assignment 4

History 1302

Writing Assignment #4

Primary Source Documents

After reading the three primary source documents, write an essay that engages with race during the Civil Rights period. What do these documents say about the relationship between African Americans and the United States cultural landscape? How are African Americans reclaiming power over the communities? Do you think these processes empowered African Americans and do you think that this has led to equality?

In the introduction, summarize the race relations in the early Cold War period. You can use lectures, lecture notes, and the textbook. In the introduction, all you have to do in three of four sentences is provide the background for how you plan to address the questions. At the end of the introduction form and argument. For example: In this paper I'm going to argue that power before and after the end of segregation forced African Americans to form Civil Rights groups to reclaim their communities. 

In the body of the paper you should write a paragraph that address the ideas ideas you outlined in your thesis statement (in my example that would be evaluating Civil Rights groups and their quest for equality. 

In the conclusion, take the opposite position then your argument. For example, I argued that African Americans were empowered by taking control of their communities by forming SNCC. At first we see that this student group brought change, but that it was too slow and this forced African Americans to then form a more militant Black Panther party. While this too brought change, what we see is that my paper does not really address the role of women during these changes and really how this affected more affluent black communities that may not have been impacted by these changes. 

Your paper needs to be at least 1,000 words or 3-4 pages. 

Before turning in your paper make sure to set aside a time to proofread your work. Watch out for passive voice and any mechanical errors. Also, format your paper with 1” margins and double-space the entire paper. No quadruple spacing between paragraphs.