Racial Literacy - Final Lessons Grade 7
Racial Literacy - Final Lessons Grade 7
GRADE 7
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©2019 Pollyanna, Inc. - Racial Literacy Grade 7 | Monique Vogelsang, Primary Contributor pollyannainc.org | 1
LESSON 1
WHAT IS RACE?: CREATING A WORKING
DEFINITION
Grade: 7 | Suggested Time: 45-60 minutes
Unit: What is Race? – How Science, Society, and the Media (Mis)represent Race
Related Subject(s): Reading/Literacy; Social Studies/History/Sociology; Science
Background
OBJECTIVES
• To discuss and analyze the concept of race.
• To understand that there is no biological truth to race, but there is an undeniable social reality to race.
• To develop a deeper understanding of what is and is not race, and how it is constructed and mapped onto all of us.
• To create a working sociological definition for race.
• To begin to question the role of implicit bias in how we think of and apply the concept of race in our own
lives.
VOCABULARY
• Consider reviewing and/or defining the following terms referenced in the suggested materials for this lesson:
prominent, scavenged, catacombs, craniums, lead shot, decanted, ascertain, braincase, hierarchy, craniometry,
scientific racism, immutable, inherited, genome, genetic, DNA, anatomically, mutations, descended, distinctive,
natural selection, ancestry, evolutionary, contemporary, tagalongs, parasites, paleogeneticists, newfangled,
displacement, correlates, pigmentation, hues, and discrimination.
• For a definition of “implicit bias,” consider the accessible idea — unpacked in Lesson 3 — based on a series of
educational videos created by PBS:
• Implicit bias: “thought processes that happen without you even knowing it; little mental shortcuts that
hold judgments you might not agree with, sometimes those shortcuts are based on race.”
Lesson Procedure
BACKGROUND
• A primary goal of this lesson is to craft a working definition for race. The following list, “Ten Things Everyone
Should Know About Race,” generated by Race: The Power of an Illusion, presents core ideas, which we
recommend adopting for this lesson and the rest of the unit:
• Race is a modern idea.
• Race has no genetic basis.
• Human subspecies don’t exist.
• Skin color really is only skin deep.
• Most variation is within, not between, “races.”
• Slavery predates race.
• Race and freedom evolved together.
• Race justified social inequalities as natural.
• Race isn’t biological, but racism is still real.
• Color blindness will not end racism.
OPENING
• Begin the lesson by asking students to think about race. What do they think of when we say race? Or
ethnicity? Culture? Ancestry? Nationality? What are the differences? Similarities? Is there overlap? In short,
how do we define race?
• Consider writing the word “race” on the board or chart paper, add students’ ideas to build a visual web for
reference. While it’s fine at this point not to have a solid definition of race (we’ll build one as the lesson
continues), we urge that the teacher does not write down inflammatory or derogatory ideas about race.
Lead this lesson with a balance of caution and confidence. Again, to gain a sociological understanding of race,
please read all of the materials suggested in this lesson, and the other lessons, before launching this unit.
GUIDED PRACTICE
• Together, read and discuss the suggested list, “Ten Things Everyone Should Know About Race.” Do we agree
with all or most of these tenets? Do we disagree? Which beliefs should we accept in this classroom going
forward? (We encourage the teacher and students to analyze, unpack, and eventually accept all ten.)
• Introduce the article, “There’s No Scientific Basis for Race – It’s a Made-Up Label,” from National Geographic.
This article, from the popular Race Issue, includes simultaneously complex yet simple ideas. In short, it
suggests that race has no biological or scientific basis. There are, however, “tweaks” in our DNA that
determine skin color and other attributes. Skin differences are superficial. In fact, we as humans are just as
likely to have more DNA in common with someone from a “different racial background” than we may have
with someone from our “own” racial background. The genetics of “race” may be confusing to some, as “race”
is a social construction. It is made up, and therefore, lacks the same scientific delineations that may apply to
other species. Remind students that modern humans are of the same species of Homo sapiens.
• Task students with a focus: How is race a made-up label? As students read, encourage them to think about
this question. Begin by reading the first few paragraphs aloud, with the teacher modeling annotation and
thinking strategies. Assign students to read the rest of the article, ideally as partners or in small groups.
Extension Activities
SUGGESTIONS
• Consider reading or viewing the following to enhance teacher (and student)
understanding of the topics:
• “These Twins Show That Race is a Social Construct,” two-minute video about biracial
twins, by National Geographic. Available here: https://video.nationalgeographic.com/
video/magazine/180312-ngm-twins-rethink-race
• “These Twins Will Make You Rethink Race,” an article about the same biracial twins, in
National Geographic, written by Patricia Edmonds. Available here: https://www.nation-
algeographic.com/magazine/2018/04/race-twins-black-white-biggs/
Background
OBJECTIVES
• To continue to define, analyze, and critique conceptualizations of race, especially ideas that base or center
race in biology.
• To understand that there is no biological truth to race, but there is an undeniable social reality.
• To develop an understanding of genes and the role genes have in our physical development.
• To realize that differences in skin color are superficial.
• To explore more accurate ways of “categorizing” humans for health research, such as replacing the concept of
race with the idea of “ancestry” and/or “population,” as well as applying sociological considerations such as
culture and socioeconomic status.
VOCABULARY
• Consider reviewing and/or defining the following terms referenced in the suggested materials for this lesson:
sequencing, human genome, postgenomic, taxonomic, hereditary (traits), elucidate, mired, synthesize,
disillusioned, proxy, clinical, heterogeneous, prevalence, admixture, predisposition, systematic, genealogical,
hierarchical, circumscribed, ideological, antipodes, contemporary, phylogenetic, interbreeding, hemoglo-
binopathies, refuted, vexed, paradox, imprecise, ambiguity, perpetuate, unfeasible, contradictory, fraught,
Lesson Procedure
BACKGROUND
• Many people used to (and some still do) believe that race is based in biology. While we have differences in
physical appearances — such as skin color, hair texture, eye shape, etc. — most scholars and scientists today
assert that these are superficial differences, or that there is no biological truth to race. In fact, science now
shows us that genetically, we have more in common than we have different, as we share 99.9 percent of our
DNA. For that marginal difference of one-tenth of a percent, there is often more genetic variation within a
“race” than there is across the “races.” As written by Maggie Fox, in the referenced Reuters article: “Experts
have long marveled that older ideas of race are not reflected in human DNA. Genetic diversity is more
pronounced within population groups than between them, with only a few gene differences accounting for
the wide variations seen in eye, skin and hair color across humanity.” In short, race is superficial and does not
predict anything biological. It is a social construct.
• If race is not biological, how do we account for our “physical differences”? To better understand human
development, and how our appearances and genes have altered over time, we can look back to the evolution
of early humans. Analyzing fossils, some estimates suggest that modern humans began to appear around
300,000 years ago, and perhaps for those first 200,000 years, humans lived in Africa. During that period,
people moved around Africa, forming isolated populations. As a result, there is more genetic (and linguistic)
diversity among Africans than in any other continent’s population. It is widely believed that anyone who is
“non-African” today descended from a few thousand humans who emigrated from Africa around 60,000
years ago (some of these early humans likely reproduced with other human species, such as the Neanderthals
and Denisovans). By 50,000 years ago, some of these humans reached Australia. By 45,000 years ago, some
had reached Siberia. And by 15,000 years ago, some had reached South America. Once these groups became
isolated from one another, they formed their own distinct set of genetic mutations, such as creating a range
of human skin color. Many genetic variations can be detected in DNA tests, but these tests cannot tell us our
“race.” Instead, these DNA tests use our genes to make guesses about where our ancestors may have come
from. These guesses are based on the marginal genetic differences of our DNA, the single-nucleotide
polymorphisms, or SNPs.These SNPs represent the one-tenth of a percent of genetic difference of our DNA.
Yet, these tests cannot define our “race;” there is no “race” chromosome. In short, race is a fluid sociological
concept.
• Some scientists disagree when it comes to the significance of race in biology. As noted in the article, “Taking
Race Out of Human Genetics,” some scientists believe that, “Relevant genetic information can be seen at a
racial level and that race is the best proxy we have for examining human genetic diversity.” Others declare
that, “Race is neither a relevant nor accurate way to understand or map human genetic diversity.” Some
scientists and sociologists cite the troubling aspects of approaching race with a monolithic lens, or ignoring
the “heterogeneous nature of racial groups,” especially given the prevalence of multiracial people. Thus, even
if approached through a “biological” lens for research purposes, how would one contain race? How would
“race” be cleanly divided and defined for science? According to the majority of scientists and sociologists,
it’s not possible.
OPENING
• Begin the lesson by speaking about the biological fallacy of race. What do we mean when we say that there is
“no biological truth to race”? While we have differences in what we think are “racial” qualities (i.e. skin color,
hair texture, eye shape, etc.) many scholars and some scientists assert that there is no biological truth to race.
In the case of skin color differences, what we are seeing are adaptive traits developed long ago, which
occurred to help us adjust to UV radiation levels. Differences in physical appearance are a result of ancestry
or genes. But it is not race. There is no race chromosome in our DNA.
• Show the three-minute video produced by Vox, “The Myth of Race, Debunked in 3 Minutes.” After the video,
ask the students: Did anything surprise you? Did anything confuse you? According to the video, what is race?
What’s another way to view or conceptualize race? (In lieu of race, consider guiding students to use terms
like “ancestry,” or where ancestors geographically originated, and “population.” The idea of “ancestry” and
GUIDED PRACTICE
• Introduce a text to the students. For the assignment, the teacher may choose between two articles: “Taking
Race Out of Human Genetics,” or “Why Humans Haven’t Evolved Into Subspecies.” Published in the American
Association for the Advancement of Science, the first article is a more sophisticated read, outlining reasons why
the use of “race” in biological research is problematic. The second article, created to accompany the
documentary, Race: The Power of an Illusion, is a more direct explanation of how the genetic differences
between humans are marginal, and argues why words like “ancestry” are more appropriate than race. Since
both are valuable resources, we recommend reading the two articles. For example, students may read one
now and read the other during another class period, or for homework.
• Before reading the chosen article, set a clear purpose. Have students look for and annotate words, phrases,
or passages that are 1) unfamiliar and 2) provide reasons that explain why using race in scientific study is
problematic and/or why the term “race” is not an accurate label. (If reading the first article, for a challenge,
have students also highlight the counterargument the scientists provide, as well as the authors’ proposed
solutions as to how we should remove and replace race in the study of biology.)
Extension Activities
SUGGESTIONS
• To enhance teacher understanding of the race and genomics, consider reading, “Race in the Age of
Genomics,” article by David Altshuler and Henry Louis Gates, Jr., in The Wall Street Journal. Available
here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/david-altshuler-and-henry-louis-gates-race-in-the-age-of-
genomics-1402094811
• For an advanced conversation, consider the article that employs a “both/and” perspective to the
debate of using race in science: “How Genetics Is Changing Our Understanding of ‘Race’,” article by
David Reich in The New York Times. Available here: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/23/opinion/
sunday/genetics-race.html
• To read opinions about the “fluidity” of face, consider visiting, “How Fluid is Racial Identity,” a
collection of essays featured in The New York Times, “Room for Debate” section. Students may read
articles and craft a brief Op-Ed of their own. Available here: https://www.nytimes.com/roomforde-
bate/2015/06/16/how-fluid-is-racial-identity
• To enhance understanding of science topics, like evolution and genes, consider viewing:
• “Myths and Misconceptions About Evolution” TED-Ed video by Alex Gendler, available here:
https://ed.ted.com/lessons/myths-and-misconceptions-about-evolution-alex-gendler
• “Where Do Genes Come From?” TED-Ed video by Carl Zimmer, available here: https://ed.ted.
com/lessons/where-do-genes-come-from-carl-zimmer
• “The Science of Skin” TED-Ed video by Emma Bryce, available here: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/
the-science-of-skin-emma-bryce
• “The Science of Skin Color” TED-Ed video by Angela Koine Flynn, available here: https://ed.ted.
com/lessons/the-science-of-skin-color-angela-koine-flynn
• “What are DNA and Genes?” brief video and article by Genetic Science Learning Center.
Available here: https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/basics/dna
• For a podcast with a discussion of the politics of DNA-testing, specifically in regard to the racialized
conceptualization of being Native American compared to the political consideration of Native
American tribal membership, consider listening to “The Politics of Ancestry,” from the October
19, 2018 podcast on Radio Atlantic.
Background
OBJECTIVES
• To understand and define the concept of implicit bias (sometimes referred to as implicit stereotypes).
• To understand the “root” of implicit bias.
• To recognize the scope and manifestations of implicit bias.
• To discuss and analyze ways to combat implicit bias, including our own.
MATERIALS
• “Implicit Bias: Peanut Butter, Jelly, and Racism,” video by PBS and The New York Times. Available here:
https://www.pbs.org/video/pov-implicit-bias-peanut-butter-jelly-and-racism/
• “Implicit Bias: Make Friends to Tackle Bias,” video by PBS and The New York Times. Available here:
https://www.pbs.org/video/pov-implicit-bias-make-friends-tackle-bias/
• “The Roots of Implicit Bias,” article written by Daniel A. Yudkin and Jay Van Bavel for The New York Times.
Available here: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/09/opinion/sunday/the-roots-of-implicit-bias.html
• For additional reading resources, we suggest the following optional articles:
• “We’re All a Little Biased, Even if We Don’t Know It,” article by Emily Badger for The New York Times.
Available here: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/07/upshot/were-all-a-little-biased-even-if-we-dont-
know-it.html
• “How to Think About Implicit Bias,” article by Keith Payne, Laura Niemi, and John M. Doris for Scientific
American. Available here: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-think-about-implicit-bias/
• For additional media resources, we suggest the following optional videos:
• “Implicit Bias: Why We’re Awkward,” video by PBS and The New York Times. Available here: https://www.
pbs.org/video/pov-implicit-bias-why-were-awkward/
• “Implicit Bias: Snacks and Punishment,” video by PBS and The New York Times. Available here: https://
www.pbs.org/video/pov-implicit-bias-snacks-and-punishment/
• “Implicit Bias: Check Our Bias to Wreck Our Bias,” video by PBS and The New York Times. Available here:
https://www.pbs.org/video/pov-implicit-bias-check-our-bias-wreck-our-bias/
• “Implicit Bias: High Heels, Violins and a Warning,” video by PBS and The New York Times. Available here:
https://www.pbs.org/video/pov-implict-bias-high-heels-violins-and-warning/
• For more definitions about implicit and explicit stereotypes, consider visiting Project Implicit’s FAQ page.
Available here: https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/faqs.html#faq1
• Audio-visual equipment to screen suggested videos.
• Note-taking supplies for students.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
• In previous units, such as the lessons for Grades 5 and 6, students learned about legal and social structures
that promoted racism and/or genocide, such as the codes of the colonial era and the unfair laws and events
generated by the formal U.S. government for the last two to three centuries. Unfortunately, beyond existing
on an institutional or societal level, racism also endures on an individual level, through the interactions of —
and in the minds and consciousness of — people. Racism, and other forms of oppression, is regularly
internalized, and can sometimes impede our development of a more positive sense of self.
• While it is not synonymous to explicit racism, the idea of implicit bias is related to internalized racism, as it
VOCABULARY
• Consider reviewing and/or defining terms from the various resources referenced in this lesson: internalized
racism, bias, stereotype, implicit vs explicit (i.e. implicit bias, implicit stereotype, explicit stereotype, etc.)
bigotry, discrimination, correlation, deliberate, phenomenon, aptitude, conscientious, forecasting, disparities, etc.
• To distinguish between terms like “explicit bias” and “implicit bias,” consider reviewing definitions for explicit
and implicit. The following definitions are from Merriam-Webster:
• Explicit: “fully revealed or expressed without vagueness, implication, or ambiguity; leaving no questions as
to meaning or intent.”
• Implicit: “capable of being understood from something else though unexpressed.”
• For a definition of “implicit bias,” consider the accessible idea presented in the suggested videos created by
PBS:
• Implicit bias: “thought processes that happen without you even knowing it; little mental shortcuts that
hold judgments you might not agree with, sometimes those shortcuts are based on race.”
• Consider another definition of “implicit bias,” provided by academics Matthew Clair and Jeffrey S. Denis:
• Implicit bias: “an unconsciously triggered belief in the inferiority of, or negative attitude toward, a
group(s).”
• For definitions of “stereotypes,” “explicit stereotypes,” and “implicit stereotypes,” consider the following ideas
from Project Implicit (the nonprofit organization that created the Implicit Association Test, or the IAT, often
associated with Harvard):
• Stereotypes: “the belief that most members of a group have some characteristic.”
• Explicit Stereotype: “a stereotype you think deliberately about and report.”
• Implicit Stereotype: “a stereotype that is relatively inaccessible to conscious awareness and/or control.”
Lesson Procedure
BACKGROUND
• Recently popularized in the media, “implicit bias” has more or less entered the mainstream. But what is it?
As defined by Keith Payne, Laura Niemi, and John M. Doris for Scientific American, implicit bias is the
“tendency for stereotype-confirming thoughts to pass spontaneously through our minds.” Even though the
term of implicit bias is not interchangeable with explicit racism, it is important to address this idea, as implicit
forms of bias — even if “unknown” — still have an impact on our lives, as they regularly manifest into acts
that often provide either social advantages or social disadvantages to others. This lesson will unpack the
concept of implicit bias and how it may impact our lives. Students will also think about ways to combat
implicit bias. While we may not be able to fully rid ourselves of implicit bias in totality, becoming aware of it
is a key first step.
OPENING
• As previous lessons have explored, racism, inequality, and ideologies of white supremacy live in institutions
around us. We all absorb messages created by forms of systemic racism, sometimes without even realizing it.
As Dr. Beverly Tatum declares, cultural racism is “like smog in the air; we breathe it in, though sometimes we
cannot see it.” In this lesson, we are going to explore a more internalized form of racism, specifically implicit
bias.
• Ask the class, what is implicit bias? Write the term “implicit bias” on the board or chart paper. Ask students
if they are familiar with the term. Where have they heard it? After asking for student feedback, segue into
showing the class a quick explanatory video.
Background
OBJECTIVES
• To discuss and analyze the concept of race.
• To develop an understanding of the construction of race, and the impact of pseudoscientific racism.
• To understand and analyze the long enduring ramification of pseudoscientific racism, such as the works of
Samuel Morton and his study of “craniology.”
• To understand how pseudoscience was used to justify and promote racist ideas, which entered mainstream
society.
• To understand that there is no biological truth to race, but there is an undeniable social reality to race.
• To dispel myths of polygenism, the theory that different “races” of humans are actually different species.
• To consider the role of implicit bias on the development of pseudoscientific racism.
VOCABULARY
• Consider reviewing and/or defining the following terms referenced in the suggested materials for this lesson:
craniology, ethnocentric, theory of “degeneration,” the pseudoscience of “phrenology,” ideas of monogenism
and polygenism, miscegenation, eugenics, chattel slavery, genocide, etc.
• Please note that for this lesson, we are intentionally using the term “pseudoscience,” to assert that the
race-centered “scholarship” or this era did not reflect true science.
OPENING
• Tell students that today we will learn about the pseudoscience that dominated “scientific” scholarship and
thought, which influenced the belief systems of U.S. society, during the 19th century. Remind students of the
man named Samuel Morton (he was mentioned in the article students were assigned to read in a previous
lesson). Ask students to summarize what they remember about him.
• Ask students to hypothesize about the ramifications of Morton’s work. Could his work have impacted slavery?
How? Major events and laws, like the Civil War or the “Indian Removal Act”? How? Who benefited from
Morton’s ideas, and who was negatively impacted?
GUIDED PRACTICE
• Together, watch “Skulls in Print: Scientific Racism in the Transatlantic World.” (Link referenced in the
Materials section of the lesson plan.) Encourage students to take three-column notes, such as by noting
something that 1) surprised them, 2) confused them, and 3) something they learned. After the eight minute
video, share students’ observations, questions, and ideas. Ask the class: According to scholar James Poskett, in
the 19th century, how was science, or pseudoscience, used to justify racism? How did Morton’s work influence
President Andrew Jackson’s treatment of Native Americans? Who celebrated Morton’s work? Why may they
have embraced it? How did racist theories gain popularity? What role did the rendered illustrations play in
giving his work credibility and/or increasing interest? Who could afford to purchase this expensive book? How
did Morton’s work reach the working class audience? How was Morton’s work ironically used by abolitionists?
What does James Poskett mean when he says, “antislavery and scientific racism were not mutually exclusive in
the 19th century”?
• Segue into a reading material that discusses Morton and his contemporaries. Introduce the article, “A History
of Craniology in Race Science and Physical Anthropology,” to the class.
• Before reading, set a clear purpose. Have students look for and annotate words, phrases, or passages that are
1) unfamiliar and 2) note the various examples of “scientific racism” referenced throughout the article (such as
Extension Activities
SUGGESTIONS
• To learn more about the The Morton Collection of Human Skulls at the Penn Museum,
consider watching a two-minute video clip addressing claims that Morton’s methodology
was biased. Available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emDuNjVs7f8
• For a perspective on how the Transatlantic Slave Trade and racist ideology — promoted
in books, like Edward Long’s History of Jamaica — impacted countries of Africa, consider
reading: “The Roots of European Racism Lie in the Slave Trade, Colonialism – and Edward
Long,” article by David Olusoga in The Guardian. Available here: https://www.theguardian.
com/commentisfree/2015/sep/08/european-racism-africa-slavery
• To learn more about the era of Eugenics, consider watching the PBS documentary series,
Eugenics. Also consider reading the article, “Eugenics,” on History.com. Available here:
https://www.history.com/topics/germany/eugenics
Background
OBJECTIVES
• To understand that there is no biological truth to race, but there is an undeniable social reality to race.
• To explore the contributions of Dr. William Montague Cobb, who devoted his life’s work to refuting racist
beliefs of “biodeterminism.”
• To understand how sound science was used to dispel racist ideas. (This intentionally contrasts an objective
from the previous lesson –– how pseudoscience was used to justify and promote racism).
• To dispel myths of polygenism, the theory that different “races” of humans are actually different species.
• To realize the long lasting impact of pseudoscientific racism and that more work is needed to continue to
refute erroneous, false stereotypes and racist ideologies.
MATERIALS
• “William Montague Cobb,” obituary article in The Washington Post. Available here: https://www.washington-
post.com/archive/opinions/1990/11/27/william-montague-cobb/d9ee1a5f-6bdd-46a1-876b-aea6928cb78f/
• “William Montague Cobb: Medical Professor, Civil Rights Activist,” biography by Walter J. Learn, MD. Available
here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1447039/
• “William Montague Cobb, MD, PhD 1904-1990,” an overview of Dr. Cobb’s life, in the Journal of the National
Medical Association. Available here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2627008/pdf/jnma00879-
0015.pdf
• “Knowledge from the Margins: W. Montague Cobb’s Pioneering Research in Biocultural Anthropology,” essay
by Rachel J. Watkins for American Anthropologist. Available here: https://www.newpaltz.edu/media/anthropol-
ogy-/Watkins%20(2007).pdf
• If interested in reading one of Cobb’s articles, consider: “Race and Runners,” by Dr. William Montague Cobb,
published by Howard University. Available here: https://dh.howard.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1059&con-
text=reprints
• Note-taking supplies for students.
ESSENTIAL IDEA
• As mentioned in the previous lesson, scientific, or pseudoscientific, racism was born out of the
pseudoscientific belief that testing parts of the human body (i.e. cranial or braincase volume, measurements
of facial profiles, etc.) could prove racial superiority and/or inferiority. Because this pseudoscience asserted
that traits like intelligence were ascribed to specific races, pseudoscientific racism provided fodder for
proponents of racist practices and institutions. Many “scientists” and “doctors,” such as Samuel Morton,
are considered to be “fathers” of “scientific racism.” Their work permeated U.S. society, leading to other
pseudoscientific movements like Eugenics.
• While it is important to learn about pseudoscientific racism, it would be unfortunate and misleading if
students did not also learn about the physicians and physical anthropologists who used more sound
approaches of science to debunk myths of racial superiority and difference. One of theses unsung heroes
was Dr. William Montague Cobb, the first Black American to earn a PhD in anthropology.
• For this lesson, we are highlighting the work of Dr. William Montague Cobb, a physician, educator, physical
anthropologist, and civil rights advocate. With over 1,000 papers, and 40 years of teaching at Howard
VOCABULARY
• Consider reviewing and/or defining the following terms referenced in the suggested materials for this lesson:
biodeterminism, racial determinism, physical anthropology, fallacy, eugenics, biocultural integration, racial
equality, demography, etc.
Lesson Procedure
BACKGROUND
• In the 19th century, ideas justified and promoted by pseudoscientific racism entered a mainstream “norm,”
especially across White American communities, of both the educated and working classes. Pseudoscientists
of this era — both White Americans and White Europeans — used different techniques, such as “craniology”
to “prove” that some “races” had larger brains or different skull shapes, and that intelligence and other traits
could be determined by someone’s “race,” evidenced in the shape of bones. While current science has
debunked these practices and ideas, many people had to contribute a career’s worth of work to disprove
notions that were viewed as “natural” ways of thinking, or as biological “truths.” One of the unsung heroes of
this movement was Dr. William Montague Cobb, the first Black American to earn a PhD in anthropology.
• (As mentioned above) Dr. Cobb, professor emeritus of anatomy at Howard University, was, at various points in
his life, the president of the NAACP, an author, a historian, and even a musician. With over 1,000 papers, and
40 years of teaching at Howard University — where he trained over 6,000 physicians and was the first to earn
the rank of distinguished professor — Cobb devoted his life’s work to studying the human body in an effort
to debunk and dismantle “biodeterminism,” or the idea that different “races” had different, distinct “bodies,”
and some were naturally inforerior and/or superior to others.
OPENING
• Tell the class that we are going to learn about a scientist of the 1900s. His name was Dr. William Montague
Cobb. Ask the students if they have heard of him. (Most likely they have not.)
• Introduce Cobb with a brief description. Consider using the information included in the Background section
of the lesson, or reading the introduction from one of the recommended sources, such as the introduction
written by Rachel J. Watkins in her paper, “Knowledge from the Margins: W. Montague Cobb’s Pioneering
Research in Biocultural Anthropology,” for American Anthropologist: “Physician, educator, and physical
anthropologist W. Montague Cobb was a leading scholar-activist in the African American community from the
early 1930s through the 1980s. Locally and nationally, Cobb led movements that fought for the admission of
black doctors to predominantly white hospitals and medical organizations, improved health care for blacks,
and organized national conferences on hospital discrimination and integration. As the first African American
to receive a doctorate in physical anthropology, Cobb attempted to facilitate the authoritative presence of
African Americans in discussions about racial biology during the 1930s and 1940s. To that end, he
conducted research that interrogated biodeterministic notions of health disparities and biological diversity.
In fact, Cobb is credited with conducting some of the first demographic analyses exposing the impact of
racism on the health of African Americans and U.S. citizens as a whole. He also established research facilities
at Howard University for the purpose of training future African American scholars in physical
anthropology. Many of Cobb’s 1,100-plus publications indicate his commitment to intellectual rigor and
investment in achieving racial equality through antiracist teaching, research, and political activity.”
• Clearly, Cobb was a prolific researcher and made noteworthy contributions to his field and larger society.
Why haven’t we (or most of us) heard of him?
GUIDED PRACTICE
• We are going to learn more about Cobb’s efforts and overlooked impact. To gain a better understanding of
his life’s work, we’re going to read a brief biography about Dr. William Montague Cobb.
Extension Activities
SUGGESTIONS
• While Dr. William Montague Cobb dedicated his life’s work to dismantling racism, some
people unknowingly contributed to advanced fields of science without having given
consent. For another lesson, consider reviewing the life of Henrietta Lacks, and how
samples of her tissue, later referred to as the HeLa cell, were taken without her
permission, and used to advance medical technology. Why? While most cells die outside
of the human body, Henrietta Lacks’ cells doubled every 20-24 hours. Her tissue sample
eventually created the “first immortal human cell line.” As Dr. James J. Poetter, of Johns
Hopkins University states, “Henrietta is probably, if not the most important, certainly one
of the most important women in science and medicine.” Dr. Poetter goes on to say, the
HeLa cell is likely the “greatest discovery in biomedical research in the last half of the 20th
century; it has led to numerous discoveries and development of technologies.” As stated
on Johns Hopkins University’s website, “Today, these incredible cells — nicknamed “HeLa”
cells, from the first two letters of her first and last names — are used to study the effects
of toxins, drugs, hormones and viruses on the growth of cancer cells without
experimenting on humans. They have been used to test the effects of radiation and
poisons, to study the human genome, to learn more about how viruses work, and played
a crucial role in the development of the polio vaccine.” After learning about the story of
Henrietta Lacks and the HeLa cell, students may write about their reactions. For example,
how did Henrietta Lacks unknowingly contribute to science? Should the doctors have
asked for permission before taking and distributing samples of her cells ? Is her family
entitled to some of the financial gains made from the use and distribution of the HeLa
cells? Consider having students share their writings with each other. The following may
serve as helpful resources:
• “The Immortal Cells of Henrietta Lacks,” TED-Ed Video by Robin Bulleri. Available here:
https://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-immortal-cells-of-henrietta-lacks-robin-bulleri
• “A Family Consents to a Medical Gift, 62 Years Later,” article in The New York Times, by
Carl Zimmer. Available here: https://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/08/science/after-de-
cades-of-research-henrietta-lacks-family-is-asked-for-consent.html?_r=0
• “The Legacy of Henrietta Lacks,” article created by Johns Hopkins Medicine. Available
here: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/henriettalacks/index.html
• “Henrietta’s Tumor,” Radiolab podcast, via WNYC Studios. Available here: https://
www.wnycstudios.org/story/91716-henriettas-tumor
• The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, a book by Rebecca Skloot, adapted into an HBO
film.
Background
OBJECTIVES
• To learn about and criticize the racist forms of “entertainment” throughout U.S. history, such as minstrel
shows, and forms of “blackface” and “yellowface,” popularized with the film industry.
• To understand the power of stereotypes, including their unfortunate indelible impact.
• To reflect on the role these stereotypes have on shaping implicit bias.
MATERIALS
• Please be advised that the materials suggested in this lesson may be visually triggering and unpleasant. They
have been suggested, however, in order to unpack the history of racist, misrepresentations of people in the
media. Please pre-read and pre-screen all resources to ensure it’s appropriate for your particular classroom.
• “Blackface: A Cultural History of a Racist Artform,” news segment by CBS Sunday Morning. Available here:
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/blackface-a-cultural-history-of-a-racist-art-form/
• “How the History of Blackface is Rooted in Racism,” article by Alexis Clark for History.com. Available here:
https://www.history.com/news/blackface-history-racism-origins
• “Casting White People in Asian Roles Goes Back Centuries,” an article by Thad Morgan for History.com. Please
be advised a racial epithet is used in the article. Available here: https://www.history.com/news/yellow-
face-whitewashing-in-film-america
• Audio-visual equipment to screen suggested videos.
• Note-taking supplies for students.
ESSENTIAL IDEA
• This lesson will unpack the history of racist images and stereotypes presented in popular forms of
“entertainment” in the United States. We’ll review the era of minstrel shows — a theatrical form of
“entertainment” that portrayed and perpetuated incredibly negative, false portrayals of Black Americans —
which regrettably became the most popular form of entertainment in the 1800s. We then move to a review of
Hollywood, or the film industry, and how it continued to utilize racist practices, such as by continuing to use
“blackface” and “yellowface” imagery. A goal for studying the media will be to learn more about how imag-
ery and storytelling was used to perpetuate harmful, incorrect ideas about racial or ethnic groups, and how
these ideas provided a more privileged experience for some and a more disadvantaged experience for others.
By understanding this form of systemic racism, students can hopefully deconstruct the media, and begin to
reconstruct it into something new.
VOCABULARY
• Consider reviewing and/or defining the following terms referenced in the suggested materials for this
lesson: stereotype, indelible, images and imagery, denigrate, minstrelsy, marginalized, weaponize, propaganda,
“whitewashing,” as well as the racist portrayals of people of color for “entertainment” purposes, often referred
to as “blackface” or “yellowface” (discuss how even these terms are problematic).
OPENING
• Begin by telling students that today’s lesson is going to explore race in the media over time. Unfortunately,
this means that stereotypes as well as discriminatory and racist images will be reviewed. (If for any reason
someone is made uncomfortable by this, as a teacher, you should give students permission to seek support as
needed, including a moment of reflection, a lack of vocal participation in discussions, etc.).
• Ask the class: Have you heard stories in the news about people wearing what is often called “blackface”? Do
you know why it’s problematic? Do you know about its origins?
• Tell the class that today they are going to learn about the origins of racist forms of “entertainment,” and will
also begin to unpack the power of imagery. Today, why are some “images” allowed or applauded, and others
are considered to be inappropriate? Was this always the case?
GUIDED PRACTICE
• Introduce the idea of minstrelsy, or minstrel shows. Ask the class if they have heard of it before. Share a
summary of minstrelsy, such as the one included in the Background section of this lesson.
• Show the video “Blackface: A Cultural History of a Racist Artform.” (Link is referenced in the Materials section
of the lesson.) Warn students that there will be some imagery that is considered offensive. Please advise
students ahead of time to view the video with the utmost maturity and respect.
• After the video, ask students to share their reactions.
Extension Activities
SUGGESTIONS
• For a journalistic perspective about the unfortunate rise of negative portrayals about
Jewish people, consider reading,“A Rising Tide of Anti-Semitism,” article by The Editorial
Board for The New York Times. Available here: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/30/opin-
ion/cartoon-nytimes.html
• For a literary voice, consider reading, “Minstrel Man,” a poem by Langston Hughes.
Background
OBJECTIVES
• To understand the power of positive imagery and storytelling.
• To analyze the lack of representation of people of color, women, the LGBTQ+ community, and other
“marginalized” groups in film.
• To learn about the ways people are combating misrepresentation and underrepresentation.
MATERIALS
• “Roma’s First-Time Actress Lands First Vogue Cover,” article by Ella Cerón for The Cut. Available here:
https://www.thecut.com/2018/12/roma-yalitza-aparicio-martnez-vogue-mexico-cover.html
• “Yalitza Aparicio en La Portada de Vogue México,” a video by Vogue México. Available here: https://www.you-
tube.com/watch?v=SmEhcDZqrUo
• “‘On Their Shoulders’: Juju Chang Talks Pursuing the American Dream and Why Representation Matters,” video
by Juju Chang for Good Morning America. Available here: https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/sto-
ry/shoulders-juju-chang-talks-pursuing-american-dream-representation-62488547
• “Inequality in 900 Popular Films: Examining Portrayals of Gender, Race/Ethnicity, LGBT, and Disability from
2007-2016,” report produced by USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. Available here:
https://annenberg.usc.edu/sites/default/files/Dr_Stacy_L_Smith-Inequality_in_900_Popular_Films.pdf
• “The Case for Representation,” article by Nova Education for PBS. Available here: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/
nova/article/the-case-for-representation/
• Audio-visual equipment to screen suggested videos.
• Note-taking supplies for students.
ESSENTIAL IDEA
• In the previous lesson, students unearthed the racist stereotypes that dominated media and forms of
“entertainment,” from the stage of the 1800s through the film industry of the 1900s. In this lesson, students
will review a study to learn more about the media’s underrepresentation of certain groups, such as people of
color, women, and those who identify as LGBTQ+. They will also hear voices that speak to the importance of
representation, and how seeing “yourself,” or those who are similar to you, represented on the screen and/or
throughout society can have a long lasting, positive impact on your life.
VOCABULARY
• Consider reviewing and/or defining the following terms referenced in the suggested materials for this lesson:
intersectionality, underrepresentation, representation, etc.
OPENING
• In the previous lesson, we analyzed the power of racist imagery and negative, false stereotypes. But what
happens when we provide others with more positive “windows and mirrors.” Why may it be a powerful
experience to see “yourself,” or someone “like you,” in film and television, especially when you are part of an
underrepresented group?
• Introduce the actress Yalitza Aparicio. Have students heard of her before? For her “first-ever” movie, Roma,
Aparicio earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, becoming the first Indigenous woman ever
nominated. To celebrate the nomination, Aparicio was featured on the cover of Vogue México. A video was
made to commemorate her cover shoot for Vogue México, which was considered “groundbreaking.” Why?
Indigenous American women are rarely represented in the upper echelons of the fashion world. For visuals,
consider visiting the article “Roma’s First-Time Actress Lands First Vogue Cover.” (Link is referenced in the
Materials section of the lesson.) Within the article, there’s a link to a “brief overview of the publication’s
20-year history.” Click on the link to show students what “typical” covers of Vogue México look like. Other U.S.
magazines that cater to women and/or fashion are quite similar in “appearance.” Return to Yalitza Aparicio.
Show them an image of her Vogue México cover. How is this a powerful image? Encourage students to share
their responses.
GUIDED PRACTICE
• Tell the class that we are going to watch two videos. (Links are referenced in the Materials section of the
lesson.) The first is the one already mentioned, where Yalitza Aparicio shares her response to being in Roma
and on the cover of Vogue México. The second video is of journalist Juju Chang, speaking about the power of
(racial) representation.
• Show the video, “Yalitza Aparicio en La Portada de Vogue México,” a video by Vogue México. In this video,
Yalitza Aparicio describes the importance of “remembering your roots.”
• Next, introduce the video, “‘On Their Shoulders’: Juju Chang Talks Pursuing the American Dream and Why
Representation Matters.” In this video, Chang speaks to the importance of having role models, or trailblazers,
who helped carve a career path for her to follow, or emulate. Show the video. (Link is referenced in the
Materials section of the lesson.)
• After viewing both videos, ask the class: What is the importance of representation? Why is it powerful to “see”
yourself, or someone “like you,” represented in larger society, such as through film or television? What may
Background
OBJECTIVES
• To understand the history of the U.S. Census and how its categorization of race has shifted over time.
• To discuss and understand the difference between “race” and “ethnicity.”
• To debate whether or not the U.S. Census should continue to measure or “count” race and/or ethnicity.
VOCABULARY
• Consider reviewing and/or defining the following terms referenced in the suggested materials for this lesson:
bureau, census, decennial, intersectionality, race vs. ethnicity (in regard to the U.S. Census), terminology,
continuity, distinguish, apportionment, etc.
• Before the lesson, teachers should be familiar with the labels or categories used for race throughout the
centuries for the U.S. Census. (i.e. Mulatto, Quadroon, Octoroon, Indian vs Hindu, etc.). Visit the Pew article,
“What Census Calls Us: A Historical Timeline,” ahead of time to better understand such racial terms. At the
beginning of the lesson, have a conversation with students about how using some of these terms, such as
“Negro,” is inappropriate in another context.
Lesson Procedure
BACKGROUND
• The U.S. Census began in 1790. Every ten years it “counts” the U.S. population, and includes questions about
race/ethnicity. For many decades, the U.S. Census only measured two racial categories: White and Black.
Throughout the centuries, racial categories were limited and fleeting. For the first time, in 2000, the Census
provided a space for multiple races to be checked.
• In regard to the concept of “race,” The U.S. Census Bureau states: “The racial categories included in the census
questionnaire generally reflect a social definition of race recognized in this country and not an attempt to
define race biologically, anthropologically, or genetically.”
OPENING
• Ask students: What is the U.S. Census? What does it measure or count? Consider writing their ideas on the
board or on chart paper.
• According to the U.S. Census Bureau: “As mandated by the U.S. Constitution, America gets just one chance
each decade to count its population. The U.S. Census counts every resident in the United States. It is
mandated by Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution and takes place every 10 years. The data collected by the
decennial census determine the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives (a
process called apportionment) and is also used to distribute billions in federal funds to local communities.”
• When “counting” the population, the U.S. Census also “counts” race. And its language for race has changed
over time. According to the Pew Research Center: “The first census in 1790 had only two racial categories: free
whites, all other free (Black) persons and (Black) slaves. “Mulatto” was added in 1850, and other multiracial
categories were included in subsequent counts. (Consider defining Mulatto at this point. Again, this is not a
word we recommend using outside of this historical context.) The most recent census, in 2010, had 63
possible race categories: six for single races and 57 for combined races. In 2010, 2.9 percent of all Americans
(9 million) chose more than one racial category to describe themselves The largest groups were White-
American Indian, White-Asian, White-Black and White-some other race.”
• Are there advantages and disadvantages to the U.S. Census “counting” race? Should they keep “counting”
race? If no, why not? How may racial data, as well as other statistics like gender, socioeconomic status, ability,
etc. be useful? If yes, should the labels change? How so? We’ll explore these questions in today’s lesson.
GROUP WORK AND INFORMAL DEBATE AND/OR FISHBOWL (MAY EXTEND TO A SECOND PERIOD)
• Ask the class: Should the U.S. Census keep “counting” race?
• Tell the class they will have an informal debate (or will present ideas in a “Fishbowl” format, explained further
below). Divide the class in small groups; consider allowing them to choose a side, such as “yes,” or “no” to the
prompt.
• In small groups, students should be provided with a collection of articles to read and discuss. (During this
period, or during a subsequent period if more time is needed). Consider the titles suggested in the Materials
section. In order to get through the material, students may each read a specific article, and share back findings
with the group (or may read articles ahead of time for homework).
• Have students consider how the U.S. Census forces race into a small number of categories. However, in
addition to its problematic aspects, might there be beneficial aspects to “counting” race, such as how
federal funding is allocated? Students may “debate” this overarching idea, or they may present their findings
in a “Fishbowl” format, where a small group of students sit in the center of the class, with the others students
forming an outer ring. The center group shares ideas, while the outer ring of students listen. They eventually
switch positions, so students get to practice both active listening and speaking skills.
• Conversation may focus on the negative aspects, which may be easy to find. For a “pro-argument,” consider
the following idea. According to the U.S. Census’ official website, the benefit to taking the census includes:
“Federal funds, grants and support to states, counties and communities are based on population totals and
the breakdown by sex, age, race and other factors. Your community benefits the most when the census
counts everyone. When you respond to the census, you help your community gets its fair share of the more
than $675 billion per year in federal funds spent on schools, hospitals, roads, public works and other vital
programs.” Also, consider reminding students about the USC Annenberg report, “Inequality in 900 Popular
Films: Examining Portrayals of Gender, Race/Ethnicity, LGBT, and Disability from 2007-2016.” How were racial
statistics useful when crafting that report?
CLOSING
• Regroup as a class. Students can share takeaways from reviewing and analyzing the U.S. Census over time. If
U.S. Census Bureau continues to count race, what should that “look” like? Are there better ways to define race
or ethnicity?