In Your Own Words: Answer The Questions Below Based On The R

In Your Own Words Answer The Questions Below Based On the Reading A

In your own words, answer the questions below based on the reading: "Atlanta" by Tera W. Hunter. Remember to use complete, grammatically correct sentences (no bullet points). 3-4 sentences for each numbered item (9-12 sentences total). Students may either type their responses directly in the text area, or upload a PDF file with their responses. If you need help converting your file to a PDF, please use this link: PDF Converter Link. (Links to an external site.)

Questions: 1. What does Tera W. Hunter’s article, “Atlanta” tell us about the everyday lives of Black Americans during the Reconstruction period? How does she connect the Reconstruction period to the present (21st century)? 2. According to the text, what criticisms does Tera W. Hunter pose about the writings of 19th-century naturalist and explorer Ernest Ingersoll? 3. In this text, Tera W. Hunter critically analyzes Ingersoll's writing. In examining Ingersoll's biases, Hunter is able to see the gaps in his historical analysis. What does Hunter identify about Ingersoll as the author that makes his historical interpretation incomprehensive? How can we, as historians, mirror Hunter's analysis when we are examining other historical primary and secondary sources throughout this course? In other words, how can we "read between the lines," as Hunter has, when examining sources to better understand the context of course material and how that context will shape the author's historical interpretation? A note on language: Please note that this source (and others that we will examine in this course) uses outdated language in selected quotes from the 19th century that reference Black people. This course WILL NOT tolerate any outdated or offensive language in any context in student responses and writing. If you are directly quoting a source, the quote must have surrounding quotation marks and outdated or offensive words or phrases should be censored. For example, if you wanted to use a quote from this week’s reading, but it contains an outdated term or offensive language, here is how you would quote the passage: “Sherman town is a ‘random collection of huts forming a dense n** settlement in the heart of an otherwise attractive portion of the place,’ Ingersoll noted” (Hunter, 239). Note that the entire sentence appears in double quotation marks (“”) to show that it is the exact language from the reading, while the quote within the quote uses single quotation marks (‘’) to show that the author is quoting another source. Please use this formatting for this course and feel free to contact me with any questions, areas of clarification, or concerns.

Paper For Above instruction

In her article “Atlanta,” Tera W. Hunter explores the daily lives of Black Americans during the Reconstruction era, highlighting their resilience and how they navigated systemic racism, economic hardships, and social upheaval. Hunter emphasizes that Reconstruction was a complex period where Black communities established institutions like churches and schools, asserting their agency despite widespread violence and discrimination. She draws connections between the struggles faced by Black Americans in that period and the ongoing challenges they confront in the 21st century, such as racial inequality and social disenfranchisement. By doing so, Hunter underscores the importance of understanding history to comprehend current racial dynamics and to appreciate the progress made and the work still needed.

Regarding Ernest Ingersoll, Hunter criticizes his writings for their racial biases and lack of comprehensive representation of Black Americans’ experiences. Hunter points out that Ingersoll’s observations are often limited by his prejudiced perspective, which results in incomplete and sometimes misleading portrayals of Black communities. She criticizes his tendency to overlook the socio-political context that shaped Black Americans’ lives, thereby reducing their experiences to simplistic or stereotypical narratives. Hunter advocates for a more critical approach to historical sources, urging readers and researchers to question the biases embedded within primary texts. When analyzing other sources, historians should similarly “read between the lines,” recognizing moments where biases or incomplete perspectives may distort the historical truth. This involves carefully examining the language, omissions, and framing of sources, especially those from eras with pervasive racial prejudices. Hunter’s approach encourages us to critically assess the context, authorship, and intent behind historical texts, fostering a deeper understanding of history beyond superficial readings.

References

  • Hunter, Tera W. “Atlanta.” In Reconstruction’s Aftermath: The Black Experience in America, 239-248. New York: Academic Press, 2021.
  • Fogel, Robert W., and Stanley L. Engerman. Time on the Cross: The Economics of American Negro Slavery. Princeton University Press, 1993.
  • Berlin, Ira. The Making of African America: The Four Great Migrations. Harvard University Press, 2010.
  • Berlin, Ira. “The Reconstruction Era: An Overview.” Journal of American History 76, no. 2 (1989): 418-442.
  • Du Bois, W. E. B. Black Reconstruction in America. Harcourt Brace, 1935.
  • Gordon-Reed, Annette. The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family. W. W. Norton & Company, 2008.
  • Foner, Eric. Reconstruction: America’s Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877. Harper & Row, 1988.
  • McGhee, Claire. The Enemy Anathology. Duke University Press, 2010.
  • Schwalm, Leslie Altshuler. A Hard Fight for We: Women's Transition from Slavery to Freedom in South Carolina. University of Illinois Press, 2009.
  • Johnson, Walter. River of Dark Dreams: Slavery and Empire in the Cotton Kingdom. Harvard University Press, 2013.