African American History-Themes of African American History Playlist Project

Directions: The first weeks of this course, we will be exploring the major themes and issues throughout African American History. These themes or ideas are ones that have been present in the story of African Americans throughout history and ones that continue to impact our communities today. Your job is to explore these themes (or create your own themes) that help us to see how you understand African American History by creating a music playlist that tells the story of African American history through your eyes. Remember that music has always been a powerful way in which people have been able to share their experiences and perspectives and this project will allow you to do the same

You will need to list the following information in a word or powerpoint document:

(1) Theme: (Example: Justice) (2) song artist and title (3) lyrics from the song (1-3 lines, school appropriate) (4) a paragraph (2-3 sentences minimum) that explains how the lyrics relate

to the theme you chose(5) a hyperlink to the song or the video

Playlist Examples

Justice Beyonce-Superpower

“Even the babies know it's there: tough love (superpower) The laws of the world tell us what goes sky. And what falls, it's a superpower (superpower). The laws of the world never stopped us once. Cause together we got plenty superpower”

This relates to my understanding of justice in African American history because Beyonce is talking about how the “laws of the world never stopped us once” which reminds me of the Civil Rights Movement and the idea of “Civil Disobedience” where African Americans came together to protest unjust laws. Their actions might have been illegal but the laws themselves were actually unjust and so they organized themselves around this idea and didn’t let the “laws of the world” stop them.

Justice Tupac Shakur-Changes

“ It's war on the streets and the war in the Middle East. Instead of war on poverty they got a war on drugs so the police can bother me. And I ain't never did a crime I ain't have to do. But now I'm back with the blacks givin' it back to you”

This song relates to my understanding of Justice in African American history because Tupac discusses how the system isn’t really just at all for black people in America. He discusses crime as a necessity of poverty in his community as well as

For this project, you will create a music playlist that reflects your understanding and experience with the 4 major themes and ideas that we use to outline our course. (If you prefer, you may identify your own theme words to replace the ones provided). You must choose 4 songs for each theme that you think best represent this idea or theme.

Our 4 Themes: Justice, Equality, Resistance, Identity (Ideas for alternative themes: Freedom, protest, change, injustice, resilience, etc…)

African American History-Themes of African American History Playlist Projectthe perception that police are there to “bother” him rather than there for helping keep peace in his community which is a common perspective of policing in black communities throughout history. This is an injustice that African Americans have been dealing with for generations and an issue that is still very prevelant in our communities today.

Resistance The Game (feat Rick Ross, Diddy etc…) –Don’t Shoot

"Time to take a stand and save our future/Like we all got shot, we all got shot/Throwing up our hands don't let them shoot us/'Cause we all we got, we all we got/God ain't put us on the earth to get murdered, it's murder."

This song relates to resistance because it speaks to the many uprisings in our nation after the murder of unarmed black men by police officers (Mike Brown, Tamir Rice, George Floyd). The song encourages others to take a stand in the name of the future and stop police brutality and specifically to stop the murders that are occurring at the hands of police in different communities. We have seen protests like this a lot lately after the death of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in 2020. Protests are one way to call attention to inequities and injustices in a society. This song also calls out the actions of police as “murder” which could also relate to the theme of justice

Resistance We Shall Overcome—Pete Seger, Preservation Hall Jazz Band

“We shall overcome, we shall overcome, we shall overcome, some day. Oh deep in my heart, I do believe we shall overcome someday.”

This song relates to resistance because it talks about overcoming prejudice and violence and was used as a protest anthem in the United States during the Civil Rights movement. To me this song is realistic, but also an optimistic view that one day the United States will be able to overcome its ugly history of racism and injustices towards people of color and that we will need to all work together for this to happen. While I like the optimism of the song, I worry that it may paint an unrealistic, overly peaceful and passive picture of what resistance looks likes and leads to in the United States, as we have not yet achieved a lot of the ideas that this song was identifying. .

Project Rubric-Themes of African American History Playlist Project

1 (Poor) 2 (Fair) 3(Good) 4(Excellent)

African American History-Themes of African American History Playlist ProjectSong Selection Student has failed to

select songs that relate

to the themes of the

course. Their

selections may be only

superficially related or

share a generic topic

with the theme

Student has selected

at least 16 songs which

relate inconsistently or

inadequately to the

major themes of the

course.

Student has selected

at least 16 songs

which relate

adequately to the

major themes of the

course

Student has selected at

least 16 songs which

relate convincingly to

the major themes of the

course

Rationales Student offers

rationales that

demonstrate less

success in establishing

thematic relationships

between songs and the

course themes.

Student may have only

offered brief

summaries or offered

little depth in

evaluating thematic

connections

Student offers

rationales, though the

clarity of the

relationship between

the song and the

theme is limited or

inconsistent

Student offers cogent,

clear rationales that

demonstrate an

adequate grasp of the

course’s major themes

Student offers clear,

sophisticated rationales

that demonstrate a

convincing grasp of the

course’s major themes.

Organization/Aesthetic

Project lacks

organization, is difficult

to read or follow and

has 5 or more errors.

Project has some

organization but is

difficult to follow or

some components are

not functional. Project

has more than 2 errors

Project is adequately

organized, clear and

easy to read

Project has few errors

Project is well

organized, aesthetically

pleasing and easy to

read/navigate.

Project has no errors.

African American History-Themes of African American History Playlist Project

Instinct Theory/Evolutionary PerspectiveDrive Reduction TheoryHomeostasisArousal Theory / Yerkes-Dodson LawMaslow’s Hierarchy of NeedsStomach Contractions & HungerBlood Sugar GlucoseBrain Basis for hunger (Hypothalamus)Stomach HormonesSet Point TheoryMetabolismPsychology of HungerCulture and Hunger ObesityBulimiaAnorexiaCauses of eating disordersBody Image/(dis)satisfactionMedia and Advertising effects on body imageSexual OrientationNeed for AchievementNeed for PowerNeed for IntimacyIntrinsic MotivatorsExtrinsic Motivators Industrial/Organizational PsychologyFlowPersonnel PsychologyTheory X Management StyleTheory Y Management StyleApproach-approach conflict Avoidance-avoidance conflict Approach-avoidance conflict