James McCune Smith: A Model of Resistance

Goals:

Aim

Can intellectual leaders and the spread of their ideas be considered acts of resistance against slavery?

At the conclusion of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Define the concepts of oppression and resistance.
• Describe a portrait of James McCune Smith and discuss whether the image matches their image of a resistor.
• Identify actions from the life of James McCune Smith’s life that can be considered acts of resistance.
• Connect a person’s education to their ability to be independent and to resist oppression.
• Identify and respond to contemporary acts of oppression and resistance.

Essential Questions:

• What constituted an act of resistance of African Americans against the institution of slavery?
• Are some acts of resistance more effective than others?
• In what ways do our personal experiences shape our choices and actions?