This week will be an opportunity to capture student interest and set the stage for the study of the court case. It may be most effective to spend this week saturating students with the pre-Brown era propaganda and responding to the images that they see. We will look at icons from pop culture such as Uncle Ben, Aunt Jemima, Uncle Sam, the housewife, the “mammy” and the responses that these figures elicit. These icons have clearly changed over time from the stereotypical images of the 1940’s to more realistic portrayals today. Our focus will be on carefully choosing the language we use to describe these images so that we can begin to lay the foundational idea that language creates pictures to suit an author’s purpose, whether that is an actual author of a written work or an “author” of images and such. We will also read “The Colored Fountain” which will send home the seriousness and humiliation of segregation, especially for children. This essay deals with a young girl’s disillusionment as she first learns that a “colored water fountain” doesn’t shower out rainbow-colored water.
For the magazines and newspapers that you will need for this week, check your local library. You can also look for publications such as
McCall’s
,
Look
, and
Life
(check the publication date to make sure it is before the 1950’s!) at the library. They have some great advertisements. See also the site for the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia. The documentary
Ethnic Notions
by director Marion Riggs can be used in part or whole to paint a vivid picture and provide compelling images of Black stereotypes. Additional images can be found on the Internet by typing in “black caricatures” or “black Americana.”
Specific Objectives:
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- Define “symbol” and “icon”
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- Investigate the connotations, symbolism, and definitions of the words “black” and “White” and “color”
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- Evaluate advertisements for their suggested meaning and keywords that they elicit
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- Investigate the connection between language and pictures
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- Recognize that language paints pictures that suit an author’s purpose
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- Investigate author’s intent in advertising and propaganda
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- Identify specific ways that public opinion was swayed according to popularly held beliefs regarding race
Day One
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- Read “The Colored Fountain”
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- Respond in Learning Logs and share responses with small groups/whole class
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- Answer following questions based on the article: What is the problem? Why is it a problem? Who is affected?
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- Define “connotation”
Day Two
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- Define “symbol” and “icon”
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- Comparison of images of Uncle Sam and Uncle Ben
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- Show images and give brief background (patriotic symbol and icon for a brand of rice)
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- Use Learning Logs to answer following questions: Whose “uncles” are these? Why is their appearance important? Who are possible “authors” of these images?
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- Central question: What words do these images elicit?
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- Discussion about these questions
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- Construct a T-chart or other graphic organizer to organize information from the day’s discussion
Day Three
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- Comparison of Aunt Jemima, “mammy” image and 40’s-50’s housewife through clippings and video clips
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- Give brief background on images
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- Discussion about possible “authors” for these images
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- Construct/add to graphic organizer from day before
Day Four
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- Define/discuss “propaganda”
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- Investigate findings thus far by revisiting the graphic organizer: What have we learned so far about the authors? Their purpose? Their beliefs?
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- Based on what we have learned so far, what do we associate with the following words: black, white, colored, color?
Day Five
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- Media hunt! We will investigate pre-Brown era newspapers, ads, magazines and commercials for further evidence of the racial temperature. This independent assessment will help students practice the concepts that we have been discovering all week. You will need copies of newspapers, magazines, etc. SEE ATTACHED SHEET!
