Civil Rights Movement and Common Fairness

Essay Assignment: Compare and contrast two reform/protest movements that we have covered this semester. Discuss the goals, methods, and successes/failures of each. Which reform/protest do you think was the most successful and why?Students may replace one reform/protest with an anti-reform movement. In this case, cover the goals (what reform it was against), methods (how it tried to stop reform), and results (not a success, but rather what repercussions it had for those working towards reform).

Reform/protest movement options include but are not limited to the following:Reconstruction, Populists, Progressivism, 1920s, New Deal, World War II, and Civil Rights Movement (African American non-violent, Black Power/Black Panthers, Chicano/a, American Indian Movement). Students may discuss a different reform/protest with previous authorization from the instructor. If you chose to an anti-reform movement options include Black Codes, convict leasing, violence on U.S./Mexico border (DB2), Nativists, immigration restriction, voter restriction laws, KKK. Students need prior authorizations from the professor to cover an anti-reform movement not listed.

Directions:This assignment requires you to effectively analyze and interpret primary and secondary sources with the goal of building a larger argument. You will use these skills throughout the semester and throughout your college career. Write a 2 to 3 page essay. Essays must be a minimum of 2 full pages, but no more than 3 full pages; double spaced, 1-inch margins, and 12-point standard font (Calibri, Times New Roman, or similar). Do not include the class section, titles, or other unnecessary information to lengthen your essay; excessive use of these items will be deducted from the total length of your essay. You must have at least 3-4 references to the Discussion Board materials (PDFs and documentaries) and 1 must be a primary source (see list below),as well as 2-3 references to lecture notes. Use of the eBook is optional. NO outside sources are allowed.

You should avoid excessive use of quotations and instead paraphrase (i.e. use your own words); save your quotations for material that cannot adequately be paraphrased. Parenthetical citations are required for all use of materials, whether the student has paraphrased or quoted directly from a source. Include the significance of the material. Why did you think it was important enough to include in your essay? The essay is DUE to the link provided on CanvasONLY by 11:59pm on Thursday, November 19. No late essays will be accepted, so plan accordingly! This assignment is worth 100 points.

Work will be checked for originality using TurnItIn.com and any student who plagiarizes on the assignment will face serious consequences. If you have any questions, ask in advance.

our Checklist Summary:

1) Your essay must be 2 to 3 full pages.

2) Include references to at least 3-4 Discussion Board materials, 1 must be a primary source.

3) Include at least 2-3 references to your lecture notes.

4) Cite all references.

5) Submit your paper by 11:59pm, Thursday November 19 to the link on Canvas.

Discussion Board Materials: Primary vs. Secondary

Discussion Board 1: Slavery by Another Name (secondary, but any reenactments from letters etc can be used as primary)

Discussion Board 2: U.S. and Mexico Border violence (secondary)

Discussion Board 3: “99 Years Ago” by Emily Stewart Vox article (secondary), “Possible Mass Grave” by Doha Madani (secondary), “The Eruption of Tulsa” by Walter White (primary), “Taft Charges Riot” (primary), and “Now Tulsa Does Care” by Amy Comstock (primary)

Discussion Board 4: General overview video 1 (primary as stories from Great Depression), African Americans during Great Depression video (secondary), Ethnic Mexicans during Great Depression (secondary)

Discussion Board 5: General Discrimination video (primary), Ethnic Mexicans: video 1 Bracero Program (primary), “Los Braceros” (secondary), Zoot Suit Riots (secondary); African Americans: colleges (primary), Navy (primary), general discrimination (secondary); Women: (all primary); Japanese Americans: “Challenge to Democracy” (primary), “Japanese Internment” first (secondary), “Japanese Internment” 2 (secondary unless interviews), George Takei (primary)

Discussion Board 6: Chicano! Taking Back the Schools (primary, since the majority of material is archival news footage and interviews with persons who experienced events firsthand)

Discussion Board 7: “We Hold the Rock!” by Joseph Gillette, National Archives (secondary), “We Hold the Rock!” (primary, page 15 of PDF), “Proclamation” (primary), “Indians of All Tribes Conference” (primary), “Alcatraz” (primary)

Discussion Board 8: Harvest of Shame (primary)

Paraphrasing and Quoting: In order to avoid plagiarism and to demonstrate the use of multiple sources students must cite all direct quotes and paraphrasing. Students may use the parenthetical citations or footnotes, either is acceptable. All direct quotes must be in quotations marks.

Paraphrasing means that the material is written entirely in your own words. See the following examples of acceptable and unacceptable paraphrasing:

The actual quote from the eBook: “Work-sharing festivals such as house raisings, log rollings, and quiltings gave isolated farm folk the chance to break their daily routine, to socialize, and to work for a common good” (eBook, p. 356).

Unacceptable paraphrase: Work-sharing opportunities including house construction, log gathering, and sewing gave detached farmers an opportunity to change their routine, to party, and to work for each other (eBook, p. 356).

Acceptable paraphrase: Farmers merged their social lives with their work lives to gain relief from the monotony of an agrarian existence. Examples of entertainment included communal endeavors such as home construction and quilting (eBook, p. 356).

The major difference between the two paraphrasing examples is sentence structure and word choice. It is not acceptable to only change a few words and retain the original sentence structure when paraphrasing. You must put the idea into your own words, which means changing the sentence structure and noticeably changing the word choices.

Save your quotes for the most interesting ideas, which will be in the primary sources. I understand that you will not be able to take lecture notes word for word. If you are attempting to include a quote I gave in lecture, write it down as close to the original as you can remember as a quote or (the better option) paraphrase, providing a citation for the date of the lecture (or topic). Whether you quote or paraphrase material you will need to explain the significance. Why did you deem that material important enough to include it in your essay?

Grading Rubric:

Uniformly excellent work—including an original and insightful argument, substantial evidence from all assigned sources (primary sources and lecture) to support that argument, and clearly written essay—will receive an “A.”

Work that is above average—including a convincing but incomplete argument and evidence with minor errors and/or insufficient use of sources—will receive a “B.”

Work that is average—including a weak or inadequate thesis, a summary of the evidence without meaningful interpretation, minimal use of sources, and possibly significant errors of grammar and/or organization—will receive a “C.”

Work that is below average—including no attempt at a thesis, generalizations instead of specific evidence, and possibly significant errors or grammar, organization, and/or other mechanical problems—will receive a “D.”

Work that is failing—including little to no understanding of the material, failure to meet the basic requirements, and significant mechanical problems—will receive an “F.”