Guided Primary Source Analysis: U.S. Must Set Pace for Racial Tolerance

Roosevelt Racial Tolerance
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.), 11 Feb. 1944. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
Read the article, then answer the questions below. If you need help, click the links in the Related resources section below.

  • What was happening in the world at the time this article was published?
  • Who was Mrs. Roosevelt and why was what she had to say important?
  • Who else attended the conference and what groups did they represent?

The article’s headline makes a claim. Copy that claim and below it create a bulleted list of the quotes and statements made by Mrs. Roosevelt that support the claim.

Think about how this source made you feel and why you think it made you feel that way. Then ask yourself, “In what ways is this article still relevant today?” Complete one of the assignments listed below to respond to that question.

  1. Respond in writing (essay or poem) to the assertions Mrs. Roosevelt made in the first 4 paragraphs of the article related to citizenship and democracy today.
  2. Do some research and create a poster or digital presentation that informs about one of the people mentioned in the second-to-last paragraph of the article (see Related resources below) and someone who you think is a modern-day contemporary of that person.
  3. Imagine a similar type of conference being held today and that you were a reporter sent to cover it. Write an article about the conference similar to the historical article. Use the questions below to guide you.
    • What was the name of the conference?
    • Who was the keynote speaker?
    • What key points did the keynote speaker make?
    • Who else attended the conference and what groups did they represent?
    • What was one statement made by another conference attendee?

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