Reading Prompts

Some people might not agree with the approach of this research project, which focuses on the historical, sociological, and cultural outcomes of slavery and systemic racism in Maryland and Baltimore. They might say that other history is just as important as the history of slavery and systemic racism in Maryland and Baltimore, such as the achievements of White people and the positive strides our state and city have made to address racism. Why do you think it’s important to focus on slavery and systemic racism when there are other historical events that have occurred in Maryland and Baltimore since the 1600s?

Why do you think it is important to discuss the agency of African Americans in the introduction of this project?

What is the difference between a society with slaves and a slave society?

Why did it seem “natural” for White colonists to enslave and own Africans?

How did colonial governments ensure that slavery, and its economic benefits for White people, continued?

Why was Pratt Street so important to the slave trade in Baltimore?

How did the concept of slavery differ between the New World and traditional African cultures? Why is this important to know when thinking about slavery in the United States?

How did the enslavement of Africans in America influence the view of liberty held by English colonists according to Morgan?

What was the “Three-Fifths Compromise,” and why how was it used to oppress Black people in America? In what other ways did the U.S. Constitution defend slavery?

What is racialized citizenship, and how did it contribute to the enslavement and oppression of Black people in America? How did the Naturalization Act of 1790 enshrine racism in the United States? How did this impact African American access to the political process and other privileges associated with citizenship?

Look up the current voting laws of the following states: Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Virginia (a commonwealth), Wisconsin, Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and Texas. What are some similarities you notice between the disenfranchisement of Black individuals in the 1800s and these laws?

Reference this map of the electoral college votes to add up the votes housed in just these five states: Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Florida, and Tennessee. (There are a total of 270 electoral college votes). How might today’s voter disenfranchisement laws affect presidential elections? For more information: Here’s an article on voter fraud in 2016; voter fraud is often given as a reason for photo ID laws for voting. Here’s another article on voter suppression in the U.S.

Where did the first Underground Railroad run, and why was it important for enslaved persons in the United States?

What argument did the Southern slaveholders make about African American character to justify the perpetuation of slavery? How is this argument similar to (or different from) arguments made about African Americans today?

How did the Dred Scott case build upon the 1790 Naturalization Act? What did this mean for free Black people in the United States? What did it mean to be a “free” person of color at this time?

Why was Maryland considered a border state? How have your experiences in Maryland compared to your home state or other states you’ve lived in or visited regarding systemic racism and race relations? Why do you think these similarities/differences exist?

Underlying racist attitudes in Maryland made the transition from slave-labor to wage-labor difficult. These racist attitudes were expressed by people living in Baltimore and in the rest of the state. Today, the Baltimore City population is mostly African American, but the state still remains divided on race issues. The term “riot” versus “uprising” when referencing the events following Freddie Gray’s death is a perfect example of this tension. City residents mostly refer to the events as an uprising. County residents and others across the state often refer to the events as riots. Why do you think this split exists? Is studying the differences between these two impressions even important? If so, why, if not, why not? For a good overview of this difference, read the following article from NPR.

What were Jim Crow laws, and what laws mirror them today? Voter ID laws are one example. What are some others? Why do you think we still have laws that create prejudice against people of color?

How was Hoffman’s report prejudicial against African Americans? How did it impact 20th century criminology? In what ways is his influence still apparent in policing practices in the United States?

What was W.E.B. Du Bois’s significance in American sociology and race studies?

What was the First Great Migration, and what did whites in northern and/or border cities do in response to it?

What connections do you see between deaths from smallpox and tuberculosis among African Americans in the early 1900s and the current COVID-19 death rates among people of color in the United States today?

What is eugenics and how did American scientists, politicians, government organizations, and other whites use eugenics to justify racism? What signs of eugenics do you notice in American today?

What sort of impact did the Great Depression have on Black Americans? What is happening to unemployment rates among African Americans today during the COVID-19 outbreak? Why do you think this is happening?

How did the “Buy Where You Can Work” campaign prepare the African American community for the Civil Rights movement?

What do you think about civil rights leaders’ argument that “Urban renewal is Negro removal”?

Looking at Baltimore, and then looking at the city closest to where you live, where do you see examples of “urban renewal” actually being “Negro removal”? Look for freeways into cities (like I-81 in Baltimore), sports arenas and stadiums, as well as high-end apartments and condominium developments. Now ask yourself, who benefits from these “urban renewal” projects? Now that you know the history of systemic racism, has your opinion of these places changed? If so, why, if not, why not?

Why do you think that many white Americans remain ignorant of these types of historical and socio-economic issues caused by structural racism? What do you think white Americans can do to address this lack of knowledge and understanding? What would you and your family do if you were told to move to make way for a freeway and given lower than market value for your home? Do you think the options you considered were available and accessible to the African Americans who were forced out of their homes to make way for freeways? Why, why not?

Given the divide between Black America and White America in labor, housing, health, education, and criminal justice in American today, what will you say to someone who argues that the reason many African Americans are in the situation they’re in is because they’re lazy, addicted to drugs, or elect corrupt officials?

Read this New York Times article about educational segregation in 2019. What is surprising to you? What questions does this raise for you?