Race, Riots, and Reality

Summer Fellowship Project 2008

By: Amos Lee

Lesson 4: Primary Resources from Illinois State Archive

Abstract:

Students should now have the prerequisite knowledge to study and understand the context of the transcripts from the State Commission that was charged with investigating the living conditions of African Americans in Illinois. Students should be thinking about the role of government in protecting its citizens, people’s response to unjust laws, race riots in Illinois, concept of race, and the effects of Jim Crow laws on the African American community. This lesson should not only reinforce what students are learning, but help them to understand the depth in which people lived and survived during an era where all citizens were not given equality in America.

Essential Questions:

· What role does government have to ensure equity and justice among its people?

· What should citizens do when laws are unjust?

· What are legal ways to protest?

· How can people change unjust laws?

· Who is the government accountable to?

· Why do racism, discrimination, and bigotry exist?

· What causes a population to riot?

· Is the government responsible for serving all its citizens?

· Why is their so much emphasis on race in our society?

Enduring Understandings:

· Students will understand the depth to how people lived during a different era than their own.

· Students will understand that Jim Crow laws and discrimination penetrated every fabric of society.

· Students will understand that when a government does not protect all its citizens, riots can occur when no other choice or option is seen.

Assessment:

Pre-assessment:

· Use the Frayer Model Worksheet to assess what students have learned about the race riots.

Formative Assessment:

· Students will use the written document analysis form, along with a graphic organizer to organize what they are learning.

Procedures:

1. Form 5 centers based on the topics below. In each center, print out the supporting documents from the State Commission transcripts. Divide students up into 5 groups and have them all begin at one center and rotate to all five.

2. For each center have students fill out the NARA Written Document Analysis Worksheet.

· Note:

o The goal for all students is to gain an understanding about how every fabric of society was impacted by racially discriminatory practices.

o Explain to the students that as a result of the race riots and different factors involving race throughout the early 20^th century a State Commission was put together in order to study and report back the living conditions of African Americans in the state of Illinois and to suggest a plan of action.

3. After each student group visits every center once, have them fill out the graphic organizer: Organize Your Thoughts!

· Note:

o Students should use this graphic organizer to help them gain a larger picture of all five centers and how discrimination was rampant in most sectors of society.

Centers (Topic)	Description	Links
Employment	Struggles of African Americans gaining employment without abuse or racial prejudice was discussed through live testimony.	Employment
Housing	Description of the housing condition for African Americans in Chicago and Illinois. And an in depth look into the living conditions and availability of housing for African Americans in the early 20^th century.	Housing
Education	A discussion is held about the opportunities, discrimination, and facilities available for African American youth.	Education
Medical Care	The State Commission interviews doctors and overseers of medical care in Chicago. A discussion is held about medical services offered by different organizations and possible biases or discriminative practices against African Americans.	Medical Care
Labor Unions	Testimony is given about discrimination faced by African Americans when trying to enter or contend with different unions in the state.	Labor Unions
Real Estate	Discussion of discriminatory practices against African Americans in the real estate market.	Real Estate