This unit is especially appropriate in New Haven, where Italians and Blacks constitute the two largest ethnic groups in the city. The objective of the unit is to “relate, compare, and contrast” the ethnic experiences involved in the creation of these two communities from the time each began through the Great Depression of the 1930s. For Blacks, we turn back to the early 1800s; for Italians, we start in 1890. The narrative is divided into two distinct sections—one per group—that cover the importance of migration, prejudice, separate institutions, politics, religion, education, and economics, to the emergence of two viable and quite different environments. The course outline covers information that would fill a six to eight week portion of the school year. Part of the outline is expanded to include four sample lesson plans. The bibliography is limited; however, the necessary background material is already incorporated directly into the text.
(Recommended for high school history students on all reading levels, including remedial; especially useful in U.S. History classes covering grades 10, 11, 12).
Key Words
Afro-American Ethnicity Italian New Haven History Connecticut
