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Watch the series, Black in Latin America (4 episodes)

“Haiti and Dominican Republic: Roots of Division”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uklSf8CJ5GQ

“Mexico and Peru: Black Grandma in the Closet”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIzHIRCBtdE

“Brasil: A Racial Paradise?”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gh7c46U5hhY

“Cuba: The next Revolution?”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ygms7GCXIKY&frags=pl%2Cwn

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If any of above links have expired, go here, https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=black+in+latin+america+episode+4

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Group 1

Cuba

Brazil

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Group 2

Haiti and the Dominican Republic

Mexico and Peru

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Must watch/write about either Cuba or Brazil (Group 1)

Must watch/write about any three additional countries (Group 2)

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Must/watch/write about a total of four countries

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Question: For the four countries you’ve selected, keep in mind the following: comparison and contrast. In each of these countries what it has meant to be of African descent has differed and Afro Latin American communities developed in slightly different ways; on the other hand, there are also similarities, reflecting a similar set of historical processes. Your assignment is to make clear both similarities and differences in the histories of people of African descent in your four selected countries. This should be written so that someone who has not viewed the series should have a good understanding of the content.

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(Example using Mexico, Peru, Haiti, and Brasil as the four countries)

–What has it meant to be Black in Mexico? In Peru? In Brasil? In Haiti?

–What contributions have people of African descent made in these countries?

–What does the title “Black Grandma in the Closet” mean and how does that communicate something about how Mexicans and Peruvians have viewed/continue to view people of African descent?

–On the other hand, note the question in “Brasil: A Racial Paradise?” Here’s a way in which initially it seems that Brasilians have had a different understanding of their African background than Mexicans or Peruvians.

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And one more thing:

1. This is not to be rushed. You have two weeks to finish this assignment. I’m expecting thoughtful, coherent pieces of writing. Yes, bad grammar, incorrect word choice, and misspellings will work against you (if you misspell a name, I’ll forgive you). As your last piece of extended writing for the course, this should reflect care and thought. As such, taking notes plays an important role. Take.your.time.

2. I do not want to read quote after quote. As such, there is a limit of four direct quotes. They are to be in this format: “sdsffhdfhdfhd;hdfh” (Ep 2). I do not need/want a Works Cited page or Bibliography.

3. The tone is to be academic. Not to be used:

(a) “I” stays out of the assignment (who else wrote it?)

(b) “I am going to” is four words too many-Just do it!

(c) “My opinion/I think/feel” is trivially true and redundant

(d) “We”–Who is “we”?

(e) “you/your”–you talkin’ to me? Why?

(f) “In conclusion”–unnecessary, as the last paragraph tells me it is the conclusion.

(g) “Due to the fact that” (Banish these five words from your college writing.) Substitute with: because/since/consequently/as a result

(h) “literally” or “ironically” If you do not know how to use these words correctly–don’t!

(i) “it’s crazy that” or “it’s insane how”

4. Word Count: minimum 300 words, maximum 1000 words. Do not deviate from these numbers.

5. Do not include the question. Use a line to separate the paragraphs (as I’ve done above). In your subject line include the countries you’ve written about.

6. Since there’s a lot of writing involved, I’ll ask that you comment on one student posting. Do not forget to do this. I don’t expect you to respond to every single item they post, but if you respond to a posting about a country you didn’t write about, there will be plenty of material on which you can comment.

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For many (all?), much of the material will be new. Good. As a point of fact: most people of African descent who were dragged across the Atlantic for a life of slavery did not end up in the U.S. Thus, most African-Americans do not live in the US, nor do they speak English as their native tongue.