In each essay you must essentially make an argument, using the sources (the book, textbook, and lectures) as sources to back up your argument. The most important source is the book that you have been assigned to read (i.e., Devil in the White City, etc). You are required to use and cite the textbook and lectures, but neither of those should be the main source for your paper. However, if you rely solely or primarily on the textbook and lectures and not the main book you’re supposed to read, I will take off points.
2. You must ONLY use the sources that are mentioned in the essay prompt. In other words, the book you’ve been assigned to read, your lectures, and the textbook.
3. In each essay I want you to express your opinion, but it needs to be backed up by historical evidence. You should provide specific quotes from the book assigned to illustrate your answers as well as the textbook or lectures.
4. By specific quotes I do not mean just parroting the conclusions of the author. Each book contains numerous specific examples and quotes from the people who were there at the time of the subject of the book. You are required to quote from these historical figures to bolster your argument. In other words, you make your own argument, then use specific examples taken from the book or the other sources mentioned.
5. You must cite sources WHEN YOU USE THEM, not just when you quote them directly
6. Please do not use overly long quotes. And make sure you set up the quotes. Don’t just use it to complete a sentence or state a fact. For instance, there’s no need to quote a sentence like, “Huey Long was assassinated in 1935.”—that’s an obvious fact. If you can paraphrase something factual, then do that. However, if you use a source and do not quote it directly, you still need to cite that you used the source.
7. Since the papers are not research papers, you can cite your sources simply. For instance, if you quote or paraphrase specific passages or information from the first book, you’d just need to put the title and page number in parentheses at the end of the quote or usage, like this: (Devil in the White City, 45).
8. In each essay you need to have the prescribed number off pages, with 12 font and standard margins. I will not penalize you if you go over the number of pages assigned, but if your paper is too short there’s a good chance that you didn’t adequately answer the question asked.
9. Each paper will be turned in to Turnitin.com. This program checks for regular plagiarism AND the use of CHATGPT or other AI programs.
Essay Prompt:
Using the book The Ground Breaking, your lectures, and the textbook, in a 5-7 page, double spaced, 12 font, standard margins, paper, answer the following questions about the Tulsa Race Massacre and the decades-long attempts to suppress the full story (answer these questions in the form of an essay—not each one individually).
The Tulsa Massacre occurred in 1921. Beyond white anger over the alleged incident that led to the arrest of Dick Rowland, what were the real reasons for the attacks on Greenwood? (racism is obviously a huge part of it, but please discuss this question at some length) Who do you believe were most responsible in the white community? What did the success of Greenwood represent to the white community?
The massacre was covered up for more than fifty years through the destruction of paperwork, news articles, and written evidence, as well as the suppression of speech about the massacre. What are the lasting impacts of having this history purposefully erased. What about American society today makes the story of the race massacre and its 50-year cover-up, both surprising, and unsurprising?
What can the Tulsa race massacre and the ongoing investigation teach us about racism in America? What can it teach us about reconciliation? Do the living survivors, the families of deceased survivors, or Greenwood itself, deserve reparations for what happened in 1921? What effects could reparations have?
According to author Scott Ellsworth, “we are living in what I call the Age of Reevaluation. Old historical truths are being challenged…while new ones are rising to take their place.” What do you think that means. Why is reckoning with difficult pieces of our past necessary today?
Please use significant quotes from The Ground Breaking, concentrating significantly on quotes from the people who either survived the race massacre, or who were involved in the attempts to uncover evidence in the various investigations. You should also quote from either the textbook or lectures. 5-7 pages, double spaced, 12 font, standard margins