Instructions

Read the story assigned to your group. Then, review the corresponding historical sources. If you need help reading and interpreting the sources, please don’t hesitate to ask Dr. Williams for assistance.
As a group, discuss and respond to the questions found below. Please have one person submit the form on behalf of everyone in your group when you are finished.

Group Name

Contextualizing Individual Narratives

Historians often use narratives about individuals to convey information about history's "big picture." How does the story assigned to your group relate to what you learned today about African American kinship in slavery? In other words, how does what you learned help you understand the story you read?

Finding Kinship in the Sources

Review the historical records of this individual's life. What can you tell from these sources about this individual's relational identity? What, if anything, can you surmise about the significance of kinship to this individual?

Naming Silences

What silences, related to kinship, do you notice in these sources? How do you "read" the silences? In other words, what information do the silences convey?

Explaining the Evidence

How do you explain your answers to the previous two questions? In other words, what explains the inclusion of some information and the absence of other information? Be as specific as possible.