Chapter Overview
Just as it is important for educators to have deep understandings of the complexities of the American society, it is important for students to have opportunities to learn about those complexities. Race and racism is best understood and studied from multiple disciplinary perspectives, including history, political science, sociology, psychology, and anthropology. Students may be supported to examine issues from a combination of these perspectives and discuss how the knowledge of one discipline relates to that of others.
Many non-dominant racial groups, and members of those groups, have been oppressed and discriminated against throughout the history of the United States. Many advances have been made over the years, but racism persists in the minds of many people and in American institutional systems and structures.
Native Americans fought assimilation through self-determination. They resisted sending children to Bureau of Indian Affairs schools, and some communities have created their own schools. The Rough Rock Community School is an example of a school that teaches Native language and culture while also ensuring academic success. The United Farm Workers Union has challenged employers who did not pay fair wages or provide safe and sanitary conditions to their farm laborers. The African-American community has fought against slavery and discrimination for generations. An example of a civil rights activist is Frederick Douglass, who learned to read, escaped enslavement, and advocated for the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments. Japanese Americans fought against internment during World War II. They brought cases to the Supreme Court to protect their constitutional rights and the rights of others. White Americans and Jewish Americans have also worked to fight discrimination and racism. The Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center are two organizations that continue to protect victims of discrimination.
Learning Objectives
L01. Explain how race and racism are issues that have many intersectional connections in various disciplines such as psychology, sociology, anthropology, history, and political science.
L02. Explain how Native Americans pushed forward using the value of self-determination and created schools that reflected native values and taught native languages and native worldviews.
L03. Examine how Latinos/Hispanics were leaders in the struggle for labor rights.
L04. Assess how African Americans such as Frederick Douglass were leaders in the fight for civil rights.
L05. Evaluate the fight for the constitutional rights of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders with particular focus on Japanese Americans.
L06. Assess the ability of Jewish Americans to fight social oppression by establishing organizations that fight hate crimes.
Readings & Resources
Due this Week
Just as it is important for educators to have deep understandings of the complexities of the American society, it is important for students to have opportunities to learn about those complexities. Race and racism is best understood and studied from multiple disciplinary perspectives, including history, political science, sociology, psychology, and anthropology. Students may be supported to examine issues from a combination of these perspectives and discuss how the knowledge of one discipline relates to that of others.
Many non-dominant racial groups, and members of those groups, have been oppressed and discriminated against throughout the history of the United States. Many advances have been made over the years, but racism persists in the minds of many people and in American institutional systems and structures.
Native Americans fought assimilation through self-determination. They resisted sending children to Bureau of Indian Affairs schools, and some communities have created their own schools. The Rough Rock Community School is an example of a school that teaches Native language and culture while also ensuring academic success. The United Farm Workers Union has challenged employers who did not pay fair wages or provide safe and sanitary conditions to their farm laborers. The African-American community has fought against slavery and discrimination for generations. An example of a civil rights activist is Frederick Douglass, who learned to read, escaped enslavement, and advocated for the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments. Japanese Americans fought against internment during World War II. They brought cases to the Supreme Court to protect their constitutional rights and the rights of others. White Americans and Jewish Americans have also worked to fight discrimination and racism. The Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center are two organizations that continue to protect victims of discrimination.
Learning Objectives
L01. Explain how race and racism are issues that have many intersectional connections in various disciplines such as psychology, sociology, anthropology, history, and political science.
L02. Explain how Native Americans pushed forward using the value of self-determination and created schools that reflected native values and taught native languages and native worldviews.
L03. Examine how Latinos/Hispanics were leaders in the struggle for labor rights.
L04. Assess how African Americans such as Frederick Douglass were leaders in the fight for civil rights.
L05. Evaluate the fight for the constitutional rights of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders with particular focus on Japanese Americans.
L06. Assess the ability of Jewish Americans to fight social oppression by establishing organizations that fight hate crimes.
Readings & Resources
- Chapter 5
Due this Week
- Discussion Post
- Answer one of the following questions. Post your response on FORUM in LAULIMA. Your discussion post will be due on Friday by 11:55pm.
- How do schools contribute to racism in America? How can schools fight against racism in America?
- How can you explicitly teach students about complex social issues such as race and racism?
- Answer one of the following questions. Post your response on FORUM in LAULIMA. Your discussion post will be due on Friday by 11:55pm.
- Peer Responses
- Respond to one of your classmates' discussion posts. Your response must be respectful, thorough, and well thought-out. Peer Responses will be due by Sunday at 11:55pm. Submit your peer responses directly to the discussion post in FORUM on LAULIMA.
- Quiz
- This is an open-book, open-resource quiz that you are required to take after completing the assigned readings and videos. This quiz is graded but you are able to take the quiz as many times as you like and only your highest score will be counted. Complete your Quiz by Sunday by 11:55pm. To complete the quiz, go to LAULIMA TESTS & QUIZZES.