HST300 Civil Rights Portfolio Project
Humanities
For the Portfolio Project, write a paper about a historical event that you or someone you know experienced from 1945 to the present.
It is imperative to research the event and place it into proper historical perspective.
For example, a person may have been raised during the 1960s civil rights demonstrations in Birmingham, Alabama. Do not tell only the personal story but also examine and explain the events of the civil rights movement that influenced the personal story. In other words, the paper must not only tell the person’s story but also represent the historical significance of the time and events.
Other examples may be:
- Explain the impact of the Reagan years.
- Summarize the significance of the first observance of Martin Luther King Day, January 20, 1986.
- Relate Mikhail Gorbachev’s ideas of perestroika and glasnost to the fall of communism.
- Describe the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990, resulting in UN Resolution #678.
- Evaluate the administration of President Bill Clinton.
- Relate the significance of the Oklahoma City bombing of April 19, 1995.
- Explain the growth of Islamic terrorism at home and abroad in Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
- Summarize the effects of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002.
- Tell how Hurricane Katrina, which formed on August 23, 2005, affected the U.S. and your personal life or the life of someone you know.
- Describe the significance of the presidential election of November 4, 2008, of Barack Obama
This paper must include a discussion of the following topics:
- A thorough summary of the personal story, including the incidents that took place and the key individuals involved.
- The importance of the event in the larger scope of U.S. history. Explain the historical situation of the event.
- How the event changed the daily life of the person from whose perspective you are writing.
- The lasting legacy of the event in the U.S. and the world.
Your final deliverable should be 6-8 pages in length (excluding cover page and references) and formatted according to the CSU-Global Guide to Writing & APA (Links to an external site.). Be sure to discuss and reference concepts taken from the assigned textbook reading and relevant research. Review the grading rubric to see how you will be graded for this assignment.
Be sure to discuss and reference concepts taken from the assigned textbook reading and relevant research. You must include a minimum of five resources, including
- At least one primary resource (textbook or required reading)
- At least one scholarly journal
- Secondary resources (credible, academic, or professional references beyond the text or required course readings).
Remember, a strong paper must contain the following:
- A clearly defined introduction, body with at least two main ideas, and a conclusion
- Examples supporting your thesis
- A forceful conclusion reiterating your main ideas
