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| A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON SLAVERY: Writing the History of African American Slave Women |
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Record the History
Have the class, either individually or in groups, write
a history of African American slave women. This might
be a chapter for a history textbook or a children's history.
The history can be as traditional or as creative as the
class desires.
Compare the Reality and the Perception
Read a different account of slave women such as Harriet
Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin. Chapters 5 and
20 include Stowe's perception of slave women, their lives,
and the challenges they faced. The illustrations in the
novel also help us to understand how Stowe, a free, white
Northerner, perceived slavery and life in the South. The
text and illustrations from the novel can be found here:
http://www.iath.virginia.edu/utc/uncletom/utchp.html
http://www.iath.virginia.edu/utc/uncletom/illustra/ilhp.html
http://www.online-literature.com/stowe/uncletom/20/
1. Class Discussion:
- Analysis of the document: Who was the author, what
was her purpose/motivation for writing, and what was
the historical context for her book? Discuss any other
information you think is important or relevant to
identifying bias and understanding in Stowe's novel.
- How did Stowe portray slave women's lives? Identify
any inconsistencies or similarities between her portrayal
and the information in the narratives you read.
2. Essay: Compare and contrast Harriet Beecher
Stowe's portrayal of African American slave women in Uncle
Tom's Cabin with what you learned about these women
through their own words.
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