INSTRUCTIONS
Before you begin, review the discussion guidelines and sample discussion post located in the Course Overview section. Unless your instructor specifies otherwise, choose ONE of the following questions to answer, and then give a substantive response to at least TWO other students or the professor. Aim for around 300 words per initial discussion post. A substantive response is not just a one-liner post that agrees or compliments your peer. Instead, substantive posts ask relevant questions, offer new insights, and dig deeper into the topic in order to create an academic discussion. Aim for around 100 words in each response.
Note that academic weeks at UMGC begin on Wednesdays and end on Tuesdays. Initial discussion posts are due by Saturday at 11:30PM ET and at least two responses to fellow classmates are expected by the end of the week on Tuesday by 11:30PM ET.
Week 3
- Discuss some of the challenges to the establishment and maintenance of a healthy African American nuclear family from slavery to the present.
- Explain the importance of the Black Church as an institution from slavery to the present. Consider the relationship between the church meetings of the enslaved and insurrections and the underground railroad. What were some ways that Christianity was used to justify slavery? How did Christianity differ from the traditional religious practices of African slaves brought to the Americas? What was the relationship between the Black Church and the Civil Rights Movement?
- Discuss the establishment and evolution of educational institutions specifically for African Americans. What were the intended purpose of these, and what were the challenges?
- Discuss the importance of Black collegiate fraternities, sororities, civic organizations, clubs, groups, other secret societies, and social orders in the overall success of the suffrage, Civil Rights, Black Power, and other racial and social justice movements.
- Compare and contrast the ideas and experiences of Ida B. Wells, Booker T. Washington, and W. E. B. Du Bois. Why is it important to understand what their ideas mean within the context of African American history? Include your assessment of the fundamental debate between Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. Du Bois and why that mattered.
- What was the Great Migration? Why is it so important to understanding African American history in the 20th century
- Contact one of your oldest living family members and have a conversation about your family history. How far back can you trace the generations of your family? What, if any, is your family's connection to slavery, indentured servitude, or immigration? This question applies regardless of nationality or ethnic background.