Posted: March 12th, 2023

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SEE ATTACHMENT

M8 “Still, We Rise”: 21st Century Freedom,
Social Justice, and the Future (2008-
Present)

1. 21st Century Freedom, Social Justice, and the Future (2008-

Present)

2. Life Was Good

3. Black Lives Matter

4. Concluding Thoughts

21st Century Freedom, Social Justice, and the Future (2008-Present)
Chronology Timeline

2008 Barack Obama becomes the first Black president of the United States
2009 Rapper Jay-Z breaks Elvis Presley’s Billboard magazine record for the most number-one albums by
a solo artist
2012 Trayvon Martin, an unarmed Black teenager, is fatally shot by George Zimmerman, a White
neighborhood-watch volunteer, in Sanford, Florida
2013 George Zimmerman found not guilty
2013 Formation of Black Lives Matter social movement seeking better treatment of African Americans
2014 Michael Brown, an unarmed Black teenager, is fatally shot by Darren Wilson, a White police
officer, in Ferguson, Missouri
2014 civil unrest and protests, drawing national and international attention to police brutality
2016 The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) opens to the public on
the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
2020 COVID-19 Pandemic reports show that African Americans are contracting the disease and dying of
it at far higher rates than White people
2020 George Floyd, an unarmed African American man, is killed while being pinned to the ground by
white police officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota
2021 Kamala Harris is the first female vice president and the highest-ranking female official in US
history, as well as the first African American and first Asian American vice president
2021 President Biden signs legislation declaring Juneteenth a federal holiday
2022 Senate confirms Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court

Let’s invite one another in. Maybe then we can begin to fear less, to make fewer wrong assumptions, to
let go of the biases and stereotypes that unnecessarily divide us. Maybe we can better embrace the
ways we are the same. It’s not about being perfect. It’s not about where you get yourself in the end.

There’s power in allowing yourself to be known and heard, in owning your unique story, in using your
authentic voice. And there’s grace in being willing to know and hear others. This, for me, is how we
become…Do we settle for the world as it is, or do we work for the world as it should be?

― Michelle Obama, Becoming

Becoming

At the age of six, Ruby Bridges probably didn’t think of herself as a trailblazer. However, her little
shoulders carried an enormous weight of the world to advance the cause of civil rights in 1960 when she
became the first African American student to integrate an elementary school in Louisiana. The school
district created entrance exams for African American students to see whether they could compete
academically at the all-White school.

Ruby and five other students passed the exam. Torn over what to do, her parents wanted Ruby to have
educational opportunities, but also feared for her safety. With a decision made, Ruby and her mother
were escorted by four federal marshals to the school every day that year. She walked past crowds
screaming vicious slurs at her, ate lunch alone, and never missed a day of school that year. Eventually,
Ruby Bridges would successfully complete her educational journey, go on to graduate and become a
lifelong activist. However, at the time, the Bridges family suffered for their courage. Her parents lost
jobs, stores refused to sell products to her mom, and her grandparents were evicted from a farm where
they had lived for 25 years. In 1964, artist Norman Rockwell celebrated her courage with a painting of
that first day entitled, “The Problem We All Live With.”

Thought-Provoking Question

• What inspired Rockwell to paint this portrait, which was a deviation from his normal paintings?

View the following interview with Ruby Bridges. Studies Weekly. (2015, December 1). Civil rights activist
Ruby Bridges [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_zysG5JSb8

Thought-Provoking Questions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_zysG5JSb8

• What was your life like as a child?

• What were your experiences in school like? Did you ever feel like an outsider?

• How did you respond to that? What experiences and opportunities allowed you to become who
you are today?

What would become of us?
The words of former First Lady Michele Obama in her memoir Becoming remind us that as individuals
our personal journeys of becoming are nuanced, unique, and often extraordinary. For many African
Americans living in the contemporary era, life’s journey is nothing short of contradictory. America is the
land of the free, the home of the brave, a land of opportunity, yet not equally attainable for all.

When Barack Obama was elected president in 2008, the country was facing a financial crisis, wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan, and a continuing global war on terrorism. President Obama faced major challenges
during his two-term tenure in office, including economic stimulus, healthcare reform, banking reform
and consumer protections, and a repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy preventing lesbian and gay
Americans from serving openly in the military. In the final year of his second term in office, Obama
spoke at two separate and moving events—the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights march from Selma to
Montgomery, and the dedication of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. “Our
union is not yet perfect, but we are getting closer,” he said in Selma.

“And that’s why we celebrate,” he told those attending the museum opening in Washington, “mindful
that our work is not yet done.”

As years would pass, we see that these words clearly resonate. But we must pause and ask:

• How far have we come as a nation since our inception?

• Have we realized Jefferson’s vision that “All men are created equal?”

• How do we define equality today?

• What specific work still needs to be done?
• In what ways are we, as a nation, “becoming,” as in the words of former First Lady Michelle Obama?

Knowledge Check
Let’s discover what you know about contemporary African American history.

Which of the following, also known as “Obamacare,” became a law in 2010 providing the first major
overhaul of the United States healthcare system since the 1960s to increase quality, affordability,
and access?
a. Social Security and Medicare Amendments
b. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
c. Health Maintenance Organization Act
d. Regulatory Insurance Reform
Correct Answer- B

Which of the following describes Black Lives Matter?
a. Global movement founded in 2013 after the killing of Trayvon Martin
b. 1.5 million participants by 2018
c. Movement of between 15-26 million U.S. participants in 2020
d. Both a and c are correct
Explanation—Since its founding in 2013, an estimated 15 million to 26 million people have
participated in the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests in the United States, making it one of the largest
movements in the country’s history.

Cultural appropriation refers to which of the following?
a. Adoption of elements of a minority culture by members of the dominant culture
b. The use of minority culture for profit or exploitation
c. Taking or using aspects or symbols from a culture that is not your own, especially without showing
respect or understanding of the culture and item
d. All of the above
Correct Answer-D

The killing of _____________ after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes
as he lay face-down and handcuffed in May 2020 set off worldwide protests of the deadly and
pervasive mistreatment of Black Americans by the police.
a. George Floyd
b. Derek Chauvin
c. Emmett Till
d. Breonna Taylor
Correct Answer-A George Floyd

Work to Be Done…
Although much has been accomplished to further American equality, liberty, and justice, there is a
tremendous amount of work still to be done. Barack Obama’s historic presidential inauguration was
marked with hope and great optimism, as well as a clearly recognized need for national change. On that
freezing cold day in Washington, D.C., Obama was sworn in as the 44th U.S. president. As the son of a
Black father from Kenya and a white mother from Kansas, Obama had become the first African American
to win election to the nation’s highest office the previous November. It was also against a backdrop of
the nation’s devastating economic collapse and during the start of the Great Recession that Obama’s
message of hope and optimism—as embodied by his campaign slogan, “Yes We Can”—struck an
inspirational chord with the American people. While being sworn in, Obama placed his hand on a Bible
that was the same used by President Lincoln, held by his wife, Michelle.

In his address, Obama highlighted the following key challenges, which deeply reflect 21st-century
challenges that have been further compounded by a deep social divide, technology, and a global
pandemic. At the time, these included:

• economic crisis

• ongoing war against radical extremism and terrorism

• costly health care

• failing schools and a general loss of confidence in America’s “democratic promise”

• civic responsibility

During his two terms in office, Obama made significant accomplishments to address the issues,
including:

• Passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, whereby more than twenty million Americans have
gained coverage since the passage of the law, which provides subsidies for Americans to buy
coverage, expands Medicaid eligibility, and prohibits insurers from denying coverage to people
with preexisting conditions

• Allocating $787 billion for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2009 to spur
economic growth amid the most severe downturn since the Great Depression

• Passage of Wall Street reforms to tighten capital requirements on large banks and other
financial institutions, allow the government to take them into receivership if they pose a threat
to the economy, and limit their ability to trade with customers’ money for their own profit

• Ordering the Special Forces raid of the secret compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, in which the
terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden was killed, and al-Qaeda documents were obtained

• Supporting federal recognition of same-sex marriages

• Reducing discrimination in federal hiring and pay including for women, LGBTQ individuals, and
those formerly incarcerated

In his farewell address, Obama warned that widespread disillusionment with the political system can
“weaken the ties” that bind the nation.

View this look back on President Obama’s time in office. CBS Sunday Morning. (2017, January 15).
President Obama’s legacy: The high and lows [Video]. YouTube.

Thought-Provoking Questions

• What is your assessment of the years between 2008 and 2016?

• What was your lived experience during these years?

• What was President Obama’s legacy?

Life Was Good
Thought-Provoking Question
How would you define “thriving” in terms of data points?

In 2008, fewer than half of Americans said their life was good enough to be considered “thriving,”
according to Gallup research data. But that changed in 2016, with the percentages of White, Black,
Hispanic, and Asian Americans reporting increased thriving by 6-10 points. At the time, Gallup measured
“thriving” according to how poll respondents rated both their current lives and their expectations for life
in the future. According to Gallup, on a scale of zero to 10, “those who rate their present life at 7 or
higher and their life in five years an 8 or higher are classified as thriving.” No president has the power to
wave a magic wand and make people’s lives better. And things were about to get much worse for
millions of Americans by 2020, with a global pandemic, growing socio-political divide, discrimination and
hate, police brutality, and economic uncertainty.

Black Lives Taken
Imagine fearing for your life, or losing your life, because of the way you look, or because of false
stereotypes and aggressions perpetuated about how you may act. Trayvon Benjamin Martin was a 17-
year-old unarmed African American teen from Florida who was fatally shot by George Zimmerman, who
was a neighborhood watchman. Martin was visiting his father, in Florida, after receiving a ten-day
suspension from high school. The suspension stemmed from the discovery of drug residue in Martin’s
book bag. Zimmerman called in to 911 that he was suspicious of an individual. He was instructed not to
get out of his SUV or approach the person. Zimmerman disregarded the instructions and shot Martin,
claiming it was in self-defense. Zimmerman was acquitted and found not guilty of the teenager’s death.

For Black Americans, will there ever be justice?
On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on
his neck for several minutes as he lay face down and handcuffed. Civilian footage of the incident was
released online, to immediate widespread response and horror. In a now-viral video, Floyd repeatedly
tells the officer that he cannot breathe before going motionless. What actually happened leading up to
his death?

If you choose to do so, join millions of Americans who watched this horror unfold in this security
footage, cellphone video, and police reports to see just what happened:

Important Disclaimer: This video shows disturbing footage that may be difficult to watch. Watching this
video is optional.

NBC News. (2020, May 5). Watch a minute-to-minute breakdown leading up to George Floyd’s deadly
arrest NBC News now [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/kiSm0Nuqomg

To make matters worse, the killing of Floyd occurred shortly after the killings of Ahmaud Arbery and
Breonna Taylor, two other unarmed Black Americans whose deaths drew public attention and
widespread outcry.

As hundreds of protesters gathered at the very intersection where Floyd was pinned, they marched to
the Minneapolis Police’s 3rd Precinct. At that time, some protestors clashed with officers, who
eventually used tear gas and rubber bullets on the crowd. Americans took to social media, where
prominent activists, lawmakers, and celebrities joined in the conversation, condemning the officers’
brutality and demanding accountability for their actions. Furthermore, public figures like LeBron James,
Madonna, and Ava DuVernay spread the news of the deadly encounter online, drawing attention to the
fact that these three specific tragedies are among the most recent and high-profile cases in a larger
pattern of police brutality, systemic issues in the way people of color are treated in America, and
misconduct in the US.

Sadly, research shows that Black, Native American, and Latinx individuals are more likely to die at the
hands of law enforcement than White Americans. And 1 in every 1,000 Black men and boys can expect
to be killed by police. People of color are also more likely to be stopped, searched, given citations, and
arrested by police even while exhibiting similar behavior to their white counterparts.

This interactive map (url: https://redbird.shinyapps.io/police-bias-map/) shows county-level data on the
extent to which Black Americans are arrested at a higher rate than White Americans, as well as data on
the arrests of Asian Americans and Native Americans. As you explore the map, find locations that
connect to your community, or places you have previously lived and worked.

Black Lives Matter
In 2013, three organizers, Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi, created a Black-centered
political will- and movment building project called Black Lives Matter. Black Lives Matter began with a
social media hashtag, #BlackLivesMatter, after the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting
death of Trayvon Martin in 2012. The movement grew nationally in 2014 after the deaths of Michael
Brown in Missouri and Eric Garner in New York. Since then, it has become a global movement,
particularly after the death of George Floyd. Most recently, #Black Lives Matter has spearheaded
demonstrations worldwide protesting police brutality and systematic racism, which overwhelmingly
affects the Black community.

Watch an overview of #Blacklivesmatter (BLM) in this short video. NBC News. (2016, April 12).
#BlackLivesMatter: A look into the movement’s history [Video]. YouTube.

After viewing, complete the following activity:

• Compare and contrast methods of protest and activism of #BLM to protest tactics of the 1960s.

• Make a list of similarities and differences. What did you notice between the two eras?

https://redbird.shinyapps.io/police-bias-map/

https://redbird.shinyapps.io/police-bias-map/

Divided We Fall

“United we stand, divided we fall.” This motto has resonated in the United States since the American

Revolution and experienced a rise in usage during the Civil War, World War II, and after 9/11, all times

of great stress on the country. But by the year 2020, America was tested in exceptional ways that have

demonstrated that we must overcome differences to make a greater whole together. An authentic 21st

century question is how to achieve unity, especially during times of great stress and upheaval.

The 2016 election exposed deep divides over race, ethnicity, and culture–a nation carved into two
radically different coalitions. It was a time where building walls triumphed over building bridges to
minimize social, economic, political, and ethnic divides. Although, as we have seen throughout history,
America has long been politically divided, the election of Donald Trump as the 45th president
demonstrated that voters in the “rust belt” and rural regions of the country felt like outsiders in
Obama’s vision for economic prosperity and progress. In President Trump, they felt they once again had
a champion. Throughout the country, thousands of minorities, millennials, and women in urban enclaves
went into mourning and took to the streets in protests fueled by fear and disillusionment in a country
that they felt, led by President Trump, was entering a dark and divisive era.

A 2017 Brookings Poll demonstrated that there was a pervasive decline in 2016 in minority voter

turnout. Take a moment to analyze the results:

Frey, W. H. (2017, September 29). Census shows pervasive decline in 2016 minority voter turnout.

Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2017/05/18/census-shows-pervasive-decline-

in-2016-minority-voter-turnout/

Thought-Provoking Questions

Based on the data…

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2017/05/18/census-shows-pervasive-decline-in-2016-minority-voter-turnout/

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2017/05/18/census-shows-pervasive-decline-in-2016-minority-voter-turnout/

• What do you think accounted for the drop in African American voter turnout?

• What was the significance of African American voter eligibility, compared to actual voter turnout

in the 2016 election?

• What trends did you spot in the swing states?

COVID-19

According to health experts, the coronavirus pandemic is having an impact all over the world, but a
disturbing trend is evident in the US. Evidently, people of color, particularly African Americans, have to
date experienced more serious illness and death due to COVID-19 than White Americans. According to
recent research from Johns Hopkins University, local media reports in Chicago, where African Americans
comprise a third of the city’s population, showed that they accounted for half of those who have tested
positive for the coronavirus, and almost three-quarters of COVID-19 deaths. Likewise, a deeper dive of
county-wide data statistics demonstrated that in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, African Americans make
up 70% of deaths due to the coronavirus, but just 26% of the county’s population. According to doctors,
African Americans and minority populations were disproportionately affected, including Hispanic and
Native American communities. What factors do you think account for this?

View this brief news story summarizing the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 on Black Americans.

How COVID-19 is impacting black people disproportionately [Video]. (2020, June 23). YouTube.

Which of the following factors are more prevalent among African Americans than other populations in
the US, thereby contributing to the disproportionate illness and death related to COVID-19 among
African Americans, according to health experts?

Account for disproportionate effect:

• Living in crowded housing conditions

• Working in essential fields

• Lack of testing and screening access

• Inconsistent access to healthcare

• Chronic health conditions

• Stress

Do not account for disproportionate effect:

• Proactive health screening

• Access to telemedicine

• Remote work options

• Living in rural locations

Overall, racial, and ethnic minorities in the United States have had higher rates of infection and death
caused by the COVID-19 virus than White Americans. Parallel to other disasters, such as Hurricane
Katrina, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the critical need to protect vulnerable populations and
bridge healthcare gaps, and will hopefully encourage further research to investigate and understand
health disparities related to race, location, age, and other factors in general.

American Stereotypes: Blackface, Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben, and Historical Reflection

Can how we act, dress, and unwind harm others?

Do social media posts have the potential to harm, humiliate, and inspire fear in others?

In short, yes!

But understanding the origins of its use and the historical context in which blackface emerged will help

Americans better understand why photographs in old yearbooks and Halloween costumes are offensive

and part of the centuries-old degradation of one race by another. Such understanding can also lead to

greater empathy for others. In fact, in a recent Pew Research survey, one out of three modern

Americans find wearing blackface on Halloween acceptable. But is it?

In this week’s reading, students will read an article in the Atlantic detailing how blackface was never
“harmless”—then or now. As you read, consider how blackface use is insensitive, demeaning, and racist.

View this TED Talk to understand more about the history of blackface and why it’s so harmful. TED Talks.

Talks. (2021, February 22). Understanding the history of ‘blackface’ — and why it’s so harmful [Video].

YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NvLnjuMLXU

Thought-Provoking Questions

• Why was it considered socially or culturally acceptable in decades past to misrepresent African

Americans in this way?

• Was it ever really acceptable? Why or why not?

For the purposes of this class, the focus is on minstrel shows and Jim Crow of the 19th and 20th

centuries, which you have explored and contextualized in previous modules.

“The performances cannot be separated fully from the racial derision and stereotyping at its core,” as
the Museum of African American History and Culture explains. “By distorting the features and culture of

African Americans — including their looks, language, dance, deportment, and character — white
Americans were able to codify whiteness across class and geopolitical lines as its antithesis.”

A simple trip to the supermarket can encourage conversation and a historical deep-dive discussion
about equality and the complexity of American historical identity. When the killing of George Floyd on
May 25, 2020, ignited a firestorm of protests and calls for racial justice around the world, major brands
felt the pressure to turn to history to remake their images and popular branding. Among them were
Aunt Jemima’s pancakes and Uncle Ben’s rice, both staples in American pantries.

After years of debating changes to its controversial Aunt Jemima brand, Quaker Oats initiated an
extensive rebranding process, and other major companies followed. “Aunt Jemima,” a large-framed,
older Black woman with a broad smile, is a vestige of the “Mammy” caricature designed to soften the
legacy of slavery in modern times. Over the years, Quaker evolved Aunt Jemima to look like a well-
dressed grandmother with pearl earrings and a lace collar. But after the racist origins of Aunt Jemima
trended on social media, the company changed the brand to Pearl Milling Company and rebranded.

Similarly, Mars Inc. announced that it would evolve its branding of “Uncle Ben” to help put an end to
racial bias and injustice by revealing a new name for its rice and a new look on the packaging. Now
noticeably absent is the photo of Uncle Ben, a Black man with white hair, which has appeared on the
brand’s products since the 1940s. Over the years, some versions of the packaging showed the man
wearing a serving uniform, and the brand has faced pressure from both consumers and public figures to
rebrand the product. The brand has previously explained on its website that the character of Uncle Ben
was inspired by two people: a Black Texan farmer who was known for his rice-growing abilities and a
chef and waiter from Chicago named Frank Brown. In re-branding are companies erasing individual
talent, historic accomplishments, and individual excellence, or are consumers calling upon companies to
take a stand and stop perpetuating racial stereotypes?

Historians will likely continue debating America’s history of racism, especially with protests that have
resulted in the dismantling of statues around the world, including Confederate monuments. During
recent protests, statues of historic figures like Robert E. Lee, Christopher Columbus, Ulysses S. Grant,
Edward Colston, and Jefferson Davis were torn down in the United States and overseas. According to a
Quinnipiac University poll, in August of 2017, 39% of Americans supported the removal of Confederate
statues, compared to 52% who wanted to get rid of them in June of 2020. In the lates poll, those in
support of removing the statues 84% of Blacks, 58% of Hispanics, and 44% of Whites. Those that
opposed their removal were 52% from Southern states and 64% from rural areas. Controversial statues
symbolize power, repression, and humiliation for some Americans, and perhaps erasing the past isn’t
the full answer to justice. Providing context, historical fact, and multiple viewpoints is key to productive
conversation and positive action as we come to terms with history and our unique American identity.

Explore more about the ongoing debate over monuments and statues in this video. Erasing history?: The

debate over confederate monuments [Video]. (2017, August 20). YouTube.

Thought-Provoking Question

• What are your reactions to the events in Charlottesville?

• What do you think needs to happen with controversial monuments and statues throughout

America?

Coming Together

Gathering in backyards at picnics, backyard barbeques, and breaking bread with friends, family, and

community members are quintessentially American, and evoke nostalgic feelings of summer and

freedom. But, more importantly, the historical legacy of Juneteenth shows the value of never giving up

hope during dark and uncertain times. Freedom for those who were once enslaved did not come easily,

smoothly, or overnight. Instead, it was a slow, gradual emancipation for many.

Students will read more about the historical legacy of Juneteenth in the National Museum of African

American History and Culture article in this week’s module. In the mid-19th century, it required the

presence of Union troops arriving in Galveston Bay, Texas to announce that the more than 250,000

enslaved Black people in the state were free by executive decree. From that day forward, the day came

to be known as “Juneteenth” by the newly freed people in Texas. In 2020, President Joe Biden

proclaimed Juneteenth a federal holiday. President Biden commented that “Great nations don’t ignore

their most painful moments. They embrace them.”

View this short video about the history and significance of Juneteenth.

Juneteenth-Freedom at last [Video]. (2015, November 9). YouTube.

Thought-Provoking Questions

• What does Juneteenth mean to you?

• How do you plan to honor African American history on Juneteenth?

Concluding Thoughts
The recent years following the 2008 election of Barack Obama as President were nothing short of

dramatic and tumultuous after a tide of hope and confidence. Through unanticipated challenges like a

global pandemic, senseless acts of violence, and legitimate distrust of the justice system, African

Americans have used their minds, voice, imaginations, and technology to rally the world behind real

inclusion, equity, and justice. Never have Americans tested the limits of technology, consumerism, and

government as in recent years, but the story is still unwritten.

It will take much more than a social experiment in communication, culture, and compassion to make a

lasting and widespread change. It will require an assemblage of many minds armed with deep and

meaningful data, observations, and historical awareness to inform structural changes at all levels of the

American government. As a nation, we will require diverse leadership, representative of all stories, not a

singular one. As the United States continues to make such improvements, we will need to collectively

prepare our children to solve problems that do not even currently exist.

How will we go about this?

Some possible avenues may include:

• Development of antiracist policies that actively seek to understand and dismantle racism embedded

in social, economic, and political systems, which results in persistent and lasting inequities

• Research to uncover equity gaps and recognition of what could be achieved when racial and ethnic

background no longer predict a group’s social mobility in specific areas such as education,

healthcare, employment, and representation

• Dismantling of structural racism in policies and practices that routinely advantage White Americans

while producing chronically adverse outcomes for others

• Full democratic participation and civic involvement of many groups and identities of people that in

broader society have historically been marginalized

• Accessible and affordable top-rate education to empower everyone with the critical thinking,

information literacy, and historical thinking skills to positively transform the world

In what ways has the 5C framework enabled you to explore solutions to societal problems?

Starting with the foundation of courage, challenges, causality, culture, and complexity, can you identify

other “C”s such as compassion, or concern, that could enhance the framework and bring the historical

narrative to current times?

Carefully consider this week’s materials, think about your lived experience as a college student, parent,

friend, sibling, community leader, or worker, and consider how you contribute to structural equality and

positive transformation.

• In what ways are you “becoming”?

• How is your community “becoming”? What frightens you?

• Likewise, what excites you about the present and future?

The learning activities this week will intentionally require students to reflect on recent events in African

American history and make informed predictions using a variety of sources and multiple measures of

data. Allow yourself to challenge assumptions, think back on recent events, and explore new and

meaningful connections to the past.

As the sources will unveil, recent decades in American history have been some of the most

unprecedented, unexpected, and challenging times yet. However, we have managed to redefine 21st-

century freedom as a work in progress, demand social justice be prioritized, and envision a future where

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their

Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of

Happiness.”

Let the spirit and determination of Ruby Bridges be a guide to trailblazers everywhere.

Don’t follow the path. Go where there is no path and begin the trail. When you start a new trail

equipped with courage, strength, and conviction, the only thing that can stop you is you!

It seems that today, with the growth of social media, the diversification of the industry, and the growth

of streaming and on-demand entertainment, there is a direct line to the historical inquiry that

Americans find worthwhile and insightful. This can be seen through the work of Ava DuVernay, an

African American director who blazed a trail as a writer, director, and producer. She was the first African

American woman to win Best Director at the Sundance Film Festival, be nominated for a Best Director

Golden Globe, direct a film nominated for a Best Picture Oscar, and direct a film with a budget over $100

million. Her 2014 film Selma was released to chronicle and memorialize the historically true story of the

3-month period in 1965 when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led the campaign to secure equal voting rights in

the face of violent opposition. The film came at an important time of national social unrest.

For the film, Common and John Legend recorded Glory, an “anthem” featured in the film’s soundtrack.

References in the first of the two verses reflect on the shooting of Michael Brown by a White police

officer in Ferguson, Missouri as a counterpart to the historical events the movie chronicles.

One son died, his spirit is revisitin’ us

Truant livin’ livin’ in us, resistance is us

That’s why Rosa sat on the bus

That’s why we walk through Ferguson with our hands up

Songwriter Common explained, “This is not only for paying honor to those who lived in these times

during the ’60s, but also really relevant to today. You can look at what’s going on in Ferguson, and it’s

not a far comparison to what happened to Jimmy Lee Jackson during the time of the civil rights

movement that is shown in the film. So, I really was thinking about encouraging people that we’ve come

a long way, but we’ve still got some fighting to do, and we are capable. We’ve got to carry this torch and

take it to the next level.”

As you blaze a trail, take time to reflect on the significance of African American history and your

personal learning journey in this course, and perhaps you will find motivation and inspiration to

celebrate the glory and accomplishments of those who have come before, making sacrifices and taking

great risks to improve the lives of future generations.

Glory by Common and John Legend

One day when the glory comes
It will be ours, it will be ours
Oh one day when the war is won
We will be sure, we will be sure
Oh glory (glory, glory)
Oh (glory, glory)

Hands to the Heavens, no man, no weapon

Formed against, yes glory is destined
Every day women and men become legends
Sins that go against our skin become blessings
The movement is a rhythm to us
Freedom is like religion to us
Justice is juxtapositionin’ us
Justice for all just ain’t specific enough
One son died, his spirit is revisitin’ us
Truant livin’ livin’ in us, resistance is us
That’s why Rosa sat on the bus
That’s why we walk through Ferguson with our hands up
When it go down we woman and man up
They say, “Stay down”, and we stand up
Shots, we on the ground, the camera panned up
King pointed to the mountain top and we ran up

One day when the glory comes
It will be ours, it will be ours
Oh one day when the war is won
We will be sure, we will be sure
Oh glory (glory, glory)
Oh (glory, glory)

Now the war is not over, victory isn’t won
And we’ll fight on to the finish, then when it’s all done
We’ll cry glory, oh glory (glory, glory)
Oh (glory, glory)
We’ll cry glory, oh glory (glory, glory)
Oh (glory, glory)

Selma’s now for every man, woman and child
Even Jesus got his crown in front of a crowd
They marched with the torch, we gon’ run with it now
Never look back, we done gone hundreds of miles
From dark roads he rose, to become a hero
Facin’ the league of justice, his power was the people
Enemy is lethal, a king became regal
Saw the face of Jim Crow under a bald eagle
The biggest weapon is to stay peaceful
We sing, our music is the cuts that we bleed through
Somewhere in the dream we had an epiphany
Now we right the wrongs in history
No one can win the war individually
It takes the wisdom of the elders and young people’s energy
Welcome to the story we call victory
The comin’ of the Lord, my eyes have seen the glory

One day when the glory comes

It will be ours, it will be ours
Oh one day when the war is won
We will be sure, we will be sure
Oh glory (glory, glory)
Oh (glory, glory)
Oh glory (Glory, glory)
Hey (glory, glory)

When the war is won, when it’s all said and done
We’ll cry glory (glory, glory)
Oh (glory, glory)

Next

This is the end of the Module 8 Presentation. Begin the Module 8 discussion.

As a nation, we must engage in open dialogue and develop inclusive and effective actions to end structural disparities. By studying African American history, we are preparing ourselves to better predict the future by locating evidence, analyzing and drawing inferences from that evidence, and making sense of context looking forward. Although no one has a crystal ball, it is critically important to turn back time to spot trends in order to make informed decisions to guide the future.

 

Since historical inquiry begins by asking good questions, the same is true for studying the future. Beginning at the individual level, to local community efforts, statewide, and all the way to the federal government, all Americans have a civic duty to examine ways in which together we can end institutional racism, and pave the way for a stronger, more unified and inclusive democracy. You will have an opportunity to select an issue of your choice to apply what you have learned in African American history to make informed future predictions and identify areas of national improvement. 

Step 1 Select an Issue

For this activity students will consider one of the following broad social, economic, political, and cultural issues: 

· Health and wellbeing

· Educational opportunities

· Criminal justice

· Environmental and climate justice  

· Economic opportunity

·

Voting rights and election ( WRITE ABOUT THIS TOPIC)

· Advocacy and litigation

· Social justice advocacy and representation

You may choose an issue that is a narrower concept based on the broad areas above. For example, students could examine African American mortality rates during the COVID-19 pandemic, as that fits in the category of “Health and wellbeing.” If you would like to explore a topic that is not on this list, please check with your instructor by course message first. You may not use the telehealth example used below. 

Use the

Futuring Activity Chart

provided below for this assignment. 

Step 2 Chart the Questions

First, read the following article: 

Black America Policy Recommendations for Biden Administration,
Links to an external site.

 

Then, complete the 

Futuring Activity Worksheet

 Download Futuring Activity Worksheet

on the topic selected. The chart will prompt you to pose a specific question related to the issue, thinking ahead to the future.

For example, let’s use a sample topic of telehealth to complete the chart below (please do not choose this as your own topic). Will telehealth bridge the gap between African American access to healthcare in rural areas versus urban settings by the year 2025? The chart requires you to use information and evidence from this course, in addition to any other research you conduct, to provide possible responses to the question you posed.

Futuring Activity Chart
Issue	Historical Connections	Question-related to the issue	Positive National Response (best-case scenario)	Negative National Response (worst-case scenario)	Plausible Response- Future Prediction
Example:  Health and Wellbeing–Telehealth	Gaps in health insurance coverage, uneven access to services, and poorer health outcomes among marginalized populations in rural and urban areas	How can rural healthcare be improved for at-risk African Americans living in impoverished and isolated communities?	Expanded broadband and accessibility of telemedicine    Insurance coverage for telehealth including preventative and routine care	No healthcare reform results in illness and infirmity at extremely high rates, resulting in lower life expectancy than other racial and ethnic groups	Gradual systematic federal policy changes bringing broadband to Southern rural and low-income communities will help healthcare systems and providers expand access to and improve rural healthcare quality by eliminating transportation challenges, lowering costs, and improving the quality of care if there is increased federal coordination and prevention of “digital redlining”

 

Step 3 Historical Connection Summary 

Once you have completed the chart, move to the Historical Connection Summary section on the worksheet. Summarize the historical connections to the issue in roughly two paragraphs (200-300 words). 

Refer to specific historical evidence related to your topic from our course readings or outside sources. 

Make sure to cite any sources you use in 

APA format.

Links to an external site.

 

Step 4 Future Predictions

Then, develop a 2-3 paragraph (250-350 words)
 prediction in the Future Predictions section of the worksheet. Use course themes, content, and evidence to support your prediction. 

After completing the chart, summary, and prediction submit the completed worksheet. 

Cite all sources in 
APA format.

 

Futuring Activity Worksheet:

Applying African American History Activity

1. Possible issues to consider (you may also select a narrower topic related to these or an issue not listed here):

· Health and Wellbeing

  

· Educational Opportunities  

· Criminal Justice 

· Environmental and Climate Justice   

· Economic Opportunity  

· Voting Rights and Election  

· Advocacy and Litigation  

· Social Justice Advocacy and Representation 

Fill in the chart below with information pertaining to the issue you selected. Be sure to relate the information directly to African American history content covered in this course.

Issue

Historical Connections

Question related to the issue

Positive

National Response

(best

–

case scenario)

Negative

National Response

(worst-case scenario)

Plausible Response-

Future Prediction

2. Historical Connection Summary:

Provide a 2-paragraph summary of key historical topics in African American history related to the selected issue.

  

3. Future Predictions:

Based on what you have learned in African American history, what do you predict will happen regarding this issue? Explain why this is the most plausible prediction in 2-3 paragraphs.

–