America I am

The title "America I am" means the struggles of the African-Americans. At the exhibit I saw the evidence of the risks that people took to help or hinder the African-Americans' freedom. During the long and terrible years of slavery there was a woman, named Harriet Tubman. Harriet Tubman lead slaves to freedom by cleverly passing through the Underground Railroad. Years later, Abraham Lincoln became the president of the United States and passed the Emancipation Proclamation, which did not free slaves, but instead allowed slaves to join the Union. The document that abolished slavery was the 13th amendment. However even though slaves were emancipated they still felt the harshness of segregation. This segregation ranged from white only foundations and areas to more serious acts of violence. The most heinous example of these acts of violence would occur as a result of the Ku Klux Klan, the KKK murdered several African-Americans. However a man named Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke out about these senseless and violent acts with his famous "I have a Dream" speech. On January 26, 1956 Dr. King was arrested during a sit-in at a resturant, waiting to be served when the resturant did not serve african americans. After being released from prison he was shot and killed by James Earl Ray. As time went on segregation was reduced and as a result African-Americans and Whites went to the same same foundations and areas.

The mock Hearing

The mock hearing was held in Mrs.Trenkle's room. she gave us this assignment then split us into groups. the people in my group was Montell, Evelyn, Mariah (cow person or Mooriah), and Grace. Each group had to choose a unit and a question in that unit. Our group chose unit two. Our essay was kind of long so we had to cut it down some. After we presented our esaay's and were judge a couple of days later the winners for each unit between the four history clases were announced. When our group was called up as the unit two winners I was happy because we won between all of the people who did unit two. This ment we were going to city wide. I was trying to stay calm and not be nervous so I wouldn't stop or mess up in while reading. At the end of it all between all the other schools that came to compete in this hearing. Our scool got third place between all the schools there even though I was a little angry our school got third place instead of second but inside I was happy we got third and was relieved that this essay is now over.

Flying For Freedom: The Tuskegee Airmen

The Tuskegee Airmen can teach us many valuable lessons that can be used in everyday life, but because there are so many I will share three with you. Race does not determine the level of our ability. I have gained this lesson from the fact that Tuskegee Airmen were more than successful (they never lost a bomber.) Another lesson that can be gained is that you should never give up, even if the obstacles are difficult. I have gained this lesson from Tuskegee Airmen the movie, when Peoples committed suicide, some of the Tuskegee Airmen just quit, but the others stayed true to the commitment to THEIR country. Lastly you can gain the lesson that you can do anything you set our mind to, I have gained this final lesson from the Tuskegee Airmen being a successful experiment overall.

The Mock Hearings

The Mock Hearings were held in Ms. Trenkle's class, it was then split up into groups. My group was made up of Jordan, Evelyn, Mariah (Bob), and Grace. We first had to create an essay for a question that we chose. The question that my group chose was "What Shaped The Founding Father's Thoughts About Government?" Our essay was a bit long but, I am sure we could have gotten to a required pace if I wasn't a slow reader, but even with my slow reading we won. The group is now advancing to the city wide round. Hopefully I can muster up the confidence to not "pause for dramatic effect", as Evelyn says.Overall I believe that the group did well as a whole and that we will prevail in the City Wide! (I hope.)