Memory and legacy (day 3)

THE RECONSTRUCTION ERA AND THE FRAGILITY OF DEMOCRACY

A C O N T E S T E D H I S T O RY: R E C O N S T R U C T I O N ’ S M E M O RY A N D L E G A C YJ U LY 7 - 9 , 2 0 1 5

G E N E A U T RY M U S E U M

History/Film Trivia

What was the first film ever to be screened at the White House?

(if you know the answer keep to yourself for a moment)

The Birth of a Nation was based on the novel The Clansman by Thomas Dixon

Thomas Dixon was a university classmate of Woodrow Wilson

In NYC, the promoters of the film sent white-robed horsemen riding through the city to advertise the new film about the heroic Klansmen.

Wil

Essential Questions:

How does our experience and memory of the past affect our choices and beliefs in the present?

Why is Reconstruction often considered a “contested” history?

Who gets to write and decide history?

(Lesson 15)

The Power of Myth and the Purpose of History

Reflect and respond to this statement in your journal:

“A shared understanding of history is necessary in order for a nation to heal after a period of collective violence.”

“The Importance of Getting History Right” (handout 15.3, p. 272)

What questions does this raise for you about the way the history of Reconstruction has been told?

The Power of Myth and the Purpose of History

The Dunning school

Historian Eric Foner describes the central tenet of this school of thought on page 265 (read aloud).

The “Lost Cause”

Klansmen Depicted As Heroes

The Power of Myth and the Purpose of History: The Dunning School and the

“Lost Cause”

The Power of Myth and the Purpose of History: The Dunning School and the

“Lost Cause”

• How does this film clip relate to the quotes we read by Eric Foner about Reconstruction and the Dunning School and Historian James Grossman about the importance of getting history right?

• Bringing it back from DAY 1…

The Power of Myth and the Purpose of History: The Dunning School and the

“Lost Cause”

The Power of Myth and the Purpose of History: The Dunning School and the

“Lost Cause”

Close reading activity: An excerpt from “The Propaganda of History” by W.E.B. Du Bois (p. 281-285)

The Power of Myth and the Purpose of History: “The Propaganda of History”

“Talk to the text”

Careful reading is integral to powerful writing.

Students learn to “talk to the text” rather than just read it.

“close reading slows us down and allows us to interpret difficult passages; it keeps us focused on our purpose for reading (e.g., finding a claim to argue with); it leaves us “bread crumbs” with which we can find our way back to our thinking later on, like when we’ve got to write a paper or prepare for a discussion.”

The Power of Myth and the Purpose of History: “The Propaganda of History”

“Talk to the text”

1. First Read: whole class read aloud followed by a vocabulary activity

• Circle words you do not know or understand in the context of the document

• Star words that seem to be significant • Underline any words or phrases that seem to connect

to the role of the government • Cross out any extra words/phrases that do not seem to

be necessary for you to understand the document

The Power of Myth and the Purpose of History: “The Propaganda of History”

“Talk to the text”

2. Second read: silent individual/partner read

• Make a T chart showing how Reconstruction was being taught then vs. how DuBois believed Reconstruction should be taught.

The Power of Myth and the Purpose of History: “The Propaganda of History”

IS being taught

SHOULD be taught

“Talk to the text”

3. Third read: get into groups, read your group’s assigned section (chunking) and work together to answer the text-dependent questions.

Group 1: from “How the facts” to “ignorant Negro rule” (p. 281 #1-3) Group 2: from “In other words” to “regret or disgust” (p. 282, #4-7) Group 3: from “But are these reasons” to “we wish” (p. 283-284, #8-9) Group 4: last paragraph (p. 284, #10-13)

Applying understanding: Your group will now become experts on your section of the reading and to do this, will create a found poem using words from your section of the text.

The Power of Myth and the Purpose of History: “The Propaganda of History”

“Talk to the text”

Found Poem strategy:

1. Compile a list of significant words/phrases from your section of “The Propaganda of History”.

2. As a group, use your lists of words/phrases to create a poem: it does not have to rhyme but it should, however, represent the main message of your section of the text.

3. The ‘Rules & Regulations’: You can only use words from the text—you cannot add other words (not even articles or

prepositions!) You CAN repeat words or phrases as often as you want. You do not have to use all of the words or phrases you have selected.

4. Fourth read: gallery read of found poems

The Power of Myth and the Purpose of History: “The Propaganda of History”

“Talk to the text”

• What was the process of going through the close reading like? In what ways did it allow you to understand the text in a more in-depth way?

• How did this text and the close reading protocol deepen your understanding of Reconstruction’s legacy?

• What has this session revealed to you about the importance and responsibility of teaching Reconstruction?

The Power of Myth and the Purpose of History: Debrief