The Issue of Race in
America – Bonus Assignment[1]
General information:
- History 102 / Online: This activity is due on or before November 22. If you submitted this activity in the previous learning module, you cannot submit it a second time.
- It is worth up to 30 points
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On July, 1850,
Frederick Douglass delivered “The Meaning of the Fourth of July for a Negro” to
an audience in Rochester, New York who had gathered to commemorate the signing
of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
On March 18,
2008, Barack Obama delivered “A More Perfect Union” at Constitution Center
which is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that extended beyond those
gathered at the center thanks to television and the internet. His focus was on
meaning of the U.S. Constitution.
Both men
addressed directly the issue of racism in the United States. Each shaped his remarks on his historical
time. In 1850, Douglass dealt with the
issue of slavery. In 2008, Obama dealt with the issue of whether race --- the
fact that he was black --- should be a deciding factor in his bid for the
nomination from Democratic Party for president of the United States.
Assignment:
The objective
of this assignment is to evaluate and compare the arguments made by Frederick
Douglass and Barack Obama.
The following
questions will guide your evaluation and comparison. It is recommended that you make notes on
these.
- What is the historical context for each of these two speeches?
- What examples does Douglass give when answering
the question of what is the meaning of the Fourth of July for the Negro?
- What examples does Obama give when making a case
for the “more perfect union”?
Sources:
- Frederick Douglass,
“The Meaning of the Fourth of July for the Negro”
- Barack
Obama, “A More Perfect Union”
Essay:
After reading and making notes on these two
speeches, you are required to write an essay that addresses the following
questions.
- What are the similarities and differences between the points on
race made by Douglass and Obama? Be
sure to include a brief statement of the historical context of each
speech.
- Do you believe racism still exists in the United
States?