Ask your students to research the life of a famous black leader. Students can write one or two page reports that present their research, or create posters. They can also give oral presentations with the option of dressing up as and impersonating the black leader they study. Provide them with a list of leaders to choose from. Make sure your list includes not only famous 20th century American leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr., but also international and historical black leaders like Toussaint Louverture.
Have your students read a work of children's literature written by a black writer. Potential book choices include "The Watsons Go to Birmingham, 1963" by Christopher Paul Curtis, a coming of age novel about a young boy who witnesses the burning of the Sixteenth Avenue Baptist Church, and "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry" by Mildred D. Taylor, which chronicles the life of a black family living in the Deep South during the Great Depression. Ask students to write short essay responses to these novels or compose short sequels that continue the stories of Curtis' and Taylor's characters.
Ask your students to look up the history and geography of an African nation of their choice, and write reports or create posters and give presentations about their countries. Their projects should include information about the current government of the country, what its colonial history was (if relevant), what national resources it has and the religion and culture of its people. Tell your students to use the CIA World Factbook or other credible sources when looking for population and other statistics.
Have your students listen to two recordings of their choice by black musicians and write papers in which they compare and contrast the two recordings, discussing how each fits into the tradition of black music.You can type up a list and provide access to CDs or MP3s of each work. From blues and R&B to soul and rap, black musicians have been at the forefront of American musical development throughout the 20th century. Possible choices include ragtime pieces by Scott Joplin, swing tunes by Count Basie, the bebop sound of Charlie Parker, Ray Charles' fusion of gospel and country or Jimi Hendrix's incendiary rock and roll.