Introduction/Rationale
"Lift Every Voice and Sing"Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us, Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us, Let us March on till Victory is won")1
James Weldon Johnson, Songwriter, poet and activist
When James Weldon Johnson wrote "Lift Every Voice and Sing" in "1900" he and his brother probably had little idea that this song would be adopted as the "Negro National Anthem." James and John worked to complete the lyrics to this song to help his elementary school celebrate the birthday of Abraham Lincoln. Over a hundred years later school children are inspired by how the lyrics capture the challenges and hopes of African Americans.
As an eighth grade teacher of African American children in the Chicago Public School system my main Objective is to empower students academically through building their self-awareness and self-esteem, empowering their voice. Enhancing their knowledge of historical issues and events helps to build their sense of self. Their sense of identity is formed through voice. Examining words and themes that arise from historical speeches, articles, poetry and song lyrics provides students with opportunities to make personal connections. Forming a sense of historical identity will help them better understand and adapt in their world and the greater society. James Weldon Johnson's "Lift Every Voice and Sing" provides the foundation for this type of academic infusion to take place. One hundred years ago a young African American man wrote the lyrics "Lift Every voice and Sing, Ring with the Harmonies of Liberty", urging all children; struggling to achieve the American Dream to lift their voices until they are liberated from the ills of society.
"Lift Every Voice and Sing" an Analysis of Social Change "Hope" through "Voices" of "Hip-Hop" is a curriculum unit designed to explore the power and magnitude of words in a creative and engaging format to help students see the power of the written and spoken word. This unit will be used during the first and second quarter of the school year, stretched over two periods to allow plenty room for test preparation activities. Due to some "controversial language" used in some of the music: I would recommend that administrative approval be sought prior to implementation of this unit.
Hip Hop has expanded worldwide from an American phenomenon to an international genre of music. Millions of hip-hop CD's are sold in foreign countries and has influenced people in many different forms of vernacular, fashion terms and mannerisms. Most oppressed people in various countries recognize hip hop's importance due to the music's response to social, political and economic injustices. "An example of Hip Hop's global reach can be found in South Africa and it is identified there as Kwaito which is a direct reflection of post apartheid and is considered a voice for the voiceless."2
As a Nationally Board Certified Teacher in the field of Middle Childhood Generalist, I have the richness of integrating curriculum across content areas. This current unit provides me with the opportunity to introduce voice interpretation in the classroom in a powerful and creative format. "Have the Voices of African American children fallen upon deaf ears?" My class is a self-contained eighth grade room of thirty-two students whose reading abilities rang from low third grade to a smaller percentage of students actually reading at grade level. Learning styles and intelligence types range from linguistic, logical-mathematical, bodily kinesthetic, interpersonal to intrapersonal. Our school is focused on inclusion therefore about ten of my students are considered special needs and receive resources from speech assistance to one on one tutoring. As most pre and teen age children my students are enthusiastic and eager to learn. Many of my students come from families that struggle financially but most parents I encounter want the best education for their children.
Guiding students to hold up the mirror of hope and view themselves through the challenges and sacrifices of "poetic voices" will be illustrated throughout this unit. The Englewood (affectionately known as the Wood) section of Chicago was established during the 1920's a thriving community of German, Scottish and Irish immigrants. Sears developed a 1.5 million dollar store establishing Englewood as the second busiest shopping district in the city. The 1940's real-estate values began to decline with the increase of blacks moving into the area. The practice of redlining and disinvestment sealed Englewood's future as a low-income community. In 2008 most families are single parent households and many parents have less than a college education. Factory, steel mill and meatpacking houses have relocated from this community leaving joblessness and dependency on government assistance at an "all time" high.
Are children trying to send society a message? Today throughout the inner city of Chicago, within the Englewood community where my students live, voices revolve daily around issues of violence, homelessness, joblessness, lack of quality health care and family resources, increased high school drop out rates, gang activity and police brutality which leaves alarming echoes of bitterness in their lives. They cannot hear the fireworks or see the stars of hope because they are disembodied, rather disconnected from mainstream America
The objectives of this unit will provide students a venue to explore social and moral forms of protest through contemporary voices. The majority of inner city youth feel that they are left behind the closed door and that society has cut off their words. Hip Hop provides this sense of collective voices, lyrics involve a call and the listener gives his or her response. The audience usually submits to the call verbally and non-verbally through body movement including dance. Students will examine these voices of contemporary protest by engaging in "class discussions about recent events such as school and teen violence". The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, presidential candidates, the use of the N-word and how these topics are addressed in popular music and media will be explored. Students will write creative essays and poetry that they will share and discuss during class presentations.
This unit does not suggest that academic goals and objectives established by districts be ignored nor does it minimize their importance. Teaching in some of Chicago's roughest neighborhoods such as Cabrini Green, Robert Taylor, Henry Horner Housing Developments and now the Englewood community, has helped me realize the importance of providing outlets and platforms for student expression. This unit is an example of how creative teaching is directly linked to academic progress particularly for those students struggling and coping with major issues like gun violence. This year alone in the Chicago Public School system over twenty students have lost their lives to gun violence. Each life taken, including the child pulling the trigger, has become voiceless.
One goal is to model for students how to organize words in writing that will show purpose in their voice and will help them deliver a message in a more powerful and productive manner. Identifying the voice in others, "such as Hip Hop artist" will spark their personal interest and self-awareness and motivate them to express their own voices. What type of message do we want our words to send? Listening to artists like Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Ludacris and Mos Def can be controversial to adults but entertaining and motivational to students. These artist have a strong influence on how students use and/or abuse words. Most recently rap artist Ludacris was just under public scrutiny for lyrics he used in a song designed to support Presidential candidate Barak Obama.
The voice of the writers, authors and artist in this unit reflect personal and global experiences that my students can "connect and relate." However, in order for students to grasp the overarching theme--getting the "Big Idea" the purpose for learning that voice is between speaker and audience"-- particular analytical skills have to be acquired. Excerpts from various poems, songs, news articles, written and oral interviews will be used to emphasize various themes and ideas that will help students formulate their own voices in a constructive and productive manner towards social change. As we examine the voices of established writers you will also get a glimpse of life from my students' perspective so that you will better understand the significance of the format and structure of this unit.
Excerpt from The good die young by Tupac Shakur
Does anybody have the answer why?
It seems the good die young
Can anybody tell me why
Can anybody tell me why
I know my life ain't promised
That's why the wise move in silence
Analyze these scandalous times
It's hard dog but we manage
schools turn to war zones
Even homes unsafe
Leavin children to play caged and raged
They hate how come
Someone explain why the good die young
Why the bad die slow and outlive everyone
It"s time something is done
For our young kids
They growin' hopeless
That ain't the way to live
Tell me why
Day's go past and as they pass
Time move quicker
No time for wastin
Tupac Shakur excerpt from Good Die Young3
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