John Hope Franklin index

Read: in Race and History: Selected Essays, 1938 - 1988

#2: The Birth of a Nation: Propaganda as History

Guest Presenters:

Andrew Ilvento and Brian Korzen

Questions for discussion: (Submitted by Brian)

1. This film created so much controversy, how do you think Dixon was able to get the complete support and approval of Woodrow Wilson and much of the Federal Government at the time?

2. Starting on page 14, read the plot summary of the movie, Birth of a Nation. what rascist themes come out of it and why do you think this story became so popular?

3. Looking at modern media, what other films are looked at as being just as controversial as Birth of a Nation and why?

4. What do you think is a more effective mean of getting out your message, film or book? At the time of Dixon and today?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Birth-of-a-nation-poster-color.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DixonPortrait.jpg

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Birth_of_a_Nation_poster_2.jpg

We may also watch sections of Birth of a Nation Courtesy YouTube

Read: in Race and History: Selected Essays, 1938 - 1988

10: The Enforcement of the Civil Rights Act of 1875

Guest Presenters:

Dana DiSanto and Michelle Santos

Topics for discussion:

•The specific instances in which the bill was manipulated to prevent equality among the races.

•Role of the government in the neglect of enforcement of the Civil Rights Act of 1875.

•The attitudes of blacks vs. whites when dealing with the new legislation: for example, the risks taken by African Americans at the time vs. the neglect of whites to help equality by denying entry/ use of public places

•The view of separate but equal

Questions:

•Do you think that a piece of legislation such as this really can help a society, or does a society itself need to change its views in order for its people to be treated with equality?

•Can any topics from the class be related back to the Civil Rights Act? For example, the rights in schools/ rights to ownership/ roles of women/equality in the military etc.