Brooklyn Resists Curriculum: Section 2

Focus: This section looks at how enslavers regarded enslaved people who self-emancipated were regarded through Runaways Slave Ads.

Activity: Self-Emancipation

Part A

Step 1: Ask the class to define “self-emancipation.” Make sure their answers are accessible to the class.

Step 2: Have the class review each other’s answers, then have the entire class create a working definition of "self-emancipation." Tell the class that we will analyze a few sources to see if the definition how the definition evolves. 

Part B

Step 3: As a class, examine Forty Dollars Reward using the  Articles and Ads Worksheet.

Step 4: In groups or individually, have students examine either Six Cents Rewards 1 or Six Cent Rewards 2 using the Articles and Ads Worksheet. Then, have them share their findings.

Step 5: As a class, compare the articles using two questions: How are the articles similar? How are the articles different? Feel free to use the Venn Diagram.

Step 6: Have the class discuss their thoughts on this topic.

Part C

Step 7: As a group, read Self-Emancipation i.e. Runaways aloud.

Step 8: Discuss the handout.

Step 9: Review the class definition of “self-emancipation” and ask how it resembles or differs from the definitions found in the source. 

Step 10: Have students contemplate the impact of self-emancipation for the enslaved and, in comparison, the enslaver.

Step 11: Show the Self Emancipation video using the Video Worksheet. Review their answers.

Step 12: Ask the class to answer this question:

• Based on the video and sources, how is self-emancipation a form of resistance?

Step 13: Students can create a poem, haiku or blog post discussing self-emancipation and the enslaved.

Discussion Questions:

• Who are Teunis and Michael Bergen looking for? What are their names?
• The newspaper advertisement is looking for more than one person. What is their relationship to one another?
• What date was the advertisement placed? Why is it important to know when a primary source document is published?

Focus: The four-day spate of murder and terror known as the 1863 Draft Riots were some of the most vicious eruption of racist violence in New York City's history. The Union Army needed more soldiers to fight in the Civil War. The draft was enacted to force white men to join the war. Wealthy men were allowed to pay $300 to avoid being drafted. Poor people, most of whom were immigrants, were forced to serve in the Union Army. Many were not happy about this.

In July 1863, gangs of white men rioted for four days throughout New York City, mostly in Manhattan. Black men, women and children were found dead in rivers, on the streets and hung from trees and lamp posts. This is considered one of the most brutal acts of terrorism in New York City's history. This lesson introduces students to this violent time in New York’s history using newspaper articles and first-hand accounts. They show the brutality Black Brooklynites endured and how they were able to persist.

Activity: The Draft Riots

Part A

Step 1: Have students conduct internet research on recent protests in New York City.

Step 2: Ask students if the protests were violent and/or peaceful; who/what was reason for the protests; and how was the protest lawful and/or unlawful?

Step 3: Discuss their answers.

Step 4: In groups or individually, have students create a list of questions about the Draft Riots based on the video and their initial research.

Part B

Step 5: With their lists of questions, have students read the Draft Riots blog post by Brooklyn Public Library here. Students should read the page without going to an external site and answer their questions.

Step 6: Discuss their answers and ask if they have new questions about the Draft Riots.

Step 7: Show students the video, The Lyons Family and the Draft Riots using the Video Worksheet. Discuss after viewing it twice.

Step 8: Create a new list of questions about the Draft Riots based on the new information from the sheet.

Step 9: Now, have them go back to this link located in the blog post, and go through the web pages to learn what happened during the draft riots and its’ repercussions. They should answer all remaining questions.

Note: This step can take 1 – 3 class periods for students to complete.

Part 10: Discuss the answers to their questions and what they think the impact of the Draft Riots had on Black Brooklynites.

Part C

Part 11: In groups or individually, have students review one or all of the following:

• Excerpt from Marticha Lyons memoir
• Mrs. Lefferts Account of the Draft Riots/Transcript Mrs. Lefferts Account of the Draft Riots 
• Brooklyn. New York Tribune, October 10, 1863 Article (Draft Riots Brooklyn)/Transcript, Brooklyn. New York Tribune, October 10, 1863 Article (Draft Riots Brooklyn)

Part 12: Have students discuss how Black Brooklynites endured, persisted, and resisted the Draft Riots based on these sources.

Part 13: Now, watch the video Safe Spaces with Video Worksheet, and discuss how these spaces would have helped Black people find refuge during the riots.

Step 14: Using all of the information they gathered from the sources in Part 11, and the videos, have them write a newspaper article, blog posts, etc., discussing how the Draft Riots affected Black Brooklynites.

Focus: This section explores the history of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) using the case study of the Downstate Medical Center protest. It also examines the civil rights movement by learning about CORE Chairman Isaiah Brunson.

Activity 1: CORE

Step 1: Read Brooklyn and the Congress for Racial Equality (CORE) and the List of nonviolent disobedience tactics definitions.

Step 2: Have the class discuss CORE and their thoughts about the group.

Step 3: Have students make a list of social justice issues CORE might stand up for today.

Step 4: Individually or in groups, have students create a story, article, tableau, etc., demonstrating how they think CORE would protest an injustice today.

Activity 2: Case Study - Downstate Hospital

Part A

Step 1: Explain to students that Bob Law was a Brooklyn activist and renowned radio broadcaster for Brooklyn’s Congress of Racial Equality, or CORE.

Step 3: Using an excerpt from Bob’s oral history, students will learn about one of the protests Brooklyn’s CORE was involved in over building a new hospital. You can give students the Bob Law's Oral History transcript to follow along.

Step 4: Post these questions for students to think about as they listen. Tell them to be prepared to answer after you have played the recording 2 - 3 times.

Online version: If teaching online, we suggest using Jamboard or Padlet to answer the questions.

• What was the significance of the construction of the Downstate Medical Center?
• How many CORE members were at the construction site?
• Why did Bob Law, Hassan El-Saheed, and others prevent reporters from coming onto Clarkson Avenue to cover the demonstrations that were taking place?
• Who was Bob Teague?
• Why does Bob Law mention Siloam (Shiloh) Presbyterian?

Step 5: Play the Bob Law Oral History.

Step 6: Review their answers and discuss the impact of the Downstate Medical Center protest.

Part B

Step 7:  Review the List of nonviolent civil disobedience tactics used by CORE and other civil rights groups with your students.

Step 8: Based on the list, ask students if they have ever seen or participated in one of the tactics. What does/did it look like for them? Which methods did Brooklyn CORE and Bob Law use during the protest at Downstate Medical Center? Were they effective? Why or why not?

Step 9:  Use the suggested questions below to facilitate a conversation about the still image of Brooklyn CORE Chairman Isaiah Brunson. Note: You can use the Image Worksheet.

Online version: If teaching online, we suggest using Jamboard or Padlet to answer the questions.

• When and where do you think this photograph of Chairman Isaiah Brunson was taken? What makes you say that? Be as specific as possible.
• What does the photograph tell you about how information was gathered on the individuals in this album?

Step 10: Using this Core Album link, have students review the image and information on this linked website to answer the following questions:

Core Album

• How does the catalog entry description make you feel? How would you describe the photo(and by proxy, other photographs) included in this album?
• Why do you think a member of the Brooklyn CORE chapter is in this album?
• What does “Occ” mean?
• What kind of nonviolent civil disobedience tactic was Brunson arrested for?

Step 11: Review their answers.

Step 12: Give students the handout about Isaiah Brunson.

Step 13: Have them take all of the information and create a narrative describing who and what Isaiah Brunson did for Black Brooklynites.

Part C:

Step 14: Instruct students to explore the CORE album with CORE members (names are to your left) and consider the following questions for comparative analysis.

• Who are the other civil rights activists in the album? How do you know that they were also activists? Be as specific as possible.
• How does the catalog entry description make you feel? How would you describe the photo (and by proxy, other photographs included in the book?
• How is the still image of Isaiah Brunson different from other CORE/ civil rights activists? Is anything similar?
• Do you recognize any names of the people in the album?
• How did they put their bodies on the line to protest racial inequality?

Online version: If teaching online, we suggest using Jamboard or Padlet to answer the questions.

Step 15: Discuss their answers.

Step 16: Ask them how they feel about this information. Does it surprise them?

Step 17: Using the online archive below, have students choose 1 - 3 oral histories from CORE members who protested at the Downstate Medical Center.       

Downstate Oral Histories    

Brooklyn Core Oral Histories

Step 18: Ask students to list the dangers these people may have encountered during their protests.

Step 19: If students were protesting this today, have them list and discuss which methods they would use.