Reflective Response Prompt for Paper on Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom by William and Ellen Craft

Description:

In this harrowing tale, the former enslaved William Craft described his and his wife Ellen’s great escape to freedom from Georgia to Philadelphia in 1848. The couple eventually resided in England after the passage of the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act, which strengthened slavers’ ability to the recapture of enslaved refugees in free states.

As you read this riveting account, you probably noticed a few themes arise during their journey:

1. the permeability of race, class, and gender (e.g., Ellen ability to traverse in her disguise);
2. disability as both visible and invisible (think here of how the very visible disability of Ellen Craft ultimately rendered her enslaved body invisible);
3. Resistance and violence in the many examples William Craft provided about the conditions of enslavement;
4. Constructions of womanhood and femininity;
5. the impact of religion as a tool of oppression and deliverance.

Writing Prompt: 

Using at least TWO themes (the ones above in any combination or two of your own) to answer the following questions: 

• What does the Craft’s story reveal about the conditions of enslavement, southern and northern society (politics, culture, economy) in the years before the Civil War? (write in past tense when answering this question -because it happened in the past.)

• How has this story framed your own understanding of the antebellum period? Does it reinforce or complicate your understanding of this period and the lived experiences?  

Instructions:

1. Reflect: Reflect on William and Ellen Craft narrative (the book)
2. Think: After having read their experiences, what themes pop in your mind?
3. Write: Write a reflective response that uses at least two themes to answer these questions:
4. What does the Craft’s story reveal about the conditions of enslavement and/or southern and northern society (politics, culture, economy) in the years before the Civil War? (Write this section in past tense—because it happened in the past.)
5. How has this story framed your own understanding of the antebellum period? Does it reinforce or complicate your understanding of this period and the lived experiences?
6. Paper Requirements:
7. Logistics: 750–1000 words (excluding your title and bibliography page!) and at least 3 secondary sources (1. Craft, 2. Foner, & 3. another academic source), 12 pt. font, Times New Roman, 1” margins all around. Cite your sources and include a bibliography.
8. Practice good writing habits: 
9. While you may use first person language, follow rules for formal papers.
10. Do not use contractions (didn’t, couldn’t, etc.).
11. Use people’s full name the first time you mention them, then their surnames (last/family name, not first name) thereafter unless doing so causes confusion.
12. Do not use slang or jargon.
13. Keep quotes to a minimum.
14. Make sure your writing is clear and concise.
15. Don’t use passive voice (write in active voice)
16. Avoid run-on sentences and fragments.
17. Have an introduction that includes an argument and thesis statement and a closing paragraph that wraps up your thoughts and conclusions.
18. Cite your sources, especially quotes. You may use whatever citation method you prefer, but Chicago Manual of Style is preferred. Include a bibliography
19. Language: Important! While you will see the n-word throughout the text, you will NOT use it in your paper, nor voice this word in class. If you are using a quote that includes this word, you will write it as n— or use asterisks. When referring to enslaved people, you will use the term enslaved-not slave or “colored people.” You may also use people of color. If “colored people” is in a quote, you may use this, but again, when you are using your own voice, please use either enslaved, people of color, African American, or Black (both of these are capitalized.)