The next reading, Wilentz.

The next reading is the Wilentz, “American Slavery and the Relentless Unforeseen.”

https://www.nybooks.com/daily/2019/11/19/american-slavery-and-the-relentless-unforeseen/

This is a long piece and will take you some time to read it.  I would have a notebook at my side and as I read take a few notes to set up for my comment. Even if you don’t understand every word of the article, read through it and capture the main sequence of ideas, argument, narration etc.

I will have some comments on Wilentz by Friday 1pm.

Post your reflection on Wilentz by Monday, class time.

What is his concept of “Relentless Unforeseen?”  How is that a critique of Hannah Jones or modification of her thesis?

Research the latest New York Times statement on 1619 Project.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/11/magazine/an-update-to-the-1619-project.html

How would you state Hannah-Jones’s thesis?  Write a one or 2 paragraph comment.  Save it on a separate file so you can use it in your next paper, which we will discuss soon.  To put it briefly, you will be writing a full review of Hannah-Jones and Wilentz and one or two other articles that you select.

Remember you must create a 6000 word portfolio by the end of the semester, so begin to organize your writings into a file.  Reflect on how you are expanding your knowledge and understanding of the topics we have covered and the process of thinking about new ideas and how you have changed some of your old ideas.  You can always insert a short reflection into your portfolio, commenting on what you’ve done.