Crow which changes power relationships (Level 2)
•significance of this event to the community, and to you – that is, reflect on this event in relationship to African American HIstory. This paragraph could start with “I wonder whether”, (Level 3)
