This document provides an overview of a course on the Black Freedom Struggle in the U.S. It outlines the course objectives, frameworks, and key concepts that will be covered. These include examining social movements through the lenses of history, sociology, and political science; understanding the goals, strategies, and tactics of movements; and analyzing primary and secondary sources on the Black freedom struggle. The document also provides examples of defining terms like freedom, liberation, and power that will be important to the course.

1. The Black Freedom Struggle in the U.S.
(SSC.343)
Mary Potorti, Ph.D.
mary.potorti@mcphs.edu

2. Today’s Objectives
1. Course overview
• Syllabus and assignments
• Classroom norms
2. The Social Sciences and Social Movements:
Asking key questions
3. Primary and Secondary Sources
4. Key Concepts: Goals, Strategies, and Tactics
5. Group activity: Defining key terms
6. Course Frameworks

3. Social Sciences: Who studies what?
• Historians: interpretations of the past, how the past affects our views
of the present, and understanding trends or the lack thereof in the past.
[history]
• Sociologists: how we become members of groups and move between
groups, and how being in different groups affects individuals and the
groups in which they participate. [society/social systems]
• Political Scientists: how we identify ourselves as citizens of a
particular nation, how we participate in our political structure and
institutions, how political life affects us, and what motivates us to
affiliate ourselves with certain points of view or parties.
[politics/political systems]
Source: http://www.instruction.greenriver.edu/bahl/e127/disciplines.htm

4. What key questions should we ask about
social movements?
• When, how, and why do social movements emerge, gain strength, lose
momentum, win victories, and suffer setbacks?
• E.g. Emerge or shift in response to threats or violence, to seize new opportunities, or
to claim new rights.
• What tactics might be deployed?
• Disruption (protests) vs. persuasion (media messaging).
• Moderation (make small demands to change existing structures)
vs. extremism (efforts to change or overthrow the system entirely).
• What constitutes a movement (vs. a “moment”)?
• Sustained, organized activity through formal organizations or informal networks.
• Who joins a social movement, and why?
• What functions do social movements serve, esp. movements that are not
entirely successful?
• How do leaders and the general public respond to, access, or understand a
social movement?

5. Deciphering Sources
Always ask: What kind of source am I examining?
• Primary Sources—offer first-hand accounts of an event, generally
produced at the time that event occurred or shortly after.
• Examples: speeches, laws, court documents, newspaper articles or
commentary, diaries, letters, autobiographies/memoirs, oral interviews, films,
photos, music, recipes, cartoons, etc.
• Secondary Sources—offer an interpretation of an event based on
analysis of primary sources.
• Examples: journal articles, scholarly monographs (books), documentaries,
literature reviews, reference books, biographies, etc.

6. Evaluating Sources
• How can we tell which sources are “good” (i.e. useful or
revealing)?
• What counts as a “good” source will vary depending on
what you are trying to learn or find out.
• Sources often offer conflicting accounts, interpretations,
or memories of an event or experience.
• Some sources are more “reliable” (trustworthy) than
others.

7. Factors to Consider in Evaluating Sources:
• Identity: Who made this source?
• Authority: How close was the creator to the event(s) they describe?
• Audience: Who was the source created for? What was the target
audience, and why?
• Motivations: Why was this source created? Did the creator have
something to gain or lose in influencing how the event would be
understood?
• Context: When was the source created? How long after the event?
What else was occurring at that time?
• Accuracy/reliability: Does this source confirm or contradict the story
or ideas presented by similar sources? If it contracts other sources, what
might that tell us?

8. Police Press Release: “Man Dies After Medical Incident During Police Interaction”
“On Monday evening, shortly after 8:00 pm, officers…responded to the 3700 block of Chicago
Avenue South on a report of a forgery in progress. Officers were advised that the suspect was sitting
on top of a blue car and appeared to be under the influence.
Two officers arrived and located the suspect, a male believed to be in his 40s, in his car. He was
ordered to step from his car. After he got out, he physically resisted officers. Officers were able to get
the suspect into handcuffs and noted he appeared to be suffering medical distress. Officers called for
an ambulance. He was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center by ambulance where he died
a short time later.
At no time were weapons of any type used by anyone involved in this incident. The Minnesota
Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has been called in to investigate this incident at the request of the
Minneapolis Police Department.
No officers were injured in the incident. Body worn cameras were on and activated during this
incident.”
Q: If you only examined this primary source, what might you think or understand about the events it
describes, which occurred on May 25, 2020? What other types of primary sources should you consult
to get a fuller understanding of what happened?

9. How do movements work to achieve social change?
• Goals or Objectives: “What do we want to achieve?”
• Strategies: “What is our plan for achieving that goal?”
(This is usually a long-term vision.)
• Tactics: “What tools will we use or what steps will we take to
achieve that goal?” (Multiple tactics may be used
simultaneously; new tactics may be incorporated and others
discarded when proven ineffective.)
**Individuals and groups with common or related goals may
utilize different strategies and tactics to advance those goals.

10. Example:
How do movements work to achieve social change?
Shared Objective: Achieve Black freedom in the U.S.
 Q: What does “freedom” look like? How do you know when you are “free”?
Strategy #1: Integrate into existing system.
Possible tactics: boycotts, marches, sit-ins, lawsuits, exercise of political
power, legislative reforms.
Strategy #2: Separate from existing system.
Possible tactics: establish independent Black institutions like banks, schools,
and businesses; resist assimilation into white culture by asserting a distinct
group identity; facilitate physical removal from existing system.
Strategy #3: Replace existing system.
Possible tactics: armed insurrection, political revolution.

11. Defining Key Terms
In small groups, brainstorm definitions and examples of the term
corresponding to your group number. Select one person to type notes
into Google Slides.
• Group #1: Freedom
• Group #2: Liberation
• Group #3: Justice
• Group #4: Power
• Group #5: Civil Rights
• Group #6: Equality vs. Equity

12. Central Course Frameworks
• The “long” civil rights movement.
• Geographic, political, and historical contexts for activism.
• Goals, tactics, and strategies.
• Action and reaction; resistance and repression.
• Continuities and breaks.