L1: Introduction to the UnitEquality and Hierarchy: The African American

ExperienceAgenda

Objective: 1. To introduce our first

thematic unit on equality and hierarchy from the African American experience.

2. To build an understanding of the themes/ideas/questions central to the study of American history through the lens of race.

Schedule: 3. Introduction to Unit4. Identifying

themes/ideas/questions in the study of American history through the lens using Barack Obama’s “A More Perfect Union” Speech.

Homework:1.Consult

Unit Schedule. Remember Reconstruction Paper Pre-Writing Check Due (Tan=Thurs; Red & Blue = Fri)

Equality and Hierarchy• We will study the African

American experience in the United States from Reconstruction to the present with emphasis on how Blacks have experienced equality and hierarchy over time.

• We will also want to infuse our study with reference to the Founding Period and Reconstruction to determine how the values, ideals, promises, and contradictions of these period influenced the African American experience.

Equality and Hierarchy: The African American Experience

• Unit Schedule!• Assignments!• Assessment!

Thinking about American History Through the Lens of Race

• Today we want to start thinking about what it means to study American history through the perspective of race.• In particular, we want to identify what are some of the themes/ideas/questions we need to be attuned to when studying race.• To do this, we will take a look at speech given by Barack

Obama in 2008.

Barack Obama, “A More Perfect Union”

March 18, 2008• On March 18, 2008, then Senator Barack Obama delivered a major speech on race during the presidential election. This speech came after criticism of his pastor, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, who had delivered scathing sermons about the racist and oppressive nature of the United States. In his speech, Obama carefully examines the history of race in the U.S.• Our task:

– Using Barack Obama’s speech, identify the themes/ideas/questions we need to be attuned to when studying American history through the lens of race.