EOTO reflection

 Today I witnessed in my classroom a mock trial of Brown v. Board of Education, the historic 1954 Supreme Court case that reshaped public education in America. Seeing my classmates bring this moment to life made the past feel immediate and real in a way that reading alone never could.

The Fight Against Segregated Schooling

Education Under Jim Crow

At the center of the case was a deeply important question could states legally separate students by race? The team representing Brown illustrated just how damaging segregation truly was. They showed how Black children were forced into schools with poor facilities, outdated supplies and limited opportunities, while white students nearby attended better funded schools.

One of the most powerful points they raised was the emotional harm caused by separation. They shared scientific studies revealing how segregation affected children’s sense of self worth, sending the painful message that Black students were less valued by society. The economic inequalities reinforced this reality too, with Black families earning dramatically less than white families. Their argument came down to a simple truth the 14th Amendment promises equal protection and segregation violated that promise entirely.

The Defense of Separate but Equal

The students defending the Board of Education argued from the perspective of the time period and hearing their points was both surprising and unsettling. They claimed that schools were already equal and that states had the constitutional authority to structure their education systems however they chose. Some even leaned on religious interpretations, suggesting the Bible supported racial separation. They insisted that segregation preserved social stability and reflected the wishes of parents who believed separating races was best for their children. As strange as these arguments sounded today, they reminded me that many people once genuinely believed them.

A New Era of Equality

Realizing the Weight of the Decision

What impacted me the most was seeing how passionately both sides defended their positions. It made me understand just how intense and emotional this debate was in the 1950s. The mock trial highlighted the courage required from families who challenged segregation not just legally, but socially and personally. When the Supreme Court finally declared that separate educational facilities are inherently unequal, it did more than overturn a policy. It acknowledged the dignity, rights and humanity of millions of children who had been denied equal opportunity for generations.

A Lesson That Still Matters Today

Walking out of class, I found myself thinking about how far the country has come and how important it is to study moments like this. The mock trial didn’t just teach me about a Supreme Court decision it showed me why the fight for fairness and equality in education still matters today.

Recon vidio

Reflecting on the Reconstruction era, it becomes clear that it was one of the most complex and contradictory chapters in American history. It was a time filled with extraordinary possibility new rights, new opportunities and a new vision for what the country could become. Yet it also unleashed fierce backlash, violent resistance and new forms of oppression designed to keep Black Americans in their place. Even though slavery had officially ended, the struggles that followed reveal just how fragile freedom could be and how deeply its legacy still shapes the present.

Andrew Johnson’s Presidency and the Setbacks to Freedom

President Andrew Johnson

Although Johnson blamed wealthy Southern planters for causing the Civil War, he still held deeply racist beliefs that shaped his policies. Frederick Douglass quickly realized that Johnson had no intention of supporting true freedom or equal rights for Black Americans.

The Freedmen’s Bureau led by General Howard found itself trapped in an impossible situation. The Bureau technically controlled large amounts of land that could have offered freed people real independence. Instead, Johnson ordered that much of this land be returned to former slaveholders. As a result, many newly freed individuals had no choice but to sign labor contracts with the very people who had once enslaved them. For many, this system felt like slavery by another name.

Black Soldiers Fight for Freedom

The Formerly Enslaved Men and the Fight for Freedom

During the Civil War, thousands of enslaved people seized the chance to escape to Union lines in the summer of 1862. For many, it was the first step toward safety and a future they had once only imagined. By the end of the war, around 180,000 formerly enslaved men had enlisted in the Union Army fighting not only to preserve the nation but to secure their own liberation. Their service fundamentally transformed the meaning of the war.

After Appomattox, even President Abraham Lincoln began considering the radical idea of extending voting rights to some Black men. His vision hinted at a future where equality might be possible. But Lincoln’s assassination brought Andrew Johnson into power and that hope began to fade.

The Rise of Violence and Resistance

KKK March on Washington

By 1865, Southern states began passing Black Codes, restrictive laws meant to limit the rights and movement of Black people. Almost immediately, violence escalated across the South. White supremacist groups like the Ku Klux Klan emerged, using terror, intimidation and murder to try to restore racial hierarchy.

Congress responded in 1866 by taking a stronger stand. Lawmakers passed civil rights legislation and pushed forward the 14th Amendment, guaranteeing birthright citizenship and equal protection under the law. These acts represented monumental steps toward a more inclusive democracy, even though they were met with fierce resistance.

Hope, Determination, and the Claiming of Freedom

Despite the constant threats and systemic barriers, African Americans pushed forward with determination. They believed in democracy believed that it could work for them and fought to reshape their own futures. Their progress during Reconstruction was extraordinary. In the span of a single decade, formerly enslaved people built schools, created churches, established communities and held public office. They proved that once people claim their freedom, it cannot be easily taken away.

AI Disclosure: I put my notes from the video to create this blog, then I went in with my personal thoughts and added some. I then added pictures and captions.

Talking about freedom reflection

When I first walked into Professor Smith’s class, I thought I already had a general idea of what freedom meant in American history. I understood the big moments the end of slavery, the Civil Rights Movement and the laws that reshaped the nation. But as the semester went on, I realised how much of the story I had only seen on the surface. Through a combination of timelines, blogging and EOTO presentations this class pushed me to think deeper about what freedom actually looked like, who had access to it and how often it was limited or taken away.

One of the most impactful assignments for me was the creation of historical timelines. Laying out events in order opened my eyes to the uncomfortable truth that freedom after slavery did not equal equality. I had never fully understood how quickly newly gained rights could be restricted again. Seeing the rapid emergence of Jim Crow laws only a few years after emancipation was shocking. It painted a clearer picture of how systems of discrimination were rebuilt, just in different forms.

Sharecropping especially stood out to me. Learning how formerly enslaved people were forced into contracts that kept them trapped in poverty for generations helped me recognise that freedom can be fragile when economic power is so uneven. It was heartbreaking to see how closely sharecropping resembled the conditions of slavery, simply repackaged to fit a new era. Yet what inspired me most in these timelines was not just the struggle it was the resilience. Despite every barrier placed in their way, people continued to fight for their rights, organize their communities and push the country closer to the ideals it claimed to stand for. That persistence became one of the central themes of the course for me.

The blog assignments also played a major role in shaping my learning experience. Instead of writing long, overwhelming essays, blogging allowed me to slow down and reflect on each topic with more intention. The shorter, focused posts helped me clarify my thinking and express my ideas more directly. Publishing my writing online gave everything a more professional feel like my reflections were meant for a real audience, not just for a grade. Over time, I could actually see my writing improving. I became more confident not only in my ability to structure a response but in how I connected my thoughts to the larger themes we discussed in class. Blogging made the course feel more personal and creative, which helped me understand the material on a deeper level.

Another assignment that stood out was the EOTO project. This activity was unlike anything I had done in history classes before. Instead of simply being the learners, we became the teachers. Doing independent research transformed the topics from distant historical facts into something much more engaging and meaningful. Presenting in front of the class challenged me to explain information clearly and confidently, and it pushed me to really understand the material rather than just memorize it. Teaching turned out to be one of the most effective ways to learn and it gave me a sense of ownership over the subject.

Overall, Professor Smith’s class fundamentally changed the way I think about American history and the ongoing struggle for freedom and equality. It also helped me grow in many important skills writing, collaboration, public speaking and critical thinking. Most importantly, it showed me how history connects to the present. The systems, stories and struggles we studied are not just part of the past, they continue to shape the world we live in today. This class reminded me how essential it is to pay attention to those who fought for change and to recognize the work that still needs to be done.

16th street Baptist church bombing

I´ve never really thought of myself as a history person but every now and then, something from the past stops me in my tracks. But then there are certain stories that grab hold of you and don’t let go. That’s exactly what happened to me with this one. That’s exactly how I felt when I learned about the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama. Even though it happened over sixty years ago, the story felt painfully relevant, almost like it was tugging on a thread that still hasn’t been fully repaired.

Birmingham: A City on Edge

Aftermath of the 16th
Street Baptist Church Bombing

Back in 1963, Birmingham was known as one of the most segregated and violent cities in America. The nickname “Bombingham” wasn’t an exaggeration it was a grim reflection of how often white supremacists used violence to try to stop progress. In the middle of all this stood the 16th Street Baptist Church. It wasn’t just a place where people gathered to worship; it was a heartbeat of the Civil Rights Movement.

Leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference used it as a meeting place, a planning zone and a symbol of unity. I find something incredibly powerful in the idea that a church could serve both spiritual and political roles. It shows how intertwined faith and justice were for so many people fighting for their rights.

September 15, 1963: A Day That Changed Everything

The four young victims

But the morning of September 15, 1963, shattered that sense of hope in the most heartbreaking way. At 10:22 AM, a bomb planted by members of the Ku Klux Klan exploded outside the church. Four young girls Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson and Cynthia Wesley were killed as they prepared for the Youth Day program. They were between eleven and fourteen years old.

I couldn’t stop thinking about that detail. They were just kids. They were doing what any other kids might do on a Sunday morning, getting ready, chatting, fixing their dresses. Their innocence makes the cruelty of the attack feel even heavier.

A Nation Forced to Pay Attention

No More Birminghams

What struck me even more was the country’s reaction. Instead of scaring people into silence, the bombing sparked outrage. Images of the shattered church and the faces of the four girls spread across newspapers worldwide.

Thousands attended their funerals. Dr. King called them “martyred heroines,” a phrase that has stayed with me. In a strange and tragic way, their deaths forced people who had been ignoring the Civil Rights Movement to finally see the brutality that Black Americans faced every day. Sometimes history moves because of big speeches or political strategies, but sometimes it moves because of heartbreak that simply cannot be ignored.

The Man Behind the Bombing
 Robert Chambliss

Justice Delayed A Painful Reality

What frustrates me, though, is how long justice took. The FBI quickly identified several suspects, yet the first conviction didn’t happen until 1977 fourteen years later. The remaining two weren’t convicted until 2001 and 2002.

It’s infuriating to think that the people responsible for killing four children walked free for decades. That delay isn’t just a flaw in the justice system it’s a reminder of how deeply racism was woven into the institutions meant to protect citizens. To me, this part of the story hurts almost as much as the bombing itself.

The Legacy: Pain, Strength, and Change

Still, the bombing became a turning point. Many historians believe it played a major role in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. And today, the 16th Street Baptist Church stands as a National Historic Landmark.

When I think about the church now, I don’t just think about tragedy I think about resilience. I think about a community that refused to let hatred silence them. I think about how the story of four girls continues to push people myself included to reflect, to question and to demand better from the world.

Why This Story Still Matters

Maybe that’s why this event feels so close, even decades later. It reminds me that history isn’t just something that happened. It’s something we carry with us and something we’re still responsible for shaping.

AI disclosure: Parts of this assignment were developed with the assistance of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. I used the tool to turn my script for my presentation into a 550 word minimum blog post. I also used it to help with organising historical information, improving clarity and grammar, and finding credible sources. All ideas were reviewed, edited, and finalised by me to ensure accuracy and originality. I added my opinion to every section to make it more of a personal blog.

Heat of night reflection

A Story of Race, Resilience and Justice

When I found out we were watching In the Heat of the Night in class, I was excited purely because I love murder mysteries. I expected to enjoy the suspense, the clues and the detective work. But the movie quickly showed me that it was about so much more than just solving a murder. What really made this film powerful was how honestly it reflected the struggles of Black people living under Jim Crow how they had to fight for every right, every ounce of respect and every chance to prove themselves in a society that constantly doubted them. The film doesn’t dramatize these struggles instead, it places them quietly and uncomfortably into nearly every scene, making the story feel incredibly real.

A Daily Reality of the Jim Crow Era

The Jim Crow Era Through Tibbs Eyes

The film follows Virgil Tibbs a Black homicide detective from Philadelphia who becomes involved in a murder investigation in a small Mississippi town after being wrongfully arrested at the train station. This moment showed me immediately how deeply racism was ingrained Tibbs didn’t do anything suspicious, yet his skin colour alone was enough to make him a suspect.

Even after Tibbs is identified as a detective, the officers hesitate to believe him. What stood out to me most was how he handled it. Instead of being reactive, he stays composed and intelligent, using his expertise to gain respect in a town determined not to give it to him. Throughout the film, Tibbs has to be more accurate, more professional and more controlled than anyone else simply to be treated as human. To me, this reflects exactly what Black Americans faced at the time: the pressure to be “perfect” just to survive.

Tibbs and Gillespie: A Slow Shift Toward Respect

Tibbs Standing His Ground

One of the strongest parts of the film is the evolving relationship between Tibbs and Police Chief Gillespie. At the beginning, Gillespie treats Tibbs with open prejudice. He doubts him, talks down to him and even seems threatened by his intelligence. But as Tibbs continues to prove himself solving clues the local officers overlook and exposing mistakes in the investigation Gillespie begins to change.

It’s not a dramatic transformation, but a gradual recognition that Tibbs is not just capable but essential. I appreciated how realistic this shift felt. Gillespie doesn’t suddenly stop being biased he just learns, slowly, to respect Tibbs based on who he is, not what he looks like. For the time period, even this small shift symbolised progress proof that change however slow, was possible.

The Portrayal of Women in the Film

While the main storyline focuses on race, the movie also highlights how women in the 1960s faced their own forms of inequality. Each female character reveals a different place within the social hierarchy, yet all share the common experience of being limited by gender.

Mrs. Colbert: Power Without Autonomy

Mrs. Leslie Colbert

Mrs. Colbert, wealthy and white, appears at first glance to be the most powerful woman in the film but watching her, I realised how misleading that image really is. Even with her social standing, she has almost no control over what happens after her husband’s death. She isn’t allowed to participate in the investigation and she can’t demand justice directly. Instead, she relies on her financial influence to keep Tibbs on the case. To me, this really highlighted how even the most privileged women in the 1960s lived within strict limits. Mrs. Colbert may look strong from the outside, but her power is entirely dependent on how much the men around her are willing to listen. I found myself frustrated for her, because she clearly wanted answers yet had to fight for them in such an indirect way.

Delores Purdy

Delores represents the complete opposite of Mrs. Colbert and I found her storyline the most unsettling. She is poor, unprotected, and constantly judged by the people around her. The way the men view her as someone sexual and disposable made me uncomfortable, because it showed how little value was placed on women who didn’t fit society’s expectations. I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her. She didn’t have the luxury of choice everything she did seemed tied to basic survival. And when she became tangled in the investigation, instead of receiving support, she was treated like a problem or a distraction. Watching her made me realise how deeply class and gender could trap a woman, even when she was technically “privileged” by race. Her vulnerability didn’t give her freedom it made her a target.

Mama Caleba

Mama Caleba Quiet Strength in a Hostile World

Mama Caleba was the woman who stuck with me the most. Even though her screen time was short, her presence felt incredibly strong. As a Black woman in the Jim Crow South, she faced both racial and gender discrimination, which should have made her nearly powerless but somehow she carries herself with more authority than almost anyone else in the film. I admired her immediately. She runs a business, commands respect and navigates every interaction with a quiet intelligence that only comes from fighting through a lifetime of obstacles.

What impressed me most was how she interacts with Tibbs. She doesn’t see him as a threat or an outsiders he sees him as someone worth helping, but on her own terms. I felt like she represented a type of strength the film doesn’t show anywhere else. The strength of someone who has survived without protection from society, without status and without privilege. Her character reminded me how much resilience black women needed just to exist in that era and I found myself wishing the film showed even more of her story.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I think In the Heat of the Night did a phenomenal job portraying the struggles that Black people faced and the constant fight they endured for even basic rights. It also shed light on how women regardless of race were limited in different but very real ways. Even though the film is historical, it never felt slow or boring. The tension the evolving relationships and the underlying social commentary kept me engaged the whole time.

Presentation reflection, What I learned

 

Understanding the Complexity of Reconstruction

Over the past few classes, my understanding of the Reconstruction Era and the long fight for racial equality has deepened in ways I didn’t expect. I always knew the basic timeline slavery ends and almost a century later the Civil Rights Movement takes shape but I didn’t realize how much struggle filled the years in between. Listening to my classmates’ presentations and examining these stories showed me that progress in America has never been straightforward. It has always been a constant push and pull between change and resistance.

Union vs. Confederacy Clash

Legal Freedom vs. Real Freedom

One of the biggest lessons I learned was that “freedom” after the Civil War wasn’t immediate or guaranteed. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments were monumental, but they didn’t instantly transform people’s lives. That’s why the Freedmen’s Bureau became such an important symbol. It didn’t just pass laws it provided schools, reunited families, offered legal support and gave newly freed people the chance to build stable lives.

The story of “40 acres and a mule” especially struck me. Even though the government later broke the promise, those brief months when Black families actually lived on that land showed what equality could have looked like if real opportunities had been provided.

Portrait of Carver an Influential Agricultural Scientist

Leadership, Resilience, and Progress

 I was also inspired by the leaders who helped create   progress despite barriers. The Tuskegee Institute stood   out to me as a powerful example students building the school themselves, George Washington Carver  transforming agriculture and later the Tuskegee Airmen breaking military boundaries. These stories made the   era feel personal, not just historical.

The Harsh Reality of Anti-Miscegenation Laws

Interracial Couple Challenging Marriage Laws

Learning about Anti-Miscegenation Laws shocked me the most. The idea that interracial marriage was illegal until 1967 showed just how deeply racism controlled people’s personal lives. The Loving v. Virginia case demonstrated how an ordinary couple Mildred and Richard Loving changed the entire nation simply by defending their right to love one another. Even after the ruling, some states dragged their feet for decades.

Final Takeaway

What I’ve learned is that Reconstruction wasn’t just a period it set the stage for every civil rights struggle that followed. It taught me that real progress needs laws, resources, courage and consistent resistance to injustice.

Ai disclosure, I used Chat GBT to use my notes to make a blog post, however I edited so that it better reflected my ideas and the things that I wanted to say in the blog post. I made sure that I also used a format that would make it in a college freshman style.

Video reflection part 2

 

Booker T. Washington’s Story Hit Me Hard

Watching the videos in class today made me realize how much of history I’ve learned without ever truly feeling it. The video about Booker T. Washington honestly hit me the hardest. Imagining someone walking over 200 miles at sixteen just for the chance to sweep floors so he could afford school made me rethink how I view my own education. I complain about studying sometimes, but he fought for every bit of it. When he built Tuskegee Institute at only twenty-five, teaching practical skills and self-reliance, I couldn’t help but admire the way he turned struggle into opportunity. Knowing he was the first Black guest to dine at the White House made me realize how symbolic his journey really was.

Lincoln’s Death Changed Everything

Abraham Lincoln, 1865

I always knew Lincoln was assassinated, but I never understood how dramatic the impact was until now. Hearing that he wanted to give Black soldiers the right to vote made me respect him even more. But his death completely flipped the country in the wrong direction. Andrew Johnson, who took over, basically abandoned newly freed people. Returning land to white owners, allowing Black Codes, ignoring violence it made me angry to see how quickly hope was taken away. And learning that sharecropping, a system that kept people trapped in poverty, lasted into the 2000s shocked me. It made me realize freedom didn’t suddenly appear in 1865; people had to keep fighting for it.

Glimpses of Progress and How Fast It Was Taken Away

I didn’t know that during Reconstruction, Black Americans voted in huge numbers and even held political office. Hearing that made me think about what the country could have looked like if that progress had been allowed to continue. But Jim Crow laws wiped out those gains almost overnight. It was frustrating to watch that part of the video because it felt like hope was constantly being built just to be torn down again.

On the road to a new life

The Great Migration Felt Personal

The Great Migration made me think about what I would do if my only option for dignity was to leave everything I knew behind. Millions of Black Americans did exactly that. They chased fairness, opportunity, and safety things most of us take for granted. Their courage honestly inspired me.

My Final Takeaway

Today reminded me that history isn’t just dates and names it’s people fighting for their lives. And understanding that makes me appreciate their resilience even more.

AI disclosure: I took notes from the videos we watched in class and then used AI to help me turn those notes into a clearer, more organised blog post. After that, I edited the writing myself, added my own thoughts and reactions, and included the sources and images on my own.