In recognition of Black History Month, the children will be writing a research paper. They may use any informational source; internet, encyclopedia, books, etc. Please do not allow your child to copy word for word from their sources; all information must be in his/her own words or quoted from the text.
Black history, or African-American history, is full of fascinating stories, rich culture, great art, and courageous acts that were undertaken within circumstances that we can hardly imagine in modern society. While Civil Rights events are the most common themes in our studies, we should resist equating African-American history only with Civil Rights-era history. There is so much more to explore! This list contains 50 prompts that might lead you into some interesting and little-known information about African-American history.
1. African-American newspapers
2. African-American soldiers in the American Revolution
3. African-American soldiers in the Civil War
4. Aviators
5. Buffalo Soldiers
6. Business-owning slaves
7. Buying time
8. Camp Logan Riots
9. Clennon Washington King, Jr.
10. Coffey School of Aeronautics
11. Crispus Attucks
12. Domestic labor strikes in the South
13. Finding lost family members after emancipation
14. First African Baptist Church
15. Fort Mose
16. Freedom's Journal
17. Gospel music
18. Gullah heritage
19. Harlem Hellfighters
20. Harlem Renaissance
21. Harriet Tubman
22. Historically Black Colleges
23. History of rock-and-roll
24. Inventors
25. John Brown
26. Jumping the broom
27. Manumission papers
28. Maroon villages in the eighteenth century
29. Midwifery
30. Motown Records
31. Multi-cultural pirate ships
32. Nat Turner
33. Otelia Cromwell
34. Property-owning slaves
35. Purchasing freedom
36. Ralph Waldo Tyler
37. Register of Free Persons of Color
38. Secret schools in antebellum America
39. Sherman's March followers
40. Slave Narratives
41. Susie King Taylor
42. The Amistad
43. The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters
44. The Communist Party (involvement)
45. The Great Migration
46. The Haitian Revolution
47. Tuskegee Airmen
48. Underground Railroad
49. Urban slavery (related to buying time)
50. Wilberforce College, Ohio
An Investigation is an inquiry into a topic of a full research paper, providing substantial detail about a topic. When someone is finished reading and looking at your investigation, they should have a good understanding of your person and their accomplishments.
This investigation must include the following:
This investigation must include the following:
- 1. Why this person is considered famous (be specific, give examples)
2. What accomplishments this person is known for
3. Information on the person’s early life and how it guided them to greatness
4. Information on their adult life
5. A quote from your subject that you find significant
You may also include:
Information about your subject’s family
Other information you find interesting
