SMC The Journey to Full Citizenship of African Americans Mississippi State Case Study

Community Forum: The goal of this peer review exercise is to explore the textbook series theme “What is an American?” and to engage with the ideas of a classmate on the main concepts of the class.

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Assignment Instructions

This assignment has two parts and multiple due dates.

Part I: Informed Reflection

Due before 11:59pm, Friday November 13. Worth up to 30 points.

• 500 to 550 word written response to the prompt provided below. Provide clearly stated ideas with detailed supporting evidence and answer the prompt.
• Proof-read assignment for clarity, coherence & organization of ideas, and proper grammar and syntax.
• Include name, double-space, 12-point Times font.
• Canvas will only accept .doc or .pdf file extensions. Use Google docs to save as a .doc file, if you don’t own Microsoft.
• Late entries are not eligible for a peer review. Canvas automatically assigns you a peer review partner beginning at 12:00am, 11/14. If you miss the deadline, you can earn points for Part I, but not Part II.

Prompt

Watch PBS Eyes on the Prize, episode 5 “Mississippi, Is this America?, 1962-1964” and draw evidence from the documentary and assigned readings in your response to the prompt.

“Even more than elevating blacks to full citizenship, declared the writer James Baldwin, the civil rights movement challenged the United States to rethink “what it really means by freedom”—including whether freedom applied to all Americans or only to part of the population. With their freedom rides, freedom schools, freedom marches, and the insistent cry ‘Freedom now,’ Black Americans and their White allies made freedom once again the rallying cry of the disposed.” (Give Me Liberty, 986)

Analyze James Baldwin’s statement about the civil rights movement challenging the United States to rethink “what it really means by freedom.” How did civil rights activists featured in the Eyes on the Prize documentary challenge the government and American citizens to rethink the meaning and social conditions of freedom? Draw relevant connections to Ch. 25 and Ch. 26 topics on the Southern and Northern Civil Rights Movement and Black Power Movement.