he Smithsonian ‘s National Museum of African American History and Culture (Links to an external site.) in Washington D.C. is planning to add some inscriptions outside of the museum. Since you are a student of African American literature, the designers of the museum have requested your help to identify two quotes which will set the tone of the entire museum. You will write a paper to convince them of your choices.
Imagine that you are on the green National Mall with the Washington Monument rising behind you, walking toward the newest structure, a building which stands almost directly across the street from the White House. You are about to walk into a building that represents African American history and culture. What ideas should the museum discuss? Whose stories should it illustrate? In this essay, you are choosing the central story and its teller. And as we have seen this semester, it is a vital story. You are responsible for persuading museum designers of the first impression that visitors will have. This is a weighty task. I hope you will take it seriously.
Essay 2 is an excellent opportunity for you to focus on the learning that is most important to you from this class by choosing two writers who are special to you. The centerpiece of the essay is this: You must convince the staff of the museum that you have selected the right quotes to set the tone for the museum.
If you have already visited the museum, you might have noted that there arent any readily visible quotes outside the museum. There are a couple on the Washington Monument side, but they are well hidden. One of them is by Frederick Douglass: Liberty exists in the very idea of mans creation. It was his even before he comprehended it. He was created in it, endowed with it, and it can never be taken away. Consider why that was chosen as a quote. It relates directly back to the founding documents. This quote is relevant to the story of African American history specifically and to American history in general. That is one reason that it is a good quote.
I think the museum could benefit from more quotesand from your recommendations. Thus, you will write a 1000-1200 word essay that follows these guidelines:
You must select two quotes from our reading of authors in the Norton anthology this semesterone quote from a woman and one quote from a manand argue that these should be featured outside of the museum.
You must argue that each quote–and its author–will illustrate African American history and culture. One way to think of that is to consider how it will be representative of the museums mission to explore what it means to be an American and share how American values like resiliency, optimism, and spirituality are reflected in African American history and culture.
You must research the quotes and the authors using secondary sources (in addition to the two primary sources you will use from the Norton anthology).
You must present your argument in a 1000-1200 word essay. While you are writing, be sure to use research AND your own analysis to support your argument that both then quotes AND the authors will exemplify the museums mission.
SOURCES: You will use sources to help contextualize quotations and provide relevant biographical information for your chosen writers. I encourage you to draw on all of our class materials as you make your case. You must include at least THREE secondary sources besides the textbook. Of those, TWO sources must come from library sources. That means you are permitted only one web source unless you want to go beyond the minimum required sources in your essay. Refer to this website for information about researching for this project: ENG 253 Library Guide. (Links to an external site.)
CITATION: Cite in MLA 8 format (Links to an external site.) ( http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/ (Links to an external site.)), using parenthetical citations and a Works Cited page. Please refer to the Research Toolbox on the left menu for more information. Note that the databases have their own citation tools.
LENGTH: This essay should be 1000-1200 words long, not including your Works Cited entries..
FORMAT: Follow MLA formatting for your header (Links to an external site.): ( http://libguides.nvcc.edu/c.php?g=619745&p=4314735 (Links to an external site.)) Use double spacing. You must save your essay as DOC or DOCX format so that I will be able to open the file and grade your essay.
PURPOSE
This final essay encourages you to think critically about the material throughout the course. It also presents you with an opportunity to research two specific early African American writers and connect them with current scholarship.
Last Completed Projects
| topic title | academic level | Writer | delivered |
|---|