The Embodied Presidency
Lesson Title:
A “New Deal” For African Americans?
Race Relations, FDR, & the New Deal
Grade Level
11th Grade – U.S. History*
*This lesson plan can be adapted to all levels of American History
Estimated Time Required
Number of Days:
1-2 Days
Number of Half-Hour Segments per Day:
3-6 Half-Hour Segments
Author Information
Name:
School:
Brian McDonald
(Charles E.) Jordan High School – Durham, North Carolina
Brief Description of the Lesson
The New Deal, under President Franklin Roosevelt, changed the lives of many Americans.
Historians, however, question what role the programs of the New Deal played in the lives of
various minority groups in society. This lesson plan allows students to explore the positive and
negative consequences the New Deal had on African Americans. Through a PowerPoint
presentation, students will have an opportunity to view a variety of visuals (political cartoons,
photographs, documents, and other resources) to introduce them to the complexity of the New
Deal’s effectiveness. Writings, document analysis, and other sources will allow students to
understand both sides of the historical argument.
Lesson Plan Objectives
Content Objectives:
1. Students will be able to learn about the role the New Deal played in the lives of African
Americans
2. Through documents and evidence, students will be able to assess the effectiveness of the
New Deal
3. Through discussion, and visuals, students will be able to gain a greater understanding of
the 1930s
Skill Objectives:
1. The student will acquire strategies to analyze, explore, and interpret photographic
evidence
2. The student will use and analyze documents and speeches that show two sides of a topic
3. The student will be able to assess and view images associated with the topic
4. The student will use a variety of methods, including technology, to support an argument
North Carolina Social Studies Curriculum Alignment Standard
Course of Study
Competency Goal 9: Prosperity and Depression (1919-1939) – The learner will appraise the
economic, social, and political change of the decades of “The Twenties” and “The Thirties”
Objectives
 9.02 – Analyze the extent of prosperity for different segments of society during this
period
 9.04 – Describe challenges to traditional practices in religion, race, and gender
 9.05 – Assess the impact of New Deal reforms in enlarging the role of the federal
government in American life
Print and Non-print Materials
Print Materials
 Appropriate textbook reading
 Document analysis form
 Cartoon analysis form
Non-print Materials
 American Experience: FDR (PBS Home Video) ORFDR: A Presidency Revealed
(History Channel)
 Additional documents provided through this lesson plan (speeches, political cartoons,
poetry, etc.)
 Cartoons, documents, poetry, and songs will all be accessible via the internet. Please see
“note to teacher” below if there is little to no access for students.
Supplies
 No additional supplies necessary
Technology Needs
Computer & Projector (to allow for PowerPoint Presentation)
Television/VCR access
Internet access for student use
Pre-Lesson Expectations
In order to prepare for an effective lesson, students should complete the appropriate readings, as
deemed by their instructor, prior to class. Also, students should have knowledge of the Great
Depression and a general overview of the New Deal in order to have a full appreciation for this
lesson. “A New Deal for African Americans?” can be placed towards the end of a unit regarding
the Great Depression and New Deal, serving as the legacy of the era and/or the effectiveness of
the New Deal.
Activities
1. Pre-test students with “Great Depression & New Deal” Pre-Test (the additional pre-test
titled “Diplomacy and WWII” may be used at the teacher’s discretion).
2. Teacher should open with a photograph analysis activity warm-up of three
photographs with the class (these three photographs are on a PowerPoint titled “FDR &
African Americans: Warm-up”). Each photograph should be viewed and discussed
separately. Possible discussion questions can include:
 What do you see? (Students should try to explain every aspect of each photograph
– every minor detail tells a part of the story.)
 What is the date of each photograph?
 What does that tell you about society during that time?
 What else do you know about the time period (this is where the teacher can
review the topics and content of the Great Depression and/or New Deal)
 How might you feel if you were one of the people in the picture?
 Based on your reading and/or general knowledge, how do you think African
Americans suffered during the Great Depression?
 Based on your reading and/or general knowledge, how do you think African
Americans lives improved during the New Deal?
 What conclusions can you draw after viewing the photographs?
 What are (at least) two questions you have after viewing the photographs?
3. Through a lecture-based discussion, the teacher should then present the PowerPoint
titled “A New Deal for African Americans? Race Relations, FDR, & the New Deal.”
Important: The PowerPoint should serve as the basis for the discussion; teachers should
add their own commentary and discussion to each slide acknowledging both sides of the
essential question offered on the first slide of the presentation.
4. Students should be put into five different groups for the Group Analysis Activity. Each
group will have one of the following focuses: fireside chats, political cartoons, poetry,
music and song, and article reviews. Directions for each group are as follows:
o Fireside chats – Students should read the excerpts from the three fireside chats
titled “Fireside Chat Documents”. They can break up the documents if they
would like, as long as they discuss the documents in the framework of African
Americans. The students should complete a Document Analysis form for each
document.
o Political cartoons – Students should view the five political cartoons titled
“Political Cartoon Documents.” They should discuss and complete a Cartoon
Analysis form for each cartoon. Emphasis should be placed on the fact that these
cartoons speak to a negative ideal of Roosevelt.
o Poetry – Students should view the poetry titled “New Deal Poetry.” They should
discuss and complete a Poetry Analysis form for each poem; emphasis should be
placed on the text of each poem.
o Music and song
5. If available, students should view a video clip from either the PBS or History Channel
video; the clip is left up to the discretion of the teacher though a clip on
minorities/African Americans is recommended.
6. To wrap-up and review students can create a chart or Venn diagram, in any format, of
the improvements and disappointments for African Americans as a result of the New
Deal. Emphasis should be made that this five minute activity could and will help them
on their homework assignment.
Assessment
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Creating Writing Assignment (depending on group from class)
o Fireside Chat: The student should create their own “fireside chat”, as Roosevelt,
discussing how he could have discussed African Americans and equality without
offending his entire political base.
o Political Cartoon: Using the FDR Political Cartoon Archive online
(http://www.nisk.k12.ny.us/fdr/index.html) they should find political cartoons that
depict FDR in a positive light regarding African Americans. If a cartoon is not
available, they should create their own original cartoon.
o Poetry/Music/Song: Students should create their own song, poem, or rap which
summarizes one or both viewpoints discussed in class regarding the New Deal’s
effectiveness with African Americans
“Letter to the Editor” – Acting as either a white or black North Carolinian, students
should create a letter to the editor of the local paper regarding the New Deal’s role in
African Americans. Each letter must cite at least three to four specific pieces of evidence
(from class discussion, work, or their textbook) to help support their letter’s argument.
Post-Test – The same test that was used for the pre-test should be used as the post-test.
The teacher may want to rearrange the questions.
Free Response Question (FRQ): “While the New Deal was created by FDR to improve
the lives of many Americans, African Americans failed to achieve any success between
1932 and 1940 as a result of the president’s vision.” Assess the validity of this statement.
NOTE: This assessment should be reserved for Honors and AP US History classes.
Supplemental Information for Teachers
Note to teacher: This lesson plan serves not only as an opportunity to meet the objectives as
outlined by the state curriculum but also allows for a deeper understanding of FDR’s role with
minority groups, using African Americans as a case study, during the Great Depression and New
Deal. It is important to emphasize the complexity of the president’s role in the success or
limitation of improvements for African Americans. Finally, if internet access is not available to
students, the teacher can put document packets together for groups of students to use with prechosen cartoons, songs, etc.
Related Resources
Internet
1. Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum
(http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/)
2. History Matters (http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5097/) – “Gonna Miss President
Roosevelt”: The Blues for FDR
3. History Matters (http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/137/) – “Please Help Us Mr. President”:
Black Americans write to FDR
4. Miller Center of Public Affairs (http://millercenter.virginia.edu/Ampres/essays/
fdroosevelt/biography/) – Franklin Roosevelt
5. FDR Cartoon Archive (http://www.nisk.k12.ny.us/fdr/index.html)
6. The American Presidency Project (http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/)
Video
1. American Experience: FDR (PBS Home Video)
2. FDR: A Presidency Revealed (History Channel)
Text
1. Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Champion of Freedom by Conrad Black (2003)
2. Franklin D. Roosevelt: A Rendezvous with Destiny by Frank Freidel (1990)
3. No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II by
Doris Kearns Goodwin (1995)
4. Freedom From Fear: The American People in Depression and War, 1929-1945 by David
M. Kennedy (1999)
5. Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal, 1932-1940 by William E. Leuchtenberg (1963)
6. In the Shadow of FDR: From Harry Truman to Ronald Reagan by William E.
Leuchtenberg (2001)
7. The Age of Roosevelt (3 volumes) by Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. (1957-1960)
Attachments
1. FDR & African Americans: Warm Up (PowerPoint Presentation)
2. “A New Deal for African Americans: Race Relations, FDR, & the New Deal
(PowerPoint Presentation)
3. Fireside Chat Documents
4. Political Cartoon Documents
5. Poetry Documents
6. Music and Song Documents
7. Document Analysis Form
8. Cartoon Analysis Form
9. Assessment Rubric