Talking About Freedom Final

Talking About Freedom Through Film, Technology, and Active Learning

This semester's course on freedom transformed how we engage with history by blending traditional learning methods with cutting-edge technology. Rather than passively absorbing information, we actively participated in mock trials, created multimedia presentations, and learned to work alongside AI tools.

Learning History Through Cinema

We watched two major films and four documentaries that brought historical concepts to life. Gone with the Wind and In the Heat of the Night helped us understand women's rights and racial segregation in ways textbooks simply can't capture. The documentaries explored the Reconstruction era, the devastating impact of the domestic slave trade, and the Great Migration—revealing how African Americans sought freedom by moving north, only to encounter continued racial segregation. These films didn't just teach us facts; they helped us feel the weight of these historical realities.

Writing, Creativity, and AI Integration

The blog post assignments pushed us to develop multiple skills simultaneously. Some posts required our original words, encouraging creative writing as we reflected on the films. Others involved working with AI, teaching us how to communicate effectively with these tools. This variety helped us understand both the value of personal expression and the practical applications of AI assistance.

Stepping Into History: Mock Trials

The mock trials were among the most engaging experiences of the semester. The Plessy v. Ferguson trial was particularly memorable—one group argued for segregation while another argued against it, forcing us to understand multiple perspectives deeply. Dressing in proper courtroom attire and presenting as if in an actual trial added professionalism that made us take the material seriously. We weren't just learning about these cases; we were living them.

Teaching to Learn: EOTO Presentations

The "Each One Teach One" (EOTO) presentations flipped the traditional classroom dynamic. Researching topics thoroughly enough to teach our classmates gave us deeper understanding than lectures would have provided. Beyond content knowledge, these presentations built confidence in public speaking that extends far beyond this single course.

The Double-Edged Sword of AI

AI emerged as a transformative tool, particularly for organizing work and creating scripts within specific time frames. However, we also discovered its limitations—sometimes it inserted irrelevant images or failed to provide complete information. These shortcomings taught us to carefully review everything and make corrections. Learning to work around AI's weaknesses became a valuable skill itself.

Beyond the Classroom

This course taught us to balance traditional learning with modern technology. We gained historical knowledge about freedom and equality while developing practical skills in presenting, writing, research, and AI usage. The most valuable lesson: technology is a powerful tool, but critical thinking, creativity, and human judgment remain irreplaceable. As we move forward, we carry both the historical insights and modern skills this course provided—a combination that prepares us for understanding the past while navigating the future.

Trial Reaction Post

Observing Justice in Action: Our Brown v. Board Mock Trial

Today I witnessed something powerful in my classroom: a mock trial of Brown v. Board of Education, the landmark 1954 case that changed American education forever. Watching my classmates step into history brought this pivotal moment to life in ways no textbook ever could.

The case centered on whether states could separate schools based on the color of children's skin, and the arguments from both sides revealed the deep divide that once existed in our nation.

The students representing Brown made compelling arguments about inequality. They painted a vivid picture of the reality: Black children attending schools with broken windows and inferior resources while white children down the road received better education and countless opportunities. The psychological damage was perhaps most striking—they presented scientific evidence showing how segregation harmed children emotionally, with society constantly sending Black students the message that they would never have the same opportunities. The income disparity was staggering, with Black families earning 51% less than white families. Their central argument was clear: the 14th Amendment guarantees equal protection under the law, and "separate but equal" fundamentally fails.

The defense, representing the Board of Education, argued from a completely different perspective. They claimed schools were actually equal in facilities and education, asserting that state legislators had the constitutional right to organize schools as they saw fit. Some even invoked religious arguments, claiming the Bible supported keeping races apart. Parents, they argued, believed segregation kept their children safe and allowed them to learn without confronting different beliefs.

What struck me most was how real these arguments once were. People genuinely defended segregation, believing it protected "moral stability." Watching my classmates debate these positions showed me how far we've come, but also reminded me that the fight for equality required tremendous courage. The Supreme Court's unanimous decision that "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal" wasn't just a legal victory—it was a moral declaration that still resonates today.

AI Disclosure: I took notes on what I observed in class and then had AI turn it into a blog post. 

Heat of the Night Reaction Post

After I watched Heat of the Night for the first time, I was surprised by how the movie turned out. I knew it was supposed to be a murder mystery, but I just expected it to be different. I expected it to be more like a modern day murder mystery where they keep dropping clues and the whole point of the movie was to find out who did it. This movie was more than that because they were showing a more deep and serious story when talking about racism and injustice. This movie had more of a meaning behind it that was not just finding out who killed the victim. I found that very interesting and it is what caught my attention to the movie. The setting of the movie definitely had an important part of the movie because it showed how African Americans were treated during that time. 

Virgil Tibbs was the character that I had paid attention to the most. His detective skills were very good and it really showed his passion for what he does. He was treated badly the whole time because of the color of his skin, but he never gave up. He knew that he was the only one working on the case that could solve it. He would start to walk away and then would see that everyone else was missing key clues that would solve the mystery. If it wasn’t for him, they would have arrested the wrong person for the murder at the very beginning of the movie. He was arrested in the beginning of the movie because the townspeople and police thought he was a suspect just based on the color of his skin. I really liked how he never gave up on the case even though he knew what everyone thought about him.

I found the relationship between officer Tibbs and chief Gillespie very interesting because they had a weird dynamic. They did not get along well, but neither one of them could walk away from the case and continued to work together until the end. Their relationship grew stronger the more they worked on the case because chief Gillespie gained more respect for Tibbs. 

A scene that really stood out to me was when Tibbs slapped Endicott in the greenhouse. He did it only because he was slapped first, but at the time the movie takes place, you never hear of a black person slapping a white man. It represented Tibbs taking back racist power and how he did it because it shows how he wants to be respected the same way any white person is respected. 

Overall the movie was way more than just a murder mystery. It showed many important things like injustice and separate but equal powers. All of the characters in the movie played important roles which I liked because it wasn't like one character was more important than another. It showed how segregation affected everyone during that time. 

Video Reaction

From Reconstruction to Migration: The Long Road to Freedom

The assassination of President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865, by John Wilkes Booth, fundamentally altered America's path forward. Lincoln had envisioned rebuilding the South through forgiveness and reconciliation, but his death brought Andrew Johnson to power—a president far less committed to Black equality. Under Johnson's leadership, Southern states quickly enacted Black Codes that reinstated white supremacy. Congress responded with the Reconstruction Acts, and Johnson's obstruction ultimately led to his impeachment in 1868.

Despite constitutional progress—the 13th Amendment abolished slavery in 1865, and the 15th Amendment opened the door to political participation—true freedom remained elusive. Black Americans gained the right to vote and hold office, with sixteen Black men serving in Congress and federal courts. Black votes determined elections across the South, demonstrating the community's political power when allowed to exercise it.

However, economic freedom proved even harder to achieve. Four million formerly enslaved people gained their freedom but faced a new system of exploitation: sharecropping. This arrangement was slavery under another name. Sharecroppers gave half or more of their crops to landowners and bought supplies on credit, trapping most in endless debt. By 1870, only 30,000 Black Americans owned land in the South. This system kept Black Americans tied to the land for nearly a century after slavery's legal end, a stark reminder that the war did not truly end bondage.

offered one path forward. Booker T. Washington, who taught himself to read, founded the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama at age twenty-five. There he taught farming, trades, and the importance of hard work, demonstrating the transformative power of education. Washington even advised President Roosevelt before his death in 1915.

Ultimately, staying in the South meant living without dignity. Between 1916 and 1970, six million African Americans made the Great Migration northward, fundamentally changing America's demographic map. In 1900, ninety percent of Black Americans lived in the South; the Great Migration represented a massive rejection of Southern oppression and a determined search for true freedom.

AI Disclosure: I took notes on the videos we watching in class and then took those notes and added it to ClaudeAi. I then went in and added links and pictures.

EOTO Reaction Post

The Struggle for True Freedom: Reconstruction and Its Aftermath

The end of the Civil War in 1865 marked a pivotal moment in American history. Slavery was abolished, and nearly four million African Americans were suddenly free. But what did freedom really mean? The Reconstruction era and its aftermath revealed a harsh truth: legal freedom without equality is incomplete.

Black Codes: Freedom in Name Only

During the Reconstruction era, Southern states quickly moved to create what became known as Black Codes. These laws were designed with one clear purpose: to control newly freed African Americans and maintain white supremacy. The Black Codes banned African Americans from voting and owning firearms, effectively denying them both political power and the means of self-defense. These laws restricted where Black people could live, what jobs they could hold, and their ability to move freely. The Black Codes showed that freedom was being denied in everything but name, revealing that white Southerners would not accept racial equality regardless of constitutional amendments.

Carpetbaggers: Complex Reformers

Into this volatile situation came the carpetbaggers—Northern opportunists who moved to the South after the Civil War. While some fit the stereotype of profiteers, many carpetbaggers worked alongside freedmen and Southern Republicans to build a more equitable society. They helped establish public school systems throughout the South, educating both Black and white children. However, anti-carpetbagger sentiment grew fierce among white Southerners who resented Northern interference. This hostility ultimately helped end Reconstruction as political will to maintain federal oversight crumbled.

Terror as a Weapon

Perhaps nothing symbolizes violent resistance to Black equality more than the Ku Klux Klan. Founded in 1865 in Tennessee right after the Civil War, the KKK became America's first domestic terrorist organization. The group's distinctive costumes were deliberately chosen to make members look like ghosts or spirits, exploiting superstitions to maximize fear. The KKK targeted African Americans and their white supporters, using violence and intimidation to suppress Black political participation. African Americans were scared to speak publicly because of constant threats from the KKK.

tied to KKK terrorism was lynching—public murders used to terrorize Black Americans into submission. There were over 4,000 documented Black victims of lynching, though the true number is certainly higher. Lynching happened primarily in Southern states and peaked from the 1890s through the 1930s. These weren't isolated incidents but calculated acts of racial terrorism. Shockingly, federal anti-lynching legislation was not passed until 2022, over a century after these atrocities peaked.

The Lost Promise

The potential for genuine racial progress died early with President Abraham Lincoln. On April 14, 1865, Lincoln was assassinated at Ford's Theater, shot by John Wilkes Booth. Booth fled but was found and killed twelve days later on April 26, 1865. Lincoln's death meant that Reconstruction would be led by less committed successors.

marriage became a battleground for white supremacy. Anti-miscegenation laws banned interracial marriage, clearly violating the 14th Amendment's guarantee of equal protection. Yet these laws remained in place until the Supreme Court finally struck them down in 1967—over a century after the 14th Amendment was ratified.

Understanding Our History

The Reconstruction era reminds us that progress is never inevitable. The Black Codes, KKK terrorism, lynching, and discriminatory laws worked together as a system to maintain racial hierarchy despite constitutional amendments guaranteeing freedom and equality. Understanding this history is essential because its effects still ripple through American society today in racial wealth gaps, voting restrictions, and ongoing debates about equality and justice. True freedom requires more than legal declarations—it demands sustained commitment to equality and human dignity for all people.

AI Disclosure: I watched the group present their project and took notes on what I learned. I then took those notes and put them in ClaudeAI. I then went in and went into the post and added links and photos. 

The Reconstruction Era Video

The Reconstruction Era: America's Most Hopeful and Violent Years

The Reconstruction period following the Civil War represented a pivotal moment when America had the opportunity to truly become a land of freedom for all. On April 9, 1865, Palm Sunday, the Civil War officially ended at Appomattox, marking what many hoped would be the death of slavery in America. Abraham Lincoln had freed the slaves, and by the summer of 1862, many had already found safe haven. Black soldiers stood as living proof that slavery's end had arrived.

However, Appomattox was not the beginning of peace—it was the start of a new struggle. President Lincoln proposed that some Black men, particularly the intelligent and veterans, should gain the right to vote. Tragically, in 1864, Lincoln was assassinated before he could fully realize his vision for Reconstruction.

His successor, Andrew Johnson, proved to be no friend to Black Americans. While figures like General Oliver Howard wanted freedmen to have land and economic independence, Johnson felt he alone could handle Reconstruction. He offered pardons to wealthy rebels who appealed directly to him, undermining efforts toward true equality. The United States had a genuine opportunity to make former slaves economically independent, but it failed—and we are still dealing with the fallout from that failure today.

The era was marked by intense backlash. Southern states passed Black Codes that, while technically recognizing slavery's abolition, severely restricted Black freedom. Edward Pollard published "The Lost Cause," attempting to rewrite history and deny that the war was about slavery—though it absolutely was. Witnesses like Lucy Tibbs testified to investigators about the violence and injustice they experienced.

The three years following the Civil War were simultaneously the most hopeful and most violent in American history. Reconstruction left a legacy of both promise and brutality—a duality that would shape American race relations for generations to come.

AI disclaimer: I took notes on the Reconstruction Era video in class. I then used ClaudeAi to turn them into a blog post. I then added links and photos to the text.

Plessy v. Ferguson

 

The Politics of Plessy v. Ferguson: A Turning Point That Turned the Wrong Way

When Homer Plessy boarded that train in New Orleans in 1892, he wasn't just taking a seat—he was challenging the entire political order of post-Reconstruction America. The case that followed, Plessy v. Ferguson, represents one of the most significant moments in American political history, not because it moved us toward justice, but because it cemented injustice into law for generations.

The Political Landscape of the 1890s

To understand Plessy, we need to understand the politics of the era. The period following the Civil War, known as Reconstruction, had briefly promised racial equality. The Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments abolished slavery, guaranteed equal protection under the law, and protected voting rights. Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1875, which prohibited racial discrimination in public accommodations.

But by the 1890s, the political winds had shifted dramatically. Northern politicians, tired of enforcing Reconstruction policies, made compromises with Southern Democrats. The Supreme Court struck down the Civil Rights Act of 1875 in 1883. Southern states began passing "Jim Crow" laws that mandated racial segregation. The federal government largely turned a blind eye, prioritizing national reconciliation over racial justice.

The Political Strategy Behind Plessy's Challenge

Homer Plessy's case was carefully orchestrated by a civil rights organization called the Comité des Citoyens (Citizens' Committee). They understood that the political battle for equality had largely been lost in state legislatures and Congress. Their only hope was the courts and the Constitution itself.

The committee chose Plessy specifically because he was seven-eighths white and could pass as white—demonstrating the absurdity of racial classifications. They arranged for his arrest to create a test case. Their political calculation was simple: force the Supreme Court to confront whether the Fourteenth Amendment's promise of "equal protection" meant anything at all.

Why the Supreme Court Ruled Against Equality

The Court's 7-1 decision in favor of segregation wasn't made in a political vacuum. The justices reflected the dominant political ideology of their time—one that prioritized sectional peace over racial justice. Justice Henry Brown, writing for the majority, argued that the Fourteenth Amendment "could not have been intended to abolish distinctions based upon color, or to enforce social, as distinguished from political equality."

This reasoning was pure politics dressed up as law. The Court essentially said that while Black Americans might have formal legal equality, the Constitution couldn't force white Americans to treat them as social equals. The "separate but equal" doctrine provided political cover for continued segregation—it sounded fair while perpetuating injustice.

The Political Consequences

Plessy v. Ferguson didn't just allow segregation—it encouraged it. Southern states dramatically expanded Jim Crow laws after the decision, knowing they had the Supreme Court's blessing. The political coalition that might have opposed segregation was demoralized and fractured. The decision sent a clear message: the federal government would not intervene to protect Black civil rights.

The case also reveals how the Supreme Court, often portrayed as above politics, can reflect and reinforce the political consensus of its time. The justices chose sectional harmony and white supremacy over constitutional principles.

The Long Road to Reversal

It would take nearly 60 years, a second World War, and the Civil Rights Movement to finally overturn Plessy with Brown v. Board of Education in 1954. The politics had to change first—through decades of organizing, protest, and activism—before the law would follow.

Plessy v. Ferguson reminds us that constitutional rights are fragile and that politics matters immensely. The same Constitution that promised equality in the Fourteenth Amendment was interpreted to allow segregation because the political will to enforce equality had collapsed. Justice delayed is justice denied, and in this case, justice was denied for generations because politics triumphed over principle.

AI disclosure: I used ClaudeAi to write this blog post. I then edited the AI generated text. I added photos to the text. I also embedded links to the text.