Lesson Plan #4

AFRICAN AMERICAN LIFE IN THE 19TH CENTURY

JOHN AND MARY JONES

and the Importance of Oral History

Grade level: Middle school

Estimated time: Three class periods

Topic: African American life in Illinois, 1818-67

Subtopic: Oral history and John and Mary Jones

Teacher background information

lthough the Joneses were key players in

the abolitionist movement in Illinois,

many people are unaware of their

major contributions to the fight against slavery.

John and Mary Jones were active not only in the

repeal of the Illinois Black Laws, but their home

was also a major stop on the Underground

Railroad. Unfortunately their home, like many o

f Chicago’s stops on the Underground Railroad,

was destroyed in the Chicago Fire in 1871.

Nevertheless historical information about the

couple exists in primary documents, historical

artifacts, and other surprising sources.

For example, the Chicago Historical Society

owns a letter written by the Joneses’ grand-

daughter in 1955 that includes information

about the Joneses and their pivotal role in the

abolitionist movement. This letter gives a

remarkable glimpse into the lives of John and

Mary and can be a starting point for students to

do further research on the lives of the Joneses

and other key Chicago figures and institutions

that are not widely written about. This lesson

is best used after students have completed

the “Meet John and Mary Jones” lesson.

For more History Lab activities, visit the educators section of the Chicago Historical Society’s website at www.chicagohistory.org.

Key concepts

Slavery, abolition, and oral history

Key questions

What role did John and Mary Jones play in the

abolitionist movement? How were John and

Mary Jones influential during this time period?

What historical information does this letter pro-

vide that does not exist in traditional textbooks?

Goal of this lesson

Students will learn that oral history is important

part of gathering historical data.

Objective

This lesson aims to improve students’ reading,

writing, interviewing, and note taking skills

through the context of studying oral history.

Materials

This lesson includes master copies of the

Theodora Lee Purnell’s letter and the “Letter

Analysis Worksheet.”

1. Letter from Theodora Lee Purnell, the

Joneses’ granddaughter, to the Chicago

Historical Society, 1955

2. Letter Analysis Worksheet

3. Paper and pens or pencils

AFRICAN AMERICAN LIFE IN THE 19TH CENTURY | IMPORTANCE OF ORAL HISTORY

Procedures

Day 1

Distribute copies of the letter written by

Theodora Lee Purnell and the letter analysis

worksheet. Students should read the letter and

answer the questions on the worksheet, either

individually or in small groups. Close the activity

by holding a class discussion about the letter and

student reactions to it.

Day 2

In order for students to understand the impor-

tance of family oral history, they will be asked to

interview a family member and write a letter to a

make-believe descendant based on information

from their interview. Students will spend class

time preparing for the interview and then com-

plete the interview and writing assignment as

homework.

As a class, brainstorm possible questions to ask

adult family members about their childhood. You

may want to choose one time period that students

will explore in their interviews, for example the

Great Depression or the Vietnam War. Students

can tape record their interviews or take notes.

Then ask students to use their interview notes to

write a letter to a future descendant (a person

their age living one hundred years from now)

describing twentieth century life as detailed in

the interview.

Day 3

Have students share their letters as oral

presentations. Require students to turn in

both their interview notes (or tape recordings)

and written letters.

Suggestions for student assessment

Develop a rubric for the interview and letter

and share it with students before they begin

their assignments. Use the rubric to evaluate the

letters and compare the interview notes with the

letters to confirm that the information in the let-

ters matches that provided during the interviews.

Extension activity

Ask students to research and write a short report

about the Joneses, institutions that they were

directly or indirectly affiliated with, or other

activists from the mid- to late-1800s.

Possible topics include:

John Jones, Mary Richardson Jones, Elijah P.

Lovejoy, Owen Lovejoy, Henry O. Wagoner,

Lyman Trumbull, Soujourner Truth, Susan B.

Anthony, Charles Dyer, Frederick Douglass,

Wendell Phillips, William Lloyd Garrison, Allan

Pinkerton, Quinn Chapel AME Church, Olivet

Baptist Church, First Congregational Church,

and John Jones Commercial School (now John

Jones Magnet School).

Additional Resources

Turner, Glennette Tilley. The Underground

Railroad in Illinois. Glen Ellen, Illinois:

Newman Educational Publishing, 2001.

This lesson fulfills the following

Illinois Learning Standards:

English Language Arts

State Goal 1: Read with understanding and fluency.

State Goal 3: Write to communicate for a variety

of purposes.

State Goal 4: Listen and speak effectively in a variety

of situations.

State Goal 5: Use the language arts to acquire, assess,

and communicate information.

Social Science

State Goal 14: Understand political systems, with an

emphasis on the United States.

State Goal 16: Understand events, trends, individuals,

and movements shaping the history of Illinois, the

United States, and other nations.

State Goal 18: Understand social systems, with an

emphasis on the United States.

History Lab is made possible through a generous grant from

the Polk Bros. Foundation. These materials were written and

researched by David Harris. Images and artifacts included in this lesson

are for classroom reference and research use only and are not to be used

for commercial reproduction, display, broadcast, or publication unless

authorized by a letter of permission from the Chicago Historical Society.

History Lab coordinated by Heidi Moisan of the Chicago Historical

Society. The Chicago Historical Society gratefully acknowledges the

Chicago Park District’s generous support of all of the Historical

Society’s activities.

AFRICAN AMERICAN LIFE

IMPORTANCE OF ORAL HISTORY

This document is for classroom reference and research use only. Not to be used for commercial reproduction, display, broadcast,

or publication unless authorized by a “Letter of Permission” from the Chicago Historical Society.

The mandatory credit line is “Chicago Historical Society.” CHS: John Jones papers manuscript collection.

AFRICAN AMERICAN LIFE

IMPORTANCE OF ORAL HISTORY

This document is for classroom reference and research use only. Not to be used for commercial reproduction, display, broadcast,

or publication unless authorized by a “Letter of Permission” from the Chicago Historical Society.

The mandatory credit line is “Chicago Historical Society.” CHS: John Jones papers manuscript collection.

AFRICAN AMERICAN LIFE

IMPORTANCE OF ORAL HISTORY

Name(s): ____________________________________ Date: _______________________________________

LETTER ANALYSIS WORKSHEET

1. Who wrote the letter?

___________________________________________________________________________________________

2. When was it written?

___________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Why did the author write the letter? What was she requesting of the museum?

___________________________________________________________________________________________

4. List three things this letter tells you about the life and work of John and Mary Jones:

a. __________________________________________________________________________________

b.__________________________________________________________________________________

c. __________________________________________________________________________________

5. Is this letter an example of family oral history? Why or why not?

___________________________________________________________________________________________

6. If you could meet the author of this letter, what questions would you ask her?

___________________________________________________________________________________________

HISTORY LAB

FEEDBACK FORM

Please give us your feedback! After reviewing and using this History Lab lesson, please send us your

feedback. Your ideas and honest assessment will ensure that these lessons keep improving and will provide us

with useful insight for future teacher fellows. To fill out this form online or discover additional History Lab

activities, visit the educators section of the Chicago Historical Society’s website at www.chicagohistory.org.

Name:______________________________________________ E-mail:_________________________________

School:_____________________________________________ Grade you teach: _________________________

Are you a CHS member? (circle one): yes no

Name of unit you are evaluating (check one):

5 America’s Documents of Freedom 5 Chicago’s World’s Fairs

5 African American Life in the Nineteenth Century 5 Face-to-Face with the Great Depression

5 The Civil War: Up Close and Personal 5 America and Protest

Name of lesson you are evaluating:_______________________________________________________________

1. On a scale of one to five (with five being the best) rate this lesson in terms of the quality of the student

learning experience it provides (circle one):

54321

2. What were the strengths of this lesson? _________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

3. What aspects of this lesson needed additional fine-tuning?__________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

4. What advice, tips, or suggestions would you give to future users of this lesson? _________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Where does this lesson fit in your course of study (scope, sequence, unit)?_____________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

6. If applicable, how did the use of primary sources impact student learning?_____________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Thank you for your time. Please send the completed form to:

Chicago Historical Society, Clark Street at North Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, 60614-6071,

Attn: History Programs Fax: 312-266-2077