This is mapping and economics project will teach students about the slave trade and how it relied upon the sale of physical goods to make possible the selling of people. Students will use maps to trace the route of slave trade ships as they brought slaves from the coast of Africa to the American colonies in exchange for various products such as molasses or cotton. The students will trace the return voyage to England, or another European country, where these ships would load up with other goods to sell on the coast of Africa to buy more slaves, starting the cycle of slave trading again. Students can mark a triangle on the map over the Atlantic Ocean, noting the "goods" acquired at each location. This project will help students see how other trade interests, besides the demand for slaves, were involved in bringing the ancestors of many African-Americans to this country. Have the students add a diagram or picture of the cramped conditions aboard a slave vessel. This will help them appreciate how difficult and horrific this voyage was for the slaves.
After reading a book about Harriet Tubman, have students create a 10 entry journal from the perspective of an Underground Railroad "conductor" or an escaping slave. Have them research real stops and routes in the Underground Railroad to use in their fictional diaries. Ask students to reflect upon how the escaping slaves or the "conductor" might feel and what they think about the people they met along their way to freedom.
Let students research and learn about the contributions made by the Tuskegee Airmen to America's presence in World War II and towards the desegregation of the military afterwards. Have the students make a chart with two columns. Label the left column "Challenges/Prejudices" and call the right "Prejudice Addressed/Challenge Overcome." Consider each challenge from the first column and write on the right side how these men overcame each barrier to become elite combat fliers, thereby helping to bring segregation of the U.S. military to an end.
Have students listen to examples of old negro spirituals or gospel songs. Either by pointing out the unique characteristics to them or having them research these characteristics, have the students learn the distinct musical elements of such songs. For example, identify the "call and response" pattern in these songs as well as places where the singer "testifies," which means places where the singer shares a story about her life. Finally, let students listen to clean versions of popular or rap music to identify where they see these same patterns in operation.