25 Sep Two Nations of Black America
Step 1: Engage With This Week’s Resources
Before writing your post, please complete the following:
???? Read Chapter 4 with your PowerPoint slides Download PowerPoint slides open for note-taking — pay close attention to the data on housing, education, employment, and health care disparities, as these will be central to your discussion post
???? Watch: “Two Nations of Black America” — Henry Louis Gates, Jr., PBS (56 minutes)
As you watch, take notes on specific arguments, data points, and examples you want to bring into your post. The film was produced in 2008, which means you’ll be reading it alongside nearly two decades of subsequent history — including the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, ongoing debates about policing, and continued shifts in the Black middle class and underclass. That historical distance is part of what makes this week’s discussion so rich.
Step 2: Write Your Initial Post
Your initial post has three required parts. Please make sure all three are present before submitting.
Part 1 – Discussion Prompt Response (250–350 words)
When Henry Louis Gates, Jr. produced “Two Nations of Black America” in 2008 — more than forty years after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. — he documented a striking paradox: the United States had simultaneously produced the largest Black middle class and the largest Black underclass in history. That tension between progress and persistent inequality sits at the heart of this week’s discussion.
Since the film’s release, racial tensions have intensified in new ways, and movements like Black Lives Matter have brought renewed national attention to the experiences of Black Americans — particularly in interactions with police. But as your reading and the film make clear, the challenges extend far beyond policing into housing, education, employment, and health care.
Respond to the following two-part prompt:
Part A – How far have we come? Drawing on Chapter 4 and the film, assess the state of race relations and racial equity in the United States today. Where have we made meaningful progress? Where have we stalled — or moved backward? Be specific and support your claims with evidence from the reading, the film, or other credible sources you bring to the discussion.
Part B – What should we do as managers? Choose two or three specific challenges facing Black employees, customers, or suppliers in today’s workplace. For each one, propose concrete, evidence-based strategies a manager or organization could implement to address it. This isn’t about broad ideals — it’s about practical action. What would you actually do, and why do you believe it would work?
Support your analysis with specific examples and citations from the chapter, the film, or supplemental sources. Use APA format for all embedded citations.
Part 2 – Your Own Quote (quote + APA citation)
Find a quote from the Chapter 4 reading that resonates with you — something unrelated to the discussion prompt above. Include:
The quote — copied accurately, in quotation marks
APA citation — author, year, and page number
Part 3 – Your Response to the Quote (100–150 words)
Why did this quote stand out to you? What does it make you think about? What question does it raise for you or for the class?
Choose a quote that will invite genuine conversation — something that challenges, surprises, or provokes thought rather than simply restating the obvious.
End your post with a complete APA References sectionfor all sources cited, including the textbook and any supplemental materials you reference.
Step 3: Return and Respond to Your Peers Due: Sunday at midnight
After the Thursday posting deadline, return to the discussion board and respond to at least two classmates. This week’s topic invites a wide range of perspectives — engage with posts that challenge your thinking, not just those that confirm it. Strong peer responses ask follow-up questions, offer alternative strategies, or connect your classmate’s argument to evidence they may not have considered.
Plan to visit the discussion board on three separate days:
Thursday — post your initial response
Friday or Saturday — read and respond to at least two classmates
Sunday — follow up on any questions directed to you and continue the dialogue
The rubric rewards sustained engagement throughout the week. A single burst of activity on Sunday is not the same as being part of an ongoing conversation.
Questions? Reach out by email or join me in virtual office hours. This is one of the most important discussions of the semester — the questions we’re asking here don’t have easy answers, and that’s exactly the point. I’m looking forward to reading your perspectives.
— Dr. Sheryl Rix
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