pols 1000 civil rights maryam

Civil Rights/Contemporary Race Relations Discussion Board Assignment

Assignment Overview:
This discussion board assignment invites you to engage critically with two foundational texts in the American civil rights movement: Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letters From the Birmingham City Jail” and the documentary *I Am Not Your Negro* featuring the words of James Baldwin. Your task is to compare and contrast the ideas presented in these works and connect them to contemporary race relations in the United States.

Instructions:

Part 1: Comparative Analysis
1. Compare and Contrast:
– Read Letters From the Birmingham City Jail by Martin Luther King Jr.
– Watch the documentary I Am Not Your Negro, which features the words and ideas of James Baldwin.
– Write a 2-3 paragraph analysis that compares and contrasts the key themes, arguments, and rhetorical strategies used by King and Baldwin.
– Consider their perspectives on racial inequality, the role of activism, and their visions for the future of America.

Part 2: Contemporary Relevance
2. Contemporary Race Relations:
In 2-3 paragraphs, reflect on what the insights from Kings letter and Baldwins commentary can tell us about contemporary race relations in the United States. Discuss how the issues they addressed in the 1950s and 1960s persist today, and whether you see any progress or setbacks in the struggle for racial equality. Please include information from The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee that addresses some of the ways in which racism imposes a cost to all of us. You can find information about the book on the following sites:

• ‘Sum Of Us’ Examines The Hidden Cost Of Racism For Everyone on “Fresh Air”:
• The Sum of Us Tallies the Cost of Racism for Everyone in the New York Times:

If you need some help getting started, you might want to explore any of the following topics in your analysis:
– The degree to which racial inequality has been ingrained in television, movies, music, etc., and the resulting effects.
– The role of the white moderate who is apathetic and/or ignorant of racial inequality.
– How or why white Americans need racial injustice and how this ultimately affects both Black and white Americans.
– The tradeoff between freedom and oppression.
– The legacy of slavery, Jim Crow, and racial injustice both in the 1950s and today.
– Various tactics used in the struggle for civil rights.