In Manchild in the Promised Land, Claude Brown reflects upon the differences and tensions between the "Civil Rights" and "Black Power" approaches to the problems of Race in the U.S. of the 1950s and early 1960s. In your essay, describe and analyze what Brown has to say about these two movements. What does each approach have to offer to the people of the urban ghetto? How does each movement hope to reach the goal, which they share, of African-American liberation and empowerment? Finally, how does Brown's book illluminate, expand upon, or even challenge the other material about race that we are encountering in this course?

As you think about Civil Rights and Black Power, you will want to consider their respective tactics, strengths and limitations, as well as the similarities and differences between them. In doing so, you'll also want to pay particular attention to information contained in the following readings other than Manchild. [Important Note: Those marked below with an asterisk may not have been assigned in your TA's syllabus. But you will find them extremely helpful, in varying ways, in developing your ideas for this paper.]

• Out of Many--especially chapter 28, and pp. 940-949 of chapter 29.
• From the Documents--
• King, "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" [28-5]
• Carmichael, "Black Power" [29-4]
• *Robinson, "The Montgomery Bus Boycott" [28-1]
• *Bond, "Sit-Ins and the Origins of SNCC" [28-4]
• *Hamer, "Voting Rights in Mississippi" [28-6]
• *The Civil Rights Act of 1964 [28-9]
• *Harrington, "The Other America" [28-10]
• *"Report of the National Advisory Committee on Civil Disorders" [29-6]

Other issues you may want to be thinking about:

• Distinctions between the Northern and Southern, as well as urban and rural, African-American experiences.
• The difference between de jure and de facto forms of segregation and discrimination.
• The role(s) of the following in the lives of Sonny and his neighbors: religion, education, violence, drugs
• The ways in which people in the book attempted to control or determine their own destinies, as well as the extent to which, according to Brown, they were overwhelmed by circumstances beyond their control?

_______________________________________

An effective essay will be substantive and grounded in sources--not only Manchild, but also in relevant material from the textbook, documents, etc. [This assignment does not require outside research, nor do we expect you to do any.] It will contain an explicit statement of your thesis, as well as a well-organized argument and analysis. It will be clearly and grammatically written. In preparing your paper, we urge you to:

• Start well in advance of the due date. In particular, if you have not already done so, we urge you to finish reading Manchild as soon as possible.
• Consult with your TA or Professor Thompson; we encourage submission of drafts, outlines, etc., but oral consultations are helpful, too. Consider submitting a draft or outline (in person or by e-mail) in advance of meeting with your TA or MST. And be sure to leave yourself time to follow up on any advice you may receive!
• It is expected that you will consult, and abide by, the "General Comments and Suggestions for Writing Papers" (handout); it is meant to be taken seriously. You may also find some of the other writing resources on our course website to be useful.

Be assured that we do not have "one right answer" in mind for this assignment. Your work will be evaluated on the basis of how successfully you articulate and substantiate the case that you propose to make. [However, keep in mind that "feeling," and unsupported "opinion" and editorializing, are not the way to proceed. Whatever you say must be grounded in evidence--from Manchild and the other sources at your disposal.]