You will use material posted in Weeks 11, 12, and 13 to complete this assignment. Do not pull in outside materials. You will only answer ONE of the prompts.
Based on the material posted in Weeks 11, 12, and 13 on how people fought against Jim Crow and Apartheid, select ONE of the following prompts to answer. Read below the prompts for detailed instructions.
Option 1:
The fights for civil rights/the end of Jim Crow in the U.S. and for the end of apartheid in South Africa were not exactly the same, though there were some definite overlaps in the strategies used by political activists in both countries. Based on class material, what do you see as the significant differences in the ways people fought for civil rights in the US and for the end of apartheid in South Africa? Why do you think those differences occurred?
Option 2:
The fights for civil rights/the end of Jim Crow in the U.S. and for the end of apartheid in South Africa shared several similarities in terms of the strategies used by political activists in both countries. Based on class material, what do you see as the significance similarities in the ways that people fought for civil rights in the US and for the end of apartheid in South Africa? What can we learn about fighting racial injustices from these two countries fights to end Jim Crow and apartheid?
Option 3:
In the fight for civil rights in the US and in the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa, political organizers constantly struggled with the debate over non-violent versus violent strategies. Based on the class materials, discuss the arguments made for the movements remaining non-violent. Do you think non-violent protest/resistance strategies were strong enough to help topple these oppressive systems? Do you think occurrences of violent protest and/or the threat of violent protest was also a powerful way for organizers to fight against racial injustices? Ultimately, do you believe the fight against racial injustice must be non-violent, or is there a time when violent responses to oppression is appropriate?
Option 4:
The fights to end Jim Crow and apartheid required extraordinary patience, organization, and persistence. Based on the class materials, what strategies/activities do you think proved most effective in helping Americans achieve civil rights and South Africans bring an end to apartheid? Why do you think those strategies/activities were so crucial in ending legalized segregation in those countries?
Regardless of which prompt you answer, your essay should follow the instructions below:
1. Essay should be at least 3 full pages, double spaced 12 font. You are welcome to write more than that, but 3 full pages is the minimal expectation.
2. Your essay should include at least 3 direct quotes from class material. You do not need to provide a works cited/bibliography page but you do need to make sure you include a reference for each quote that you use (author name and page number is fine for the readings, film name is fine for the films). Do not just paraphrase the material- you need to pull in actual quotes.
3. Your essay must engage in discussion about both the U.S. and South Africa- this is an assignment asking you to put into conversation the civil rights movement in the US and the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa so you need to provide a balanced essay that gives equal/near equal attention to both contexts.
4. Any of the materials from Weeks 11, 12, and 13 are appropriate to use here, including the primary sources. Pick the sources that best serve your response to the selected prompt.
(2154) The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow | PBS | ep 4 of 4 Terror and Triumph – YouTube
Nelson Mandela: The Freedom Fighter – Video – Films On Demand (indstate.edu)
The Singing is Over, Julius Lester, The Angry Children of Malcolm X, November 1966 (crmvet.org)
Malcolm X: The Ballot or the Bullet (edchange.org)
From Selma to Soweto: Nelson Mandela and the Southern freedom struggle | Facing South