What’s in MY Name: Cherishing the Names of your Black Students - Part V

Days 5, 6, and 7: Researching our names, Black histories, and sharing research in creative ways

Summative Activity:

Teacher: For the past four days, we’ve learned a lot about anti-Black racism, Black people’s resistance to it, African American and African naming traditions.

Let’s create a visual summary of what we’ve learned.

[Model for students using a document camera if you’re eLearning or screen share technology- and guide them through creating a graphic organizer of everything you’ve studied together the past four days. A sample graphic organizer is in the PowerPoint. However, you can use any model you choose].

Teacher: Ok, let’s gather our graphic organizer, our summary of the Edo and Yoruba naming ceremonies, the answers to our essential questions about African American naming traditions, and our vocabulary list with definitions. We will use all of these to help us as we research our own first, middle, and last names. We will start by learning the etymology of our own names [teacher shares etymology of her/his first name and any family history/stories about it].

Project Instructions – choose A or B; choice C is for children who are not Black/of African descent

Choice A: Pick two relatives or people close to you to interview to learn the history and meaning of your first, last, and middle name. Find the etymology online if you can. If someone created your name and there is no etymology online, research by interviewing them (or someone who knows the story) to find out how and why they named you what they did. [Tip: to search the etymology of any name online- simply type into Google “Rayquan etymology” and “meaning of the name Rayquan”

Choice B: If you cannot interview the adult who named you, and if the etymology is not online, write about what your name means to you and what you love about it. Include stories and explanations of nicknames and social media handles.

Choice C: Pick one of the following 2 topics from those we’ve studied to research:

1. Research the meaning and history of your own name if you want to. Also, research how European-American/white enslaves in the United States tried to erase the history of the African and later- African American/Black peoples they enslaved by forcing them to take on names that the enslavers chose. In your research, use at least three sources. After you research, answer the following questions Why do you think white enslavers in the United States forced the African people they enslaved to take on their last names? What are the major impacts this had, according to your research, on enslaved Africans and African Americans? If someone was ever forcing you to change your first middle and last name – how do you think that would make you feel?

2. Research the meaning and history of your own name if you want to. Also, research ways the Black Power movement in the United States worked to repair the damage European American/white enslavement in the US did to African Americans/Black people. Study the Nation of Islam idea and practices around removing “slave names”. Research one of the following people who changed their names to remove the imprint of enslavement from their name: Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Kwame Toure, Assata Shakur. Present your research and answer the following: if you learned one day that your first or last name came from someone who had brutalized your family and as part of that, forced their name on your family- would you decide to change your name? Why or why not?
For all three choices: Use your notes about African American and African naming traditions. Do you see connections between them and your own name (or if you are not Black- between the history you are researching)? Describe them. Include citations for your historical connections.

[Teachers- you will have to have taught students evidence citing BEFORE this lesson].

Teacher: For Choices A and C- Now, decide if you will video record, audio record, or listen and take notes while you interview the person who named you.

For Choice B: If you can’t interview the adult who named you, use your favorite essay writing strategy to draft, edit, and complete your essay. Remember- great writers have more than one draft and get feedback from editors on the facts in their work and things like spelling or word choice before they complete their work. +

Teacher: Whether you completed Choice A, B, or C, after you’ve completed the interviews of the people who named you or your essays- bring all parts of your research together. Choose one of the following ways to share your research:

1. Create a vision board in a digital space like PowerPoint, a website you create using tools like wordpress.com, or an actual poster. The whole vision board is about your name. Include pictures and 3-6 sentence typed summaries from your interviews that show your name’s meaning and history. Include the ways your name connects to African, African-diaspora, and any other traditions. If you have nicknames and social media names- include them and stories about them.

2. Write a speech, song, poem, or play that you record or type up to share at your next family gathering about what you have learned about your own name, family, and history as a Black child in the United States. Talk about what you love about your name, what pride you have in it, and your family history. Share the meaning of your name and how it connects you to people living and those who have passed. You might even use technology like TikTok, Flipgrid, or another free app to create this.
Places to share student work: class blog; school website; school YouTube channel; students’ personal social media; invite families and school community to a collective showing of student research via Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or another platform.
 

Extensions- additional activities to continue classroom inquiry on this topic
1) Create a Socratic Seminar/classroom research and discussion project about discrimination against African American people whose names are considered Black sounding. The quote to the right can be a starting point for designing this.
2) Build activities and further work around Read alouds. See this list created by the Urban Collective at the University of South Carolina, which includes Dr. Gloria Boutte, founder of the Center for the Education and Equity of African American Students (See website here).
Closing thoughts and affirmations
Teacher: It is important for all children, including those that are not African American, to learn about African and African American culture. Research shows that clear, detailed (a.k.a. explicit) conversations about race, culture, and power decrease racism. This project is about learning. It’s also about Black love and power; and self-determination. Love your name. Learn about it, and love yourself. We hope this inquiry project helps you improve your self-pride and self-determination so you can tap into the strengths you already have to build a thriving life.

If needed, send it to your grade level and school administrators to receive approval.

Another important strategy is to send a note home with parents letting them know you will be talking about racism, send a copy of the lesson home first, and see if any families have concerns.

Including your colleagues, school administration, and families of the students ensures collective learning and growth and avoids potential roadblocks.

If you are a family member, completing this at home, you are acting as a teacher and guide, so all the parts saying “teacher” apply to you as well!

Project Instructions – choose A or B; choice C is for children who are not Black/of African descent

Choice A: Pick two relatives or people close to you to interview to learn the history and meaning of your first, last, and middle name. Find the etymology online if you can. If someone created your name and there is no etymology online, research by interviewing them (or someone who knows the story) to find out how and why they named you what they did. [Tip: to search the etymology of any name online- simply type into Google “Rayquan etymology” and “meaning of the name Rayquan”

Choice B: If you cannot interview the adult who named you, and if the etymology is not online, write about what your name means to you and what you love about it. Include stories and explanations of nicknames and social media handles.

Choice C: Pick one of the following 2 topics from those we’ve studied to research: