Clark Atlanta University – Fall 2018

Clark Atlanta University, Dr. Charmayne Patterson: African American History to 1865

Course Description: This course is an overview of how the people of Africa, uprooted and enslaved, continually grappled with the problem of how to preserve their dignity and identity in a hostile environment.  It highlights the process by which they became African Americans and adjusted to early American society, including their continued struggles within and against the institution of slavery. This resistance to injustice within American life places emphasis on the creation of Black institutions such as the family, church, schools, etc.

Assignment Description: Students were asked to select three items of their choosing from the Henry P. Slaughter, Slave Documents, and the 19^th Century Newspapers Illustrations (Harper’s Weekly a Journal of Civilization) collections to curate an exhibition related to African American History leading up to 1865. Students wrote a series of descriptive captions for each artifact and an introduction caption stating the focus and/or theme of the exhibition.

This exhibit was created based on the work done by Imani Murdock.