Project Descriptions
Angie D. | Pamphlet
Ignorant Errors
The role of literature is to raise questions and question issues. The importance of literature is to apply what we’ve learned to our real lives. I created this project based on the recognition that there is still work to do against racism, and that everyone has a role to play in combating it. I wanted to share some ways people can apply the lessons from this book to their lives and do my part by amplifying the voices of Black people that are too often covered up. I made a pamphlet of ways to support Black communities and connected it briefly to the book. I hope you don’t just read the pamphlet, but actually do some of the things I’ve suggested.
Payton K. and Josy C. | Google Earth Trip
The Journey of an Ex-Colored Man
Our project is based upon the racism in the society of the narrator. In our project, we included a map, laying out the travels of the narrator. As well as what identity he took on in each individual place. Also, we added why the narrator chased his set identity based on his settings. Overall, we wanted to show how racism developed the narrator’s identity and his decisions to pass. As well as revealing how the narrator moves back and forth throughout his life physical and identity wise.
Gray F., Kaitlyn T., Holden M., Chloe T., Emma Z., Nina S. | Video
“Ballin the Jack Fox Trot”
We performed the piece Ballin’ the Jack Fox Trot by James Reese Europe. Our group performed the ragtime song in order to highlight the importance of ragtime music to The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man. We explored the life story of James Reese Europe, which was very similar to the narrator’s. They differ in the aspect that James Reese Europe used his music to highlight the abilities of African Americans of the time, while the narrator was forced to give up his dreams along with his identity. We contrasted their stories in order to demonstrate how society’s racism forced the narrator to give up his goals and the music he wanted to play. We recorded and played the piece over a presentation we wrote about exploring the life of James Reese Europe.
Lydia T. | Painting
Same clothing different people
I made two different paintings each one is a young boy in formal clothing. At the bottom of each painting there is a quote describing how these boys are viewed in formal clothing. One has the quote, “dressed in clothes that did not fit him any too well.” This quote relates to Shiny who wore formal clothing, although it is viewed as though it doesn’t suit him. The other quote is “perfect little aristocrat.” This quote was related to the narrator and how in formal clothing he is viewed as an aristocrat. Both of these boys are young and both are dressed in formal clothing the only difference being the color of their skin. My paintings are used to demonstrate how people could hold completely different opinions between two people even if the only difference is the color of their skin.
Charles S., Chloe T. | Google Earth Trip
The Effects of Location on Identity in The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man
Our project addressed the different “roles”/”personas”/”types” of citizens the ECM protagonist adopted throughout his story. One aim was highlighting connections to the surrounding environment and setting that may reflect meaningful changes in the protagonist’s personality, such as how different dynamics within communities or various characters influence the amount of sincerity seen within the outward presentation of the protagonist.
While the individual locations represent their own impacts on the protagonist’s character, the physical path traveled is simultaneously indicative of the volatility seen in the protagonist’s decision on how to present to the rest of the world.
Tavin S. | Pencil, Colored pencil Drawing
Mystery Man Playing Piano
My project uses graphite pencil and colored pencils on paper to create this meaningful drawing. I drew a man sitting at a piano with a cloud of colors for his head. The cloud of colors on the man represents the narrator’s struggle with self-identity within the story. The man sitting at the piano shows the narrator’s love for music throughout the story and how music was his only constant.