“Only the educated are free.”
- Epictetus
“Reading and writing above all, pointed the way to freedom – first of all in the mind and spirit and often in the body.”
- Janet Duitsman Cornelius
Rationale
Growing up in the south as an African American woman, I have found education to be the silver lining regarding my growth within society. It can be used to elevate oneself to different levels of society, fight discrimination, and place oneself in rooms that were only created for members of the ruling class. Education can also be a tool used for protection and survival. Throughout my hardships as a black woman, from the south, recently divorced with two kids, my education at times has been my saving grace. The ability to not only read but to comprehend, and utilize critical thinking skills to find ways to create new situations or maneuver through tough ones, has helped me survive and thrive in this world. As a young student at times I struggled harder than my peers in the areas of reading, but then even as child I learned many little tricks in order to push myself forward. This curriculum unit focuses on the journey African Americans had in their pursuit of obtaining literacy skills. These skills would then be developed into tools to gain freedom during slavery; freedom of the mind and body through reading. The content background for this unit will be broken down into two sections, and from these sections one will have the knowledge needed to deliver the unit. This is not to say that one must solely use the information being provided, but rather view and utilize the given material as a steppingstone in understanding the subject matter of literacy in the black community. The two sections to be discussed will present information in regard to literacy developed during slavery, and literacy during the time period of Reconstruction within the black community. When discussing literacy during the time period of Reconstruction, there will also be a discussion centered around the freedmen schools established during the time of Reconstruction by the Freedmen’s Bureau. In correlating past history with relatable current subject matter, in the unit I will also acknowledge the establishment of Armstrong High School in Richmond, Virginia, and the Jefferson School in Charlottesville, Virginia. Armstrong High School, initially known as the Richmond Colored Normal School established in 1867 by the Freedmen’s Bureau, is the feeder high school for Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School. Currently at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School I teach US History, and with this unit it is my hope to provide engagement and ignite a spark in students to not only help them learn and remember the information taught within the unit but leave a lasting positive impact to aid them in their futures and academic endeavors.
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