Sunday, February 5, 2012
Homework 6, Due February 10, 2012
February is designated "Black History Month" and we will use the next two assignments to explore the topic. This week's assignment is fairly straightforward - follow the link http://www.africanamericanhistorymonth.gov/ to the Library of Congress website dedicated to African American history. Follow the link "Exhibits and Collections" and choose a topic to explore. You will find several interesting areas - take time to read the article and look at the special resources provided. Report your findings in a 200 word essay. Once again we will forego the responses although most of you had no problems posting this last week. Best of luck - I hope you learn something!
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Resource Guides – Gwendolyn Brooks
ReplyDeleteGwendolyn Brooks. She was the first African American author to win the Pulitzer Prize, writer of numerous books of poetry and novels, received an American Academy of Arts and Letters award, the Frost Medal, a National Endowment for the Arts award, the Shelley Memorial Award, and fellowships from The Academy of American Poets and the Guggenheim Foundation.
But where did “Poet Laureate” as she was named in 1953 come from? How has she been able to things no other person was able to do before?
Gwendolyn Brooks was born on June 7, 1917 in Topeka, Kansas. She was the daughter of David Anderson Brooks, a janitor, and Keziah Wims, a former teacher.
When Books was six weeks old, her family moved to Chicago, Illinois, where she grew up.
She encountered racial prejudice in her neighborhood and in her schools but her home life was stable of loving.
She attended four different schools and in 1936, she graduated from Wilson Junior College.
Her enthusiasm for reading and writing was encouraged by her parents. Her father provided a desk and bookshelves, and her mother took her to meet poets as Langston Hughes and James Weldon Johnson.
All in all I guess you can say that Gwendolyn Brooks was on one side characterized by her parents actions but otherwise also on her experiences with racism in her childhood.
She died on December 3, 2000.
Rita Dove:
ReplyDeleteRita Dove was born on August 28, 1953 in Akron, Ohio. She was the second African American to receive the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry which she received in 1987. Rita Dove was appointed as Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress on May 19, 1993. She was appointed to be the 7th Poet Laureate by Librarian of Congress James H. Billington. She was also the first African American to be appointed to that position and the only one to date. Rita Dove was described as a “quiet leader and as an artist who weaves African-American experience into the broader perspective of international culture.” Some of Rita Dove’s more notable works include The Darker Face of the Earth and Sonata Mulattica. Her poetry is reflective of her interests in music and drama. It also shows her sensitivity to women’s issues and commitment to social justice. Rita Dove’s poetry is very inspiring and meaningful. It gives you a feeling of understanding and awe towards the subject of the poem. Rita Dove served two terms as poet laureate and finished her duties in the spring of 1999. Rita is currently living with her German-born husband Fred Viebahn in Charlottesville, Virginia.
James Langston Hughes, American writer, born in 1902 in Joplin (Missouri) and 1967 died in New York. After graduating from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, Hughes worked in various American cities and abroad as a seaman, assistant waiter and teacher. In 1932 he lived in the Soviet Union. During the Spanish Civil War, he worked as a correspondent for a magazine in Baltimore. As a columnist, Hughes brought by the simple humor of his most famous character Simple his criticism of the racial discrimination and oppression of blacks in the United States expressed. Simple is the main character of many of his short stories that were published in the volumes of ‘The Ways of White Folks’, ‘Simple Speaks His Mind’, ‘Simple Takes a Wife’, ‘Best of Simple’ and ‘Laughing to Keep from Crying’ in. His lyrical work that made him one of the most important African-American poets comprising the collections of ‘The Weary Blues’, ‘Fine Clothes to the Jew’, ‘The Dream Keeper’, ‘Shakespeare in Harlem’, ‘Fields of Wonder’ and ‘Ask your Mama’. His emphasis on lower-class black life, especially in the latter, led to harsh attacks on him in the black press. In addition to poetry and short stories, Hughes wrote the novels ‘Not Without Laughter’, ‘Tambourines to Glory’, and the autobiographical works ‘The Big Sea’ and ‘I Wonder as I Wander’. His last book was ‘The Panther and the Lash’, mainly about civil rights. He died in May that year in New York City.
ReplyDeleteMartin Puryear:
ReplyDeleteMartin Puryear was an African American sculptor born in 1941 in Washington D.C. He used wood, stone, tar, and wire to make minimalism and traditional crafts. In his youth he learned to make guitars, furniture, and canoes. He taught it through training and instruction. He attended the Catholic University of America in 1963; Peace Corps volunteer in Sierra Leone from 1964 to 1966, studied printmaking in Sweden and assisted a master cabinet maker. He then attended Yale University and became a graduate of a sculpture program in 1968. In the late 1970s he showed his first solo exhibition at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Later he participated in two Whitney Biennials in the 1980s. He received many awards including the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Award, a Louis Comfort Tiffany Grant, and the Skowhegan Medal for Sculpture. At the Bienal de São Paulo in 1989 his exhibit won the Grand Prize. He expressed many ideas and thoughts through his art. Sanctuary and Box and Pole are two famous works. “Ladder for Booker T. Washington” was a ladder that stretched thirty-five feet tall and was made to have a distorted sense of perspective. Its meaning was to show an unattainable or illusionary goal. He currently lives and works in the Hudson Valley region of New York.
For this week's homework I want to talk about the first African American to play baseball in a major leagues. 2007 was the 60's anniversary for this his season for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He stept to play a game for the first time in Ebbets field on April 15th, 1947. That date was sign as the first time ever that an African-American played in a major leagues. This moment is called the "breaking color line" because all people of all differences colors could play this sport and no one couldn't tell anything. He was a really athletic man; he was extremaly talented for this sport and courageous man who played an active role in civil rights.He was a here. He started this breaking color line and we have to thank him for this. A lot of people couldn't play sports only because they were black. I don't follow a baseball so I don't know if there are a lot of black guys in the major league but in soccer there are a lot and they can make the difference in a team. It's not good to judge a person from the color of his skin. Everybody are in the same world called Earth and we should be the some.
ReplyDelete“ The Voting Rights Act. This act was signed into law on August 6, 1965, by President Lyndon Johnson. It outlawed the discriminatory voting practices and was also adopted in many southern states after the Civil War, including literacy tests to make sure you understood it before voting.”
ReplyDeleteThis “act to enforce the fifteenth amendment to the Constitution” was signed into law about 95 years after the amendment was finally ratified. In between those years, African Americans in the South had to face tremendous obstacles to voting, also including poll taxes , literacy tests, and other wild and crazy restrictions to deny them the right to vote. They also had to riske harassment, intimidation, economic reprisals, and also physical violence when they tried to register or vote. As a result, very few African Americans were or could also be registered voters, and they had very little, if any, political power, either locally or nationally.
In 1964, many numerous demonstrations were held, and the violence that erupted brought attention to the issue of their voting rights. The combination of public revulsion to awful the violence and Johnson's political skills stimulated Congress to pass the voting rights bill on August 5, 1965.
I found interesting to talk about Ragtime, it was a musical genre created in the souther and western part of the united states and it's foundation was in the state of Mississipi and it was mostly played with a piano and composed by three or four sections.
ReplyDeleteIt was, for example, like Pop or Hip-Hop of our times but in the late 1800 and early 1900, all the youth listened to it, especially if you were black. Everything started when a rich black entrepenour moved to St. Louis. Mississipi and opened a saloon, his son wanted to follow his steps and he opened another one, but he also learned how to play piano and it was so popular that he got more money to open a new saloon. Now days it is not that popular or common to listen to it, old people do but it's still there :D
Daniel González Guzmán
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.200035811/default.html
I choose the civil rights act of 1964 as my topic. I really think this act is one of the most important parts of American and Black history. It was the first legislative attempt to help African-Americans to integrate in the modern day society. It was planned and started by President Kennedy, but he got assassinated before he could finish it. The bill got signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson. Before the law could pass, there were some problems with the bill though. Opponents in both House and Senate tried to stop it, but Senate Minority Leader Everett Dirksen could convince the Republicans to support the Bill. This –Bill made segregation in any place, like swimming pools, restaurants, libraries and other public and private places illegal and it also made the discrimination of African-Americans illegal. I do not think that this bill ended segregation and discrimination totally, but I believe that this bill was a step in the right direction and also a signal of hope for all African-Americans, because this bill showed them that the government was behind them. I think this bill has a great contribution to today’s more tolerant society and was a good and really important bill.
ReplyDelete"Ethiopia Saluting the Colors"
ReplyDeleteThis was a selection by a man by the name of Harry T. Burleigh. He was known for his works but this one had much significance and meaning. "Ethiopia" was derived from a poem all it's own. It was about an old black slave woman who once saluted the American flag as she saw General Shermans troops march near her. The turban on her head had the colors of the Ethiopian flag in them. During this period in time it was so unusual to see something like this that it just really inspired Burleigh. I think it's really neat to come across something like this because in some ways it allows you to see into the mind of great ones before us. It allows us to better understand how they were as people their perspectives on people. This particular period in time had some many advances then again it had a multitude of set backs. The whole slavery was very rough but even with all of that some good reminders and lessons were given to us from that. It makes me really wonder how generations after us will perceive us... what they will take from our legacies :)
Jackie Robinson was the first African-American to play major league base ball. This great man is often called baseball’s “great experiment.” In the early 1940s the Dodgers, then located in Brookline, New York. Jackie Robinson had a lot of racism and bigotry during his career as a baseball player. But by his work he was able to open the doors for many more black players to come and play in the future. Robinson had a strong interest in civil rights starting when he was drafted into the military. Robinson had to deal with many things like being spiked by other players. One challenge that Robinson also faced was that many people didn’t want black people in the major leagues because major league teams would rent out their stadiums for the Negro League teams to use when the major league teams where away. It worried many people that Robinson would help encourage other black players to leave the Negro League and join the majors until eventually there would no more players in the Negro League, causing the Major League teams to lose money. So because off all of this Robinson was very hated by many white people in his day, but now he is considered a hero. If it wasn’t for this very brave man who was not afraid to cross over the color line we wouldn’t have had all the great African-American players we do today.
ReplyDelete@ Catelyn:
ReplyDeleteGood job with your essay Catelyn! The person you choose is really interesting and seems like an important person! You have a lot of interesting information about Rita Dove and her life. I also think it is good, that you included the names of some of her poetry so people who are interested can read it. Nice going!
@ Lara
You did a good job with your essay! It is really interesting to read about Gwendolyn Brooks. You did a very good job in describing her and her life. The only thing you could do better is to include some of her work, so you know for what she is famous.
@ Daniel
I also think the topic you picked is very interesting. I like the story about the entrepreneur and his son, that is a really good story! It is also good that you included your sources in the essay, so we know where you got the information from. Good job!
The essay I am going to write is about the profile of Stevie Wonder. Stevie Wonder was blind wonderful musician and singer. Still to this day he is still popular and his cd’s and still sold in the stores. I love his music and everything he does!! President Barack Obama presented him with the Gershwin Prize. The Prize is awarded to the people who show excellency in their music and writings. Stevie Wonder like I said, Stevie Wonder was blind and handicapped lived in Detroit and made a huge impact in music today. Stevie Wonder said, “I never imagined being here today.” Stevie Wonder expresses himself through his playing of the piano and his singing. He won the Grammy Awards in 1990 while blind and handicapped. We can learn that no matter what handicapped or blind we can make an impact and receive so many awards and recognition just like he did.
ReplyDeleteDaniel: Great Job on your essay! I thought it was very informative and interesting I didn’t know all that much about what you wrote about but after I read it I knew about it…. Great Job!!
ReplyDeleteAmanda: Great Job!! Your essays are just getting better everytime I read them!! I thought your essay was very educational and very well written!! I love how you added all of the dates and all the information about your topic!! Great Job!!
Marta: I loved your essay!! I love the little pieces of your personality in it as I was reading it!! I liked your last sentence that you put in it. I thought it was very very true and real.
Patricia: Very good job on your essay!! It was long and informative and very educated. I liked your topic and all of the information that you put in it!! Good Job on it!!
For this week’s homework, I would like to talk about baseball. I am interested in it because I like to watch the sport and I like to play it too. Jackie Robinson, 1860s-1960s. When he stepped onto Ebbets field on April 15th, 1947, Robinson became the first African American in the twentieth century to play baseball in the major leagues -- breaking the "color line," a segregation practice dating to the nineteenth century. In 2007, the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's rookie season for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Jackie Robinson was an extremely talented multi-sport athlete and a courageous man who played an active role in civil rights. Something is really interesting to me is that African Americans played baseball throughout the 1800s. By the 1860s notable black amateur teams, such as the Colored Union Club in Brooklyn, New York, and the Pythian Club, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, had formed. All-black professional teams began in the 1880s, among them the St. Louis Black Stockings and the Cuban Giants (of New York). Reflecting American society in general, amateur and professional baseball remained largely segregated. This is very interesting to me, through this week’s homework, I learned a lot. And this is very interesting.
ReplyDelete