Sloss Furnace Comments

We invite anyone with personal knowledge, information or history regarding the Sloss Furnace to share it in this section. Thank you.

Discussion-Thought Question 1

To what extent, and in what specific ways, did convict leasing resemble slavery? How, if at all, was it different? Who were the “masters” and what was their relationship to the convicts? In what ways were convicts either better or worse off than slaves?

Vocabulary 1

RACC-AAMU 2013 Vocabulary: 1 1. Capriciously 2. Iconic 3. Chthonian 4. Amorphous 5. Penultimate 6. Malevolent 7. Anonymity 8. Ignominies 9. Internecine 10. Chimera

RACC-AAMU 2013 AGENDA

Department of Social Sciences READING ACROSS THE CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY RACC-AAMU 2013 (Dedicated to the memory of Kenneth Gunn) “I now understood…the pathway from slavery to freedom…I set out with high hope, and a fixed purpose, at whatever cost of trouble….to learn how to READ” Frederick Douglass Selected Reading: Slavery By Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans From the Civil War to World War II by Douglas Blackmon Blog address: https://racc-aamu2013.blogspot.com January 31: RACC 2013 Kickoff –Drake Hall  Faculty Lecture/Overview of RACC Program, Book and Blog  Led by Stephanie N. Allen & Douglas Turner  Required Attendance for All Majors  Familial connections to Sloss Furnaces (via meeting, twitter, facebook, etc) February 7: 12:30-2pm – Drake Hall  Faculty Panel – Part 1: Discussion of Chapters 1-4  Led by Craig Patton February 21: 12:30-2pm – Drake Hall  Faculty and Student Panel – Part 2: Discussion of Chapters 5-8  Led by Diane Wilkinson and Donna Burnell February 28: 12:30 -2pm Slavery By Another Name Film – Drake Hall March 7: Midterm Week March 14: Spring Break March 21 or 22: Field Trip to Sloss Furnaces (details forthcoming) March 28: 12:30-2pm – Drake Hall  Faculty and Student Panel – Part 3: Discussion of Chapters 9-12  Led by Michael Vaughn April 2: 12:30-2pm – Drake Hall  Faculty and Student Panel – Part 3: Discussion of Chapters 13-15  Led by Joseph Rosher and Rosanna Chang April 11: 12:30-2pm – Drake Hall  Faculty and Student Panel – Part 3: Discussion of Chapters 16, 17 and Epilogue  Led by Tracey Norrell April 18th : Author Douglas Blackmon Lecture-Elmore Gym  Required Attendance  Kenneth Gunn Essay Award Winner Announced*  *Monetary Prize Awarded---Essay due in DSS office by 10:00am 4/15/13

RACC-AAMU 2013 WELCOME

RACC-AAMU 2013 The Department of Social Sciences (DSS) welcomes you to Reading Across the Campus and Community (RACC-AAMU 2013). Once again we are focused on creating a collegial program centered on reading, provocative analysis and discussion. This is our contribution to the students of Alabama A&M University and community as we encourage you to become life-long readers and scholars. This year’s selected work is Putilzer Prize winner, Slavery By Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans From the Civil War to World War II by Douglas Blackmon. We have established a semester long series of activities aimed at providing greater insight on issues and concerns addressed in the book. Of particular note, we are very grateful to Diane McArthur of the Learning Resources Center for building our Second Life feature centered on the Sloss furnace. We strongly encourage you to learn how to access and venture into the Second Life venue. Post to this blog will include a RACC-AAMU 2013 Agenda of activities and a RACC-AAMU 2013 Study Questions/Discussion Guide. We encourage you to share your views and perspectives via our on-campus discussions and this blog. Of particular note, we encourage students and anyone with personal information related to the Sloss furnace in Birmingham to share, if so desired, their stories on this blog. We are asking the students to use their social media skills and help us publicize this aspect of the program. The DSS faculty initiated RACC, but our goal and continuing emphasis is for you the students and community to take ownership of the process as an extra-curricular, self-directed program of study and learning. Finally, we dedicate this year’s RACC program to the memory of Kenneth Gunn. Kenny was an avid reader and active RACC participant who enriched all of us with his insight and challenging commentary. In recognition of his contributions, the RACC-AAMU 2013 essay contest is being awarded in his name, The Kenneth Gunn Essay Award.