Final Blog Prompt

My Experience at Summer Advantage

From High School Struggles to College Confidence-Blog Posts

Looking back at my senior year of high school, I remember feeling completely overwhelmed by my English class. My teacher would assign 5-6 page papers with impossibly short deadlines, and each time I sat down to write, I had absolutely no idea where to begin. With older brothers who had already graduated from college, I knew this struggle would only intensify in higher education.

                                                                          Blog post

That's why taking this class and writing weekly blog posts has been such a game-changer. Professor Smith's writing recommendations for each assignment have helped me tremendously, giving me the tools and confidence I never had in high school. I finally feel prepared for the writing challenges that college will bring.

Summer Advantage and DIS1000

Participating in the Summer Advantage program has been transformative in ways I didn't expect. Over these four weeks, I've gained three crucial things: confidence, work ethic, and early credits that will give me a head start in my fall semester.

                                                       High Point Summer Advantage

The transition from high school to college was definitely a jump. The workload felt intense at first, and being away from home for an extended period took some adjustment. But after four weeks, I'm finally getting used to both the academic demands and the independence that college requires. 

Dorm Life: The Real College Experience

The social aspect of Summer Advantage wasn't too challenging initially. Being with the same students five days a week (sometimes seven) reminded me of high school, where I'd see the same faces in classes and hallways, often hanging out with classmates on weekends too.

The real difference has been dorm life. Sleeping in a room with multiple strangers has been an experience in itself. From navigating interpersonal drama to being jolted awake at 2 AM by someone running through the hallways above me – it's truly been a learning curve. Despite the challenges, I've built genuine friendships over these four weeks, and yes, maybe made a few enemies too. But I absolutely believe I made the right decision in coming to Summer Advantage.

Mock Trials

As someone who originally wanted to major in law and business, participating in mock trials was incredibly engaging. I found myself genuinely enjoying the research and information compilation process. This experience taught me to distinguish between crucial evidence and irrelevant details when building a case – skills that proved invaluable for legal argumentation.

Picture taken during MockTrial 

Even though I've since switched to an Entrepreneurship major, mock trials gave me a taste of legal studies that I probably won't encounter again in my academic journey. Working closely with classmates on these cases significantly enhanced my teamwork abilities and collaborative skills.

EOTO: Teaching and Learning

The EOTO (Each One Teach One) presentations were another highlight of the program. Taking charge of the classroom for 15-20 minutes and stepping into a professor's shoes was both exciting and educational. There's something uniquely valuable about learning from fellow students rather than just the instructor – it creates a different dynamic and perspective.

                                                                 Picture taken during EOTO 

The research required for our assigned topics taught me so much about effective presentation techniques and information synthesis. This experience has undoubtedly improved my public speaking abilities and given me confidence in leading discussions.

Looking Forward

As I prepare to start my fall semester, I feel genuinely ready for the challenges ahead. Summer Advantage has equipped me with practical skills, academic confidence, and real college experience that I know will serve me well. The combination of improved writing abilities, enhanced teamwork skills, and presentation experience has created a strong foundation for my entrepreneurship studies.

Most importantly, I've learned that college success isn't just about academics – it's about adapting to new environments, building relationships, and developing the independence needed to thrive in higher education.

EOTO Reaction

 Understanding the Real Cost of Civil Rights

Hearing these real life stories presented as interconnected events rather than isolated incidents completely changed my perspective. Today's lesson wasn't just about history – it was about understanding the systematic nature of oppression and the incredible courage required to fight it.

The lesson started with the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, and I immediately felt sick to my stomach. Four little girls – Denise McNair, Addie Mae Collins, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Wesley – were just getting ready for Sunday school when a KKK bomb ended their lives on September 15, 1963. What really got to me was learning that over 8,000 people attended their funeral. These weren't just statistics; they were children whose deaths sparked national outrage that helped push through the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The fact that progress came at such a horrific cost still bothers me hours later.

Then we moved to the Mississippi murders during Freedom Summer 1964, and I realized how naive I'd been about law enforcement. James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner weren't killed by random racists – they were murdered with the active participation of Deputy Sheriff Cecil Price. Learning that local law enforcement was orchestrating violence against people trying to register voters completely shattered my faith in the idea that police are automatically the "good guys." The 44-day search and the FBI's massive investigation showed how deep this corruption ran.

When our professor described Bloody Sunday at the Edmund Pettus Bridge, I could almost feel the tension. Six hundred peaceful marchers led by John Lewis, beaten with nightsticks and attacked with tear gas just for demanding their constitutional right to vote. What struck me most was how John Lewis suffered a fractured skull but kept helping others. The images broadcast on television were so shocking that they led directly to the Voting Rights Act just five months later. Sometimes I think about how different things might be if ABC hadn't interrupted their Sunday movie to show that brutality live.

The discussion of George Wallace's "stand in the schoolhouse door" showed me how political theater can backfire spectacularly. His dramatic blocking of Vivian Malone and James Hood from entering the University of Alabama was meant to boost his political career, but it ended up exposing segregation's moral bankruptcy to the entire nation. Malone's perseverance in becoming the university's first Black graduate in 1965 demonstrated incredible strength in the face of constant harassment and death threats.

Learning about the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965 gave me hope, especially seeing the dramatic statistics: Black voter registration in Mississippi jumped from 6.7% to 59.8% in just two years. But then we talked about the Poor People's Campaign in 1968, and I realized legal equality didn't solve everything. Even after civil rights laws passed, economic inequality remained crushing. Three thousand people living in "Resurrection City" on the National Mall for 42 days, demanding jobs and decent wages, showed me that the fight for true equality was far from over.

What really hit home was learning about Shirley Chisholm – "unbought and unbossed" – becoming the first Black woman in Congress in 1968 and running for president in 1972. Her campaign slogan said everything about refusing to be limited by others' expectations.

Walking out of class today, I'm overwhelmed by how much courage these individuals showed and how their sacrifices directly created the rights I take for granted. These weren't distant historical figures – they were real people who bled and died so I could sit in an integrated classroom and write about their stories freely.

Ai disclaimer: I used Claude.ai to organize my notes that I took during the Presentations. 

"In The Heat" Reaction Post

     In the Heat of the Night Reflection

                                            Virgil Tibbs and Caroll O'Connor

Watching "In the Heat of the Night" was a profoundly moving experience that left me reflecting on the complexities of a number of racial tensions and human dignity that was challenged in the 1960s America. As Detective Virgil Tibbs, Sidney Poitier delivered a performance that was both powerful and restrained, embodying a character who maintained his composure and professionalism despite facing constant prejudice and hostility.

                                                     In the Heat of the Night

What struck me most was the gradual transformation of Police Chief Bill Gillespie, played masterfully by Rod Steiger. Initially, Gillespie embodied the worst aspects of Southern racism, viewing Tibbs with suspicion and contempt simply because of his race. However, as the murder investigation progressed, I witnessed something remarkable: the slow erosion of Gillespie's prejudices as he came to respect Tibbs' intelligence, dedication, and humanity. This character development felt authentic rather than forced, making their eventual mutual respect all the more meaningful.

The film's exploration of racism was unflinching yet nuanced. Rather than presenting a simple story of good versus evil, it showed how prejudice can blind people to truth and justice. The scene where Tibbs is slapped and immediately strikes back was particularly powerful—it challenged the expectation that Black characters should passively accept abuse, instead asserting dignity and self-respect.

About the movie

Beyond its social commentary, the film worked effectively as a crime thriller. The murder mystery kept me engaged while serving as a vehicle for deeper themes about justice, respect, and human connection across racial divides. The cinematography captured the oppressive heat and tension of the Mississippi setting, making the environment almost a character itself.

"In the Heat of the Night" remains relevant today, reminding us that progress in race relations requires genuine understanding, mutual respect, and the courage to confront our own biases.

The 3rd Klan Documentary

            The 3rd Klan's Rise and DownFall

The 3rd Klan Marching on Pennsylvania Ave

    In 1966 marked a pivotal moment in American civil rights history when the Ku Klux Klan staged a rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, desperately seeking political legitimacy amid mounting racial tensions. This gathering represented more than just another hate rally—it was the culmination of decades of systemic racism and a last-ditch effort to maintain white supremacist power in the changing South.

          The Man Behind the Movement: Bob Jones 

Bob Jones: Leader of the 3rd Klan

    At the center of this story stands Bob Jones, a struggling Southern white working-class man whose life embodied the economic anxieties that fueled racial resentment. Jones inherited Klan beliefs from his family, allowing these ideologies to shape both his identity and his political ambitions. For men like Jones, the Klan offered not just a belief system but a sense of purpose and belonging in an increasingly uncertain world.

              From Social Club to Terror Organization

KKK rally

    The Ku Klux Klan's transformation from a post-Civil War social club into a violent organization targeting freed slaves reflected the broader resistance to Reconstruction. The organization experienced multiple rebirths, most notably following the 1915 film "The Birth of a Nation," which revived Klan membership and ideology throughout the 1920s. Each resurgence coincided with moments of social change that threatened traditional white supremacist structures.

    The Klan's most recent revival came in response to the civil rights challenges that emerged after the landmark 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision. As African Americans gained legal victories and organized more effectively—symbolized by events like the March on Washington—white supremacist groups mobilized to maintain segregation through intimidation and violence.

                  North Carolina's Delicate Balance

                                                         Jones and the North Carolina Klan

    North Carolina occupied a unique position in the civil rights era, seeking gradual racial change while managing the tensions that explosive integration brought. The state projected an image reminiscent of the idealized community depicted in "The Andy Griffith Show's" fictional Mayberry—a nostalgic vision of Southern harmony that masked deeper racial divisions. This carefully constructed image of moderate progress made the Klan's visible presence particularly problematic for state leaders.

Spectacle and Strategy

The 1966 rallies served multiple purposes beyond spreading hate. These events functioned as social spectacles, attracting local support while reinforcing segregationist beliefs among attendees. Klan organizers deliberately mimicked the format of tent revivals, using familiar religious structures to mobilize racist sentiments and generate fundraising. For participants, these gatherings offered transformation through belonging, inspiring individuals to feel empowered through clan membership and shared purpose.

Jones recognized the political potential of these rallies, aiming to demonstrate what he called the Klan's "human side" despite the organization's violent reputation. His strategy involved public marches designed to show that Klansmen were ordinary citizens rather than hooded terrorists, hoping to gain mainstream political acceptance.

Federal Response and Internal Collapse

The Klan's growing visibility attracted unwanted federal attention. President Lyndon Johnson's public warnings against the organization actually backfired, provoking additional rallies and generating the national media coverage that Jones craved. However, the FBI had already begun implementing sophisticated tactics to disrupt Klan operations from within.

When congressional hearings exposed financial misconduct among Klan leaders, key figures invoked Fifth Amendment protections to avoid scrutiny. This defensive posture backfired spectacularly—Klan members interpreted their leaders' refusal to testify as evidence of guilt, leading to widespread disillusionment. The FBI capitalized on this discontent, encouraging members to splinter into smaller factions that weakened Jones's central authority.

                               The End of an Era

                                  Federal Government started to take action against again the Klan

    By the late 1960s, Jones's leadership had failed to sustain Klan influence amid rising resistance from both federal authorities and changing social attitudes. The 1966 Raleigh rally, intended as a demonstration of strength, instead marked the beginning of the organization's rapid decline in North Carolina. The Klan's inability to achieve political legitimacy revealed the limitations of hate-based movements in an increasingly interconnected and legally progressive society.

    This story of the 1966 Klan rally serves as a reminder of how quickly extremist movements can rise and fall, and how federal intervention combined with internal contradictions can effectively dismantle even well-organized hate groups.

Ai disclaimer: I used Claude.ai to organize my notes I took during the duration of the video.

Trial Script-Brown v. The Board of Education

Brown v. Board of Education - Legal Argument Script

Brown v. The Board of Education

Attorney for Brown:

Chief Justice Warren, Associate Justices, I stand before you today representing Linda Brown and countless children who were denied their constitutional rights by state-mandated racial segregation. After decades of strategic litigation by the NAACP, a Legal Defense Fund, we ask this Court to recognize that segregated public schools violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

The question is not whether separate facilities can theoretically be made equal, but whether the Constitution permits states to classify American children by race. We submit to the court that  it does not.

Constitutional Foundation

The Fourteenth Amendment guarantees that no state shall deny any person "equal protection of the laws." When Kansas forces children into separate schools based solely on their race, it violates this fundamental guarantee. The act of separation itself brands African American children with a badge of inferiority that no amount of equal facilities can remedy.

Your Honors, we are not arguing about building quality or textbook quantities. We challenge the state's power to sort citizens by race. When a state tells Linda Brown she cannot attend her neighborhood school because of her skin color, it inflicts harm that strikes at equal citizenship itself. The state teaches these children they are so inherently different, so inherently inferior, that they must be kept apart from fellow citizens.

Evolution of Legal Precedent

Famous Legal Cases on Race

This Court has systematically dismantled the "separate but equal" doctrine through strategic higher education cases. In Missouri ex rel. Gaines v. Canada in 1938, you ruled Missouri could not satisfy constitutional obligations by paying for Lloyd Gaines to attend out-of-state law school. States must provide equal opportunities within their borders.

In Sipuel v. Board of Regents in 1948, you held that Oklahoma must provide legal education for African Americans simultaneously with white students. Delay itself became a constitutional violation.

Most significantly, in McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents in 1950, you found that segregating George McLaurin within the University of Oklahoma—forcing separate seating, library tables, and dining times—violated Equal Protection because it impaired his ability to study and engage with peers.

That same year, in Sweatt v. Painter, you ruled that the University of Texas must admit Heman Sweatt because the separate black law school was inferior in tangible and intangible ways—reputation, faculty quality, and networking opportunities essential to legal practice.

Psychological Evidence

The Doll Test

    These cases established that intangible factors determine true equality. Today we present scientific evidence that segregation inflicts psychological wounds that no equal facilities can heal. Dr. Kenneth and Mamie Clark conducted experiments with African American children in segregated schools. When presented with identical dolls—one white, one brown—these children consistently preferred the white doll, describing it as "nice" while calling the brown doll "bad." When asked which doll resembled them, many became visibly distressed.

    This research proves segregation teaches children to reject their own race, internalizing inferiority that follows them throughout life. The state, through segregation, actively harms African American children's psychological development. No separate school, regardless of physical quality, can undo this fundamental harm.

The Inherent Contradiction

Your Honors, "separate but equal" is inherently contradictory. When states separate citizens by race, they communicate that one race differs so fundamentally from another that they cannot share public facilities. This classification rests on racial hierarchy assumptions incompatible with equal protection.

Education prepares children for democratic citizenship. Segregation denies them opportunities to learn alongside citizens of all races—an experience fundamental to democratic participation.

Conclusion:

1954 Supreme Court gave there decision

Through Gaines, Sipuel, McLaurin, and Sweatt, this Court has narrowed "separate but equal" by recognizing that intangible factors—prestige, networking, free interaction—are essential to equality. We ask you to complete this evolution: declare that separate educational facilities are inherently unequal and violate the Equal Protection Clause.

The Fourteenth Amendment's promise demands nothing less. Thank you.

Green Book Reaction Post

 

        Green Book: Friendship and Prejudice 

 I recently watched  Green Book and I'm still processing the emotional impact this film had on me. Based on a true story, the movie follows the unlikely friendship between Tony Vallelonga, a working-class Italian-American bouncer from the Bronx, and Dr. Don Shirley, a refined African-American classical pianist, as they travel through the Jim Crow South in 1962.

What immediately struck me was how the film challenged my expectations. Initially, I assumed this would be another predictable story about racial reconciliation, but it turned out to be much more nuanced. Viggo Mortensen's portrayal of Tony was both frustrating and endearing—here was a man with clear prejudices who gradually opened his mind through genuine human connection. Mahershala Ali's Dr. Shirley was equally compelling, presenting a character who was dignified yet vulnerable, accomplished yet isolated.

The road trip format worked brilliantly as a metaphor for their journey toward understanding each other. I found myself laughing at their cultural clashes—Tony's horror at Don's refined eating habits, Don's bewilderment at Tony's love of fried chicken—while recognizing the deeper tensions these moments represented. The Green Book itself, the travel guide that helped Black travelers find safe accommodations, served as a stark reminder of the systemic racism that made such a guide necessary.

 Link to watch the full scene

A scene in GreenBook that I felt was extremely powerful was, the scene where Tony and Dr. Shirley encounter enslaved workers in a Southern field. The visual of Black slave workers, working under oppressive conditions creates a profound emotional impact for Dr. Shirley, who witnesses the harsh reality that many of his race still endured despite legal emancipation. This particular moment forces both characters as well as the audience to confront the brutal continuity between slavery and the Jim Crow-era exploitation. The scene's silence speaks volumes, highlighting Dr. Shirley's isolation between his privileged position as a celebrated musician and the systemic oppression faced by his community.

"Green Book" left me reflecting on my own assumptions and the importance of stepping outside my comfort zone to truly understand others.                                                          

MockTrial Reaction

 

Revisiting History: A Modern Mock Trial of Plessy v. Ferguson

Picture I took during the MockTrial

The landmark 1896 Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson continues to resonate in American legal and social discourse today. Recently, a compelling mock trial reenactment brought this pivotal moment in civil rights history to life, offering fresh perspectives on the arguments that shaped the "separate but equal" doctrine for nearly six decades.

The Case That Changed America

                                             Brown v. The Board of Education

Homer Plessy's arrested for sitting in a whites-only railroad car in Louisiana wasn't accidental—it was a calculated legal challenge to the state's Separate Car Act of 1890. The mock trial vividly illustrated how this seemingly simple act of defiance became a constitutional battleground that would define American race relations for generations.

Arguments Against Segregation: Justice and Equality

The mock attorneys challenging Louisiana's law presented a multifaceted case rooted in fundamental American principles. Their religious argument drew from Christian teachings about human dignity, citing biblical passages that emphasize our common humanity. They invoked the Golden Rule and referenced influential philosophers like Immanuel Kant to argue that segregation violated basic moral principles.

The legal arguments were equally compelling. The attorneys contended that the Separate Car Act created an unconstitutional "badge of inferiority," essentially establishing a caste system incompatible with American values. They drew parallels to Strouder v. West Virginia, where the Supreme Court had struck down laws preventing Black Americans from serving on juries, arguing that similar logic should apply to transportation segregation.

Perhaps most intriguingly, the mock trial explored the economic consequences of segregation. The defense argued that discriminatory laws created inefficiencies by requiring duplicate facilities and squandered human potential by limiting opportunities for 13% of the population. They pointed to wage gaps in Southern cities where Black workers earned half of what white workers made, arguing this reduced overall economic prosperity.

                                                           Educational Segregation and Desegregation

Louisiana's Defense: Order and Tradition

The state's defenders presented equally sophisticated arguments centered on public order and states' rights. They argued that the Separate Car Act fell within Louisiana's police powers to maintain public safety and prevent conflicts that might arise from forced integration. Drawing from biblical passages about divine order and social boundaries, they contended that separation reflected natural social preferences rather than discrimination.

The economic argument from Louisiana's perspective was particularly notable. State attorneys claimed that since implementing separation laws, business investment had increased by 35%, and tourism had doubled. They argued that forced integration would lead to white boycotts, property value decreases, and economic instability that would harm both races.

The Broader Constitutional Questions

The mock trial highlighted the fundamental tension between federal and state authority that remains relevant today. Louisiana's attorneys invoked the Tenth Amendment, arguing that railroad regulation fell within state jurisdiction. They distinguished their case from Hall v. DeCuir (1878), where the Supreme Court had struck down a Louisiana law requiring integrated transportation, by emphasizing that their law governed intrastate rather than interstate commerce.

Lessons for Today

This historical reenactment demonstrated how legal arguments often reflect deeper social and economic anxieties. The mock trial revealed that both sides genuinely believed their positions would benefit society, even though history ultimately judged the "separate but equal" doctrine as fundamentally flawed.

The exercise serves as a powerful reminder that constitutional interpretation evolves with society's understanding of justice and equality. While Plessy v. Ferguson was overturned by Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, the mock trial shows how seriously we must engage with competing visions of American democracy—both past and present.

Ai Disclaimer: I used Claude.ai to organize my notes that were taken during the duration of the MockTrial.

The "Lynching Era"- Post Civil War: EOTO

The Lynching Era: From Reconstruction to Civil Rights

The end of the Civil War in 1865 promised freedom for four million enslaved African Americans, but the collapse of Reconstruction in 1877 ushered in a reign of terror that would span nearly a century. The lynching era represents one of America's darkest chapters, where racial violence became a systematic tool of social control that extended far beyond the immediate post-Civil War period.

The Post-Reconstruction Terror Campaign

When federal troops withdrew from the South in 1877, white supremacists launched a comprehensive campaign to restore racial hierarchy through violence. Between 1877 and 1950, over 4,000 African Americans were lynched according to conservative estimates, with the actual number likely much higher. These weren't spontaneous acts of mob violence but calculated acts of terrorism designed to maintain white supremacy and economic control over Black labor.

The lynching era peaked in the 1890s, when racial violence reached epidemic proportions. These public spectacles of torture and murder were often advertised in advance, attended by thousands of spectators, and photographed for souvenir postcards. The message was clear: any challenge to white supremacy would be met with deadly force.

                                                    Reconstruction in America

The Lynching of Mary Turner (1918)

The case of Mary Turner exemplifies the extreme brutality of this era. On May 19, 1918, a white mob from Brooks County, Georgia, lynched Mary Turner, a Black woman who was eight months pregnant, for publicly criticizing her husband's lynching the day before. The thirty-three-year-old was burned, mutilated, and shot to death by the mob. Her crime was simply speaking out against injustice.

Turner's murder occurred during a week-long rampage that claimed at least eleven Black lives in southern Georgia. Her lynching prompted NAACP officials to ask Missouri Congressman Leonidas Dyer to craft the 1922 Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill, marking a crucial moment in the federal legislative fight against racial violence.

                                                             Mary Turner Death Site

The Murder of Emmett Till (1955)

Nearly four decades later, the lynching of fourteen-year-old Emmett Till in Mississippi demonstrated that the terror campaign had not ended. Till, a Chicago teenager visiting relatives in Money, Mississippi, was brutally murdered for allegedly whistling at a white woman. His killers, Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam, were acquitted by an all-white jury but later bragged about their crime in a magazine interview.

Till's mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, made the crucial decision to hold an open-casket funeral, allowing the world to see her son's mutilated body. Jet Magazine's publication of the funeral photographs sparked national outrage and helped galvanize the emerging Civil Rights Movement. The image of Till's destroyed face became a powerful symbol of racial injustice that motivated a generation of activists.

                                                          Emmett Till Open Casket

Legacy and Continuing Impact

The lynching era's impact extended far beyond its immediate victims. The Great Migration saw millions of African Americans flee the South, fundamentally altering America's demographic landscape. Entire communities lived in constant fear, with parents teaching children elaborate codes of conduct designed to avoid white violence.

The cases of Mary Turner and Emmett Till, separated by nearly four decades, reveal the persistent nature of racial terrorism in America. Both victims were killed for challenging white supremacy—Turner through her words, Till through perceived disrespect. Their murders demonstrate how lynching functioned as a tool of social control that policed not just actions but thoughts and speech.

Today, understanding this history is crucial for comprehending the deep roots of American racial inequality. The lynching era didn't simply end—it evolved into new forms of racial violence and control that continue to shape contemporary discussions about justice, policing, and equality in America.

Sources: Report of Lynchings in the South

Gone With The Wind Prompt

 Gone with the Wind: Slavery and the Civil War Era

                                                                 Mammy and Scarlett O'Hara  

Gone With The Wind, has both a novel and the iconic 1939 film, which remains one of the most controversial works in American popular culture. While being celebrated for its sweeping narrative and technical achievements, the story presents a deeply problematic romanticization of the South and the institution of slavery.  Particually in its portrayal of enslaved house servants.

                                                   The Antebellum Fantasy

    Controversy in the film

I recently watched the film Gone With the Wind,  for the first time. Watching the film as we are talking about the Civil War and Reconstruction history in class left me profoundly unsettled. The film's romanticized portrayal of the antebellum South and its aftermath feels deeply problematic when viewed against the historical reality of this transformative period.

This romanticized portrayal was particularly evident in characters like Mammy, played by Hattie McDaniel, and Prissy, who represented the "loyal servant". These characters were depicted as devoted characters to their white families, seemingly content with their enslaved status. As well as resistant to the idea of freedom. This representation reinforced harmful stereotypes and ignored the complex realities of enslaved people's experiences, particularly those who worked in "big house."

                                                  The Reality of in House Slavery

                                                                  House Slavery

As the film progresses and the war breaks out, the illusion of the "Old South" quickly begins to unravel. I was struck by how confidently everyone spoke of victory in the war, and how certain they were that the Confederacy would triumph. It mirrored Scarlett’s own sense of control. The turning point for me came during the hospital scenes. Then a scene shows rows of wounded soldiers, and suddenly, the grandeur is gone. The South isn’t winning in the war; in fact it’s bleeding.

What the film captures so well is the emotional toll of the war on civilians. Scarlett isn’t thinking about politics or slavery—she’s trying to survive. Her journey becomes symbolic of the South’s transition: from delusion to desperation. And when she claws her way back to Tara, swearing she’ll never go hungry again, it’s a moment that echoes the South’s coming struggle through Reconstruction, even if that era hasn’t begun onscreen yet.

Though the film famously romanticizes the Old South, it also captures the pain of a collapsing world. The first half is a portrait of a society built on fragile ideals, trying to deny its own downfall. Watching it today, I couldn’t help but think: the Civil War wasn’t just about armies—it was about people like Scarlett, clinging to survival amid chaos.

Henry Louis Gates- Reconstruction Video

                Reconstruction of America- Post Civil War

                                                         Reflection 

The 2015 shooting at a historic Black church in Charleston starkly reminded America that the wounds of Reconstruction remain unhealed nearly 150 years later. When a 21-year-old high school dropout opened fire during a prayer service, the nation was forced to confront how the achievements and failures of Reconstruction continue to shape racial tensions today.

                                                                         Dylann Roof

Reconstruction officially meant restoring rebel states to the Union, but the North and South viewed this process very differently. The period began with promise—180,000 Black men had joined the Union Army, and Lincoln advocated for voting rights for "intelligent Black men." However, John Wilkes Booth's assassination of Lincoln on Good Friday fundamentally altered Reconstruction's trajectory.

Andrew Johnson, the first president "made by an assassin's bullet," proved to be no friend to formerly enslaved people. Growing up as a poor white Southerner, Johnson failed to capitalize on the opportunity to make former slaves economically independent. Despite the Freedmen's Bureau distributing 850,000 acres, Johnson's administration allowed the creation of Black Codes—laws that applied only to Black people—effectively recreating slavery through legal means.

President Johnson in Congress

Violence erupted across the South. The KKK formed in Tennessee in 1866, and riots in Memphis left the army struggling for three days to restore order. Months later, 40 more Black people were killed by whites in New Orleans. These atrocities prompted Congress to seize control of Reconstruction and pass the 14th Amendment in July 1868.

                                                                               The Klan

The period's contradictions were stark: while Black people sat in the Senate for the first time, newspaper ads from former slaves desperately searching for family members separated by slavery filled pages. Even 100 years after emancipation, Black Americans were still fighting for basic rights.

Today's racial debates echo Reconstruction's unfinished business, proving that America's reckoning with slavery and equality remains incomplete.

Ai disclaimer: I used Claude AI to organize my notes from class to make this blog post

The Fredrick Douglass Game

 Sojourner Truth Roleplay Speech Script: My Views on Slavery

Opening - Personal Introduction

• I am Sojourner Truth, born Isabella Bomefree in the darkness of slavery in New York around 1797

• I lived the first 30 years of my life as property, as a thing to be bought and sold

• In 1827, when my master failed to honor his promise to free me, I did not run away - I walked away by daylight

• God called me to take this name in 1843, to sojourn this land and speak truth to power

• I speak Dutch, English, and the language of suffering - all learned under the brutal hand of slavery

  
  Sojourner Truth: Ain't I A Woman?
  

   

The Evil Nature of Slavery

• I have asked the Lord, "What is this slavery, that it can do such dreadful things? What evil can it not do?"

• Slavery is a sin against God and humanity - it reduces human beings made in God's image to mere property

• I have felt the master's whip, been sold away from my mother when I was just nine years old

• I have seen my own children taken from me - my son Peter was sold illegally into slavery in Alabama, and I had to fight in court to get him back

Personal Testimony of Slavery's Horrors

• As a slave woman, I endured a double burden 

•  the cruelty of bondage and the particular sufferings inflicted upon women

• I was forced to marry against my will, to bear children who could be sold away from me at any moment

• My body was not my own - it belonged to  the masters who could work me, beat me, or sell me as they pleased

The Interconnection of All Oppression

• When men say women are weak and need protection, I say: Look at me! I have plowed and planted and gathered into barns, and no man could head me

• Slavery taught me that when any human being is treated as less than human, we are all diminished

• The same evil that allows one person to own another also allows society to deny women their rights

  
  

  
  The Life of Sojourner Truth
  

My Mission to End Slavery

• When I met abolitionists William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass, I found my calling to speak about the evils of slavery

• Though I never learned to read or write, God gave me a voice to testify

• I travel this land as a sojourner, bringing truth about slavery to all who will listen

• My autobiography, tells the story that many would prefer to keep hidden

The Moral Imperative

• No economic benefit, no social custom, no law can justify treating human beings as property

• Every day slavery continues, it corrupts the soul of this nation

• We who have lived under its yoke have a sacred duty to speak out until every chain is broken

Call to Action

• I call upon all people of conscience to join the fight against slavery

• Remember that those of us who have escaped slavery are living proof that enslaved people are fully human, fully capable, fully deserving of freedom

• The Lord has called me to this work, and I will not rest until every bondsman and bondswoman is free

Closing - Faith and Determination

• My trust is in God, and from Him I look for good, and not evil

• I have walked away from slavery, and now I walk toward a future where no human being will ever again be called property

• This is my sojourner's truth - and I will speak it until my last breath

  
  

  Sources: 

  Sojourner Truth Timeline

  Sojourner Truth Quotes, Facts & Speeches
  

  Sojourner Truth's words