| “African Americans in the Columbia River
Basin” is a learning module that introduces students to the
history of African Americans in the region. It is designed for students
grade 8 and above, and to be accessible to community people who
have an interest in black history. The module consists of four lessons
that examine four fundamental aspects of the African American experience
in the Columbia River Basin since the early 1800’s to the
present: migration and settlement, formation of communities, interaction
and relations with white society, and work experiences. Students
will use a variety of primary sources to explore the history of
blacks in the region. These primary sources include oral history
interviews, photos and other images, newspaper articles, manuscripts,
records of cultural groups, churches and other organizations, and
personal collections of families and individuals stored in the Tri-State
Project database.
LESSON PLANS
Lesson 1: Migration and Settlement
In this lesson students will explore the reasons why African
Americans migrated to
and settled in the Columbia River Basin.
Lesson 2: Building Communities
In this lesson students will learn how African Americans built
their own communities
and institutions.
Lesson 3: Problems of Race and Space
In this lesson students will explore the experiences of African
Americans in relations
with white society in the Columbia River Basin
Lesson 4: The Work Experience of African Americans
In this lesson students will learn about the work experience
of African Americans in
the Columbia River Basin
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After completing this module students will:
- acquire a basic understanding of when and why African Americans
first
migrated to the Columbia River Basin and why they continued to
settle in
the region
- acquire a basic understanding of how African Americans built
communities in the Columbia River Basin
- acquire a basic understanding of the problems African Americans
faced in their interaction with white society in the Columbia
River Basin
- acquire a basic understanding of the work experiences of African
Americans in the Columbia River Basin
INTENDED AUDIENCE
Grade 8 and above
RESOURCES
Academic Learning Standards
African Americans in the Columbia River Basin
Tri-State Database
African Americans in the Columbia River Basin: Lesson Plans for
Teachers
Lesson 1: Migration and Settlement
In this lesson students will use primary sources stored in the Tri-State
database
to explore the reasons why African Americans migrated to and settled
in the
Columbia River Basin.
This lesson consist of three activities:
Students will examine and evaluate three photographs of early African
American settlers;
students will review and critically examine two oral history interviews
with descendents of early African American settlers in the region;
students will select and examine two other sources of their choice
from the Tri-State the database
Learning After completing this lesson students will acquire a basic
Objective: understanding of why and when African Americans first
migrated to the Columbia River Basin, and why they continued to
settle in
the region.
ACTIVITIES
For these activities students will review primary sources stored
in the Tri-State Database following the instructions below.
Activity One: Reading and Interpreting
Oral History Interviews with Descendents of Early African American
Settlers.
In this activity students will read and critically analyze
two oral history interviews selected by the teacher.
Activity Two: Evaluation and Interpretation of photos of
early African American settlers.
In this activity students will read and critically analyze three
photos of early African American settlers in the Columbia River
Basin selected by the teacher.
Activity Three: Students will examine two additional
sources.
In this activity students will examine two additional sources of
their own
choice, selected from the Tri-State database collections.
RESOURCES
Academic Learning Standards
African Americans in the Columbia River Basin:
How Do we Interpret Sources to Understand the Past?
African Americans in the Columbia River Basin (Historical
Overview)
Oral History:
Eugene Settle, Interview #1
Clara Terrell, Interview
Photos: Elvina
Moulton, 1878;
Flowers
family farm, ca. 1885;
Rodeo
Cowboy, 1900.
STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS
What do the sources you examined reveal about early African American
settlers in the Columbia River Basin?
What do the sources say about why, when, and where African Americans
settled in the region? Who were some of these early African American
settlers?
What do the sources reveal about the family life of early African
American settlers?
What do the sources say about the experiences of early African
American settlers in the
communities where they settled? Did these experiences meet their
expectations?
Do you have any questions that your sources do not answer satisfactorily?
If so, search the Columbia River Basin Ethnic History Archives for
additional sources that may help you answer these questions?
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