Lesson Introduction:

For homework the day before the assignment, students should read Handout 1 African Americans in World War I. Instruct students to summarize the reading and focus on the experiences of African Americans in World War I.

Day 1

Begin class by reading the following statement and displaying it on a large sheet of paper: (several minutes)

"When I was a boy I loved to make pictures but it was World War I that brought out all the art in me… I can never forget suffering, and I will never forget sunset…so I came home with all of it in my mind and I paint from it today." (The Papers of African American Artists, Archives of American Art/ Smithsonian Institution)

Tell the class we will be learning about African Americans in World War I by analyzing paintings by a Pennsylvania artist, Horace Pippin.

As a class, quickly brainstorm two lists on poster paper or an overhead. (Allow several minutes.)

For the first list ask the students, "Based on what we have studied about World War I, what images or impressions do you have about fighting in World War I?" (Answers will vary based on what has been studied. Possible responses include: trenches, use of planes and chemical weapons, barbed wire, mud, lack of food and water, rats, etc.)

The second list will focus specifically on impressions of the African American soldier experience in World War I. Ask students, "Based on your homework assignment, what was World War I like for African American soldiers?" (Information they may mention from the homework assignment includes: African Americans were primarily drafted into the segregated U.S. army for manual labor. Two units served in combat. The casualty rate was high - 35%. Most units also included a band - the bands introduced jazz music to Europe. They received more respect from the Europeans than the Americans. The United States military saw African Americans as inferior. African Americans were awarded medals of honor from France but not the United States. After the war, the African Americans soldiers returned to race riots and stiff job competition.)

Save the brainstorm lists for the end of the lesson.

Introduce the artist Horace Pippin. Put three large pieces of paper in three sections of the room - Early Life, Military Life, and Artist Life. Then distribute Handout 2: Who Was Horace Pippin? Divide the class into 3 sections. One section will read "Early Life," and second section "Military Life, "and the last, "Artist Life." After reading their section individually, students should place key words and phrases from the section they read under the appropriate heading.

Go around the room and have each student read their words/phrases. Ask the class, based on what you've read, what might we learn about World War I from Horace Pippin? Record student comments on another sheet of large paper. (15 minutes) (Possible responses: fighting condition, life in the trenches, life in a segregated army, racism in the military, friendship between soldiers)

Small Group Content Analysis: Create 6 cooperative teams. Each team will analyze the painting of Horace Pippin's related to his experiences in World War I. (Students should work on the analysis for the remainder of the class or about 20 minutes.) After students are in teams, distribute one folder to each team:

Team 1:

Sketch from Horace Pippin's War Diary "the gas were so strong and all we could do were wait"

Sketch from Horace Pippin's War Diary "as he got over the strip of seder he open up on the Germans plain and all at once, he were a fair and came down, to rise no more"

Sketch from Horace Pippin's War Diary "It were near day. A five stars were shining. But we kept on, and on."

Worksheet 1: Content Analysis Sketches from Horace Pippin's War Diary

Team 2:

Shell Holes and Observation Balloon: Champagne Sector

Worksheet 2: Content Analysis Shell Holes and Observation Balloon: Champagne Sector

Team 3:

Dog Fight Over the Trenches, 1935

Worksheet 3: Content Analysis Dog Fight Over the Trenches

Team 4:

The Barracks, 1945

Worksheet 4: Content Analysis The Barracks

Team 5:

Mr. Prejudice

Worksheet 5: Content Analysis Mr. Prejudice

Team 6:

The End of War: Starting Home

Worksheet 6: Content Analysis The End of War: Starting Home

Day 2

Begin the class by reviewing the class" poster papers on World War I and Horace Pippin. (several minutes)

Small Group Content Analysis: Allow 10 minutes for each team to finish their analysis and prepare to present their findings to the class.

Student Presentations: The presentation should include showing the painting and focusing on questions 1, 5, 9 and 10 (objects, people, focal point, theme, lessons of World War I) in the paintings and 1, 3, 7and 8 (objects, people, focus, theme, lessons of World War I) in the sketches. (5 minutes each / 30 minutes)

Day 3

Discussion: Begin with the original lists based on students responses to: (5 minutes)

The first list asked, "Based on what we have studied about World War I, what images or impressions do you have about fighting in World War I?" (responses may have included: mud, combat, life in trenches, destruction of buildings and land, bombings and shelling, death of friends and other soldiers, physical exhaustion, mental exhaustion)

The second list asked, "Based on your homework assignment, what was World War I like for African American soldiers?" (African Americans were primarily drafted into the segregated U.S. army for manual labor. Two units served in combat. The casualty rate was high - 35%. Most units also included a band - the bands introduced jazz music to Europe. They received more respect from the Europeans than the Americans. The United States military saw African Americans as inferior. African American were award metals of honor from France but not the United States. After the war, the African Americans soldiers returned to race riots and stiff job competition.)

As a class, add to or reinforce the initial list by using the information gained from the content analysis of the Pippin images: (10 minutes).

• What images or impressions do you have about fighting in World War I? (response will vary: mud, combat, life in trenches, destruction of buildings and land, bombings and shelling, death of friends and other soldiers, physical exhaustion, mental exhaustion)


• In what ways was World War I unique for African American soldiers? Responses may include:
  
  
  1. African Americans were used primarily for manual labor versus combat.
  
  
  2. African Americans were not only seen as inferior by their white counterparts but there were orders to discriminate against them.
  
  
  3. African American introduced jazz to Europe.
  
  
  4. African Americans were not recognized by the U.S. for their accomplishments.
  
  
  5. African Americans returned to the U.S. to face race riots, lynching, limited employment and discrimination.


• In what ways was it similar to the experiences of other soldiers? Responses may include:
  
  
  1. All soldiers had to face the reality of what they saw and experienced in combat including the loss of friends, chemical warfare, bombings and shelling and environmental destruction and emotional trauma.
  
  
  2. All soldiers had to find ways to cope with the boredom of trench warfare as well as the harsh living conditions (limited and poor food, limited water, lack of bathing and sanitary facilities, mud, rats, etc.)
  
  
  3. All soldiers missed friends and family.

Closure: Distribute the assignment and rubric and allow students to work in their original cooperative teams to brainstorm possible ideas (remainder of the class).

Assignment: Use Handout 1, Handout 2, and your analysis of one of Horace Pippin's paintings or sketches to create an interview with African Americans soldier in World War I. The interview should include at least 10 questions and a specific response. You may "interview" Horace Pippin, a person depicted in a Pippin painting, or a member of the 369th Regiment. The interview should be based on information in the class readings and the paintings. You might ask who participated, why they participated, how they were treated, memories of the war, and how the war affected them.