A Dream Come True: Great Research Projects for Black History Month
A push towards diversity and inclusiveness has lead to a greater awareness of Black History by many high school students. Most students know the significance of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm, and The Black Panther Party. So, how do you as an educator add depth and meaning to your students’ understanding of Black history? Consider one of the five research topics below. These topics add complexity to Black history. They also usher discussions of Black history themes into the 21st century.
· SOUL FOOD. Though the term “soul food” gained popularity in the 60’s when the word “soul” became trendy, this cuisine has a much more interesting and complex history. As a fusion of West African, Moroccan, and Portuguese cuisine, soul food resulted from the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and the subsistence living of slaves on southern plantations. Research projects about soul food can begin with an exploration on the origins of this cuisine. This project can culminate in the cooking of a soul food meal or a visit to a soul food restaurant. An exploration of the history of this food, and its connection to the slave trade and West African culture, will lead to a richer and more profound appreciation of the cuisine.
· CONTEMPORARY BLACK ARTISTS. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then imagine a picture produced in hyper-realism, by silhouette, or using hair extensions and beads. The work of Kehinde Wiley, Kara Walker, and Kori Newkirk respectively use these mediums. In a research project on these or other Black contemporary artists, students can survey the works of these artists and explore common themes. As a culminating project, students can attempt to express a Black history theme using materials and mediums similar to those used by these artists. The Studio Museum of Harlem’s website is a good place to find information about Black contemporary artists.
· BAYARD RUSTIN. Identifying as homosexual was difficult during the 1950s and 60s. Living this identity was even more difficult if you were a key figure in the Civil Rights Movement. Despite the fact that both sides of this movement sometimes persecuted him because of his sexual preference, Bayard Rustin played a pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement. Students can research Rustin’s struggles and his impact. They can begin with a basic biography in an encyclopedia and then branch out into chapters from the various books written about Rustin. Time on Two Crosses, a collection of Rustin’s writings, and Lost Prophet, a biography by John D’Emilio, are two great resources.
· BLACK-JEWISH ALLIANCES. From the beginning of the Civil Rights movement, African-Americans and Jewish people worked together to fight against injustice. Jewish newspapers drew parallels between the Black Civil Rights Movement and the Jews' escape from Egypt. In the early 1900s, Jewish leaders pointed out that both Blacks and Jews lived in ghettos. These leaders called anti-Black riots in the South "pogroms.” Igal Roodenko, Julius Rosenthal, Rabbi Emil G. Hirsch, and Henry Malkewitz are just a few of the figures your students can research. Information can be found in the PBS documentary “From Swastikas to Jim Crow.” Greenberg’s Troubling the Waters, Diner’s In the almost Promised Land, and Adams’ Strangers & Neighbors are great books about Black-Jewish Relations.
· HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (HBCUs). These 105 schools--which include public and private, two-year and four-year institutions, medical schools and community colleges—were mostly established after the American Civil War. A research project on HBCUs could include a focus on a particular institution. Conversely, students could debate the necessity of these institutions, the exclusivity of the “Black Ivy League,” or the need to admit other races and ethnicities to these schools. The graduation of Morehouse College’s first white valedictorian, Joshua Packwood, in 2008 has brought many of these debates to the surface. Sinha’s HBCUs and Ashley’s I’ll Find a Way are two great books about historical black colleges and universities.
You can use one or more of these topics to move beyond the cliché activities such as watching MLK’s “I Have A Dream” speech. Discussions, presentations, productions, and debates about these topics will help your students make connections between Black history and contemporary Black culture.
Author’s Bio
James Guilford has worked in education, as a teacher and a dean, for nearly a decade. He is the author of the novel, THE PENCIL TEST. Guilford's writing has appeared in The North American Review, Identity Envy, In The Fray, and other publications. Visit http://www.jamesguilford.com to learn more about his writing and to download other free articles for reprint. Purchase THE PENCIL TEST on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or other major booksellers.