Let's start with a beautiful gospel song written and performed by Amy Dixon-Kolar a few days after November 4, 2008 when Barack Obama became the first African American president of the USA, something that Martin Luther King couldn't have imagined himself.
"Rosa sat, so Martin could walk
Martin walked so Barack could run
Barack ran so all our children could fly"
Mr Brainwash's mural: Follow Your Dreams
E3C oral exam > DESCRIBE A PICTURE
+ be precise
+ explain the context
+ show that you know
who are they?
how they are linked?
why are they on this mural?
Questions to help you
> Study the mural carefully
> Read the questions
> Write down your answers or record them
General description
1) What is the general subject of this artwork?
2) Who are the people you can see? Why are they together?
3) When was this artwork created?
Explain how Obama's victory is related to the two other people in this artwork.
Text
4) Who does the pronoun your refer to in the white text?
5) Who does the pronoun we refer to in the black text?
6) What play on words can you find in the black text on the side of the block?
7) What effect is produced by the repetition and accumulation of verbs?
Structure and colours
8) How can you relate the block's background colour to Black American history?
9) Find elements in the picture showing that Obama's victory is seen as a dream come true.
10) How do forms, layout, text and numbers contribute to focusing on Martin Luther King?
How many instances of the number 3 can you spot in the artwork?
What can this number symbolise?
What message is conveyed through this symbolism? Context and location
11) What does the choice of the support add to this artwork?
How different the perception of the artwork would have been on a traditional canvas?
12) In some photos, there's a construction cone. What does it add to the meaning of the mural? 13) The vanishing point of the main wall is out of frame and far away.
What could it symbolise regarding racial equality and future prospects after Obama's victory?
14) Knowing that vertical lines suggest tension and elevation, comment upon their use in the picture and their relevance to the theme of civil rights and Obama's victory.
SELF-CORRECTION: ANSWERS
1) This artwork concerns the history of blacks and the end of segregation with a representation of famous black people who contributed to it.
2) We can see Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King and Barack Obama
> In 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man on a bus and her arrest triggered the Montgomery Bus Boycott that lasted a whole year and that led to the end of segregation on buses.
> Martin Luther King was a famous Civil Rights activists and leader who encouraged people to use civil disobedience to fight against segregation and put an end to the Jim Crow Laws that were designed to keep African American people inferior in the post-civil war South in the USA. He demanded freedom, justice and equal opportunity for black people. He organised marches and demonstrations to put pressure on the government to change the laws and make sure African Americans had the same rights as every other white citizen in the USA.
He is famous for the “I have a dream” speech that he gave on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial at the March on Washington in August 1963 where he described his vision of a fairer world where everybody would live and work in peace and harmony no matter their skin color, gender or creed. (see video below)
> 45 years later, Barack Obama became the first African American president of the USA in 2008 and was reelected in 2012. Everybody thought his election was a major step forward in the history of the USA and Martin Luther King wouldn’t even have imagined that this could one day be possible since back in the 50s and 60s his children couldn’t even go to school where white kids studied.
3)The artwork was created after Barack Obama was elected in January 2009 as a tribute to the Civil Rights leaders who fought for equality in the USA and an end to racism. Barack Obama himself dreamt of a post-racial society. Nevertheless, one man alone cannot rectify centuries of wrong-doing and heal the deep wounds inflicted by slavery, segregation and more recently police brutality.
However, as it turned out, 8 years later, Donald Trump was elected and congratulated by members of the KKK, the most racist and extremist far-right organization in the USA that prones white supremacy through violence against Black people, that is notorious for murdering thousands of black people during the Jim Crow era.
4) The pronoun "your" in the sentence "Follow your Dreams" can refer to Martin Luther King’s speech who said "I have a dream", thus inviting everybody to have their own dream of freedom, to believe that one day they could make their dreams come true. It's a symbolic message for all the black people who were victims of Segregation.
It’s also a reference to the American Dream, that is rooted in the Declaration of Independence, which proclaims that "all men are created equal" with the right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Also, the U.S. Constitution promotes similar freedom, in the Preamble: to "secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity".
The pronoun “your” refers to African American people as it is written next to the mural with three African American historical figures that made history. But more generally speaking as it echoes the American dream, it can refer to everybody in the USA and all the passers-by who are going to see this mural and internet users who will see pictures of it as it went viral on social network. Just like the lady wearing black clothes on the left looking at it, standing a few steps away from the mural to be able to read the text on the side of the building.
5) "We" refers to all the black people who were oppressed during segregation but also all African American people now who can be proud of having an African American president for the first time who promised to work hard at making American society fairer in his presidential campaign and gave hope to so many people. He wrote a book in 2004 that was entitled “The Audacity of Hope: Reclaiming the American Dream” where he explained his ideas and ideals.
6) I notice there’s a logical string of action verbs : sat - walk - ran - fly. It's a list that evoke movements with a logical order.
7) The repetition and the accumulation of verbs produces an effect of progression because of the evolution of the movement, starting from the bottom and finishing at the top. it gives a summary of the Civil Rights Movement milestones with Rosa Parks who sat on the bus, then Martin Luther King who organised marches and Barack Obama who ran for president and there’s a hopeful vision of the future with African American children being successful thanks to equal opportunities, maybe a reference to the famous song “I believe I can fly, I believe I can touch the sky” The verb “fly” evokes freedom.
8) The unusual striking red color in the background of the mural can remind us of the blood of many black people who were killed and tortured throughout American history, the blood that was shed during the Civil Rights Movement in History. Martin Luther King himself was assassinated in 1968.
As a result, this bright red can also become a symbol of the amazing courage, determination and resilience Black leaders and Civil Rights activists needed to change the way things were, to make change happen. Maybe it’s also a warning to Barack Obama, to remind him that he, too, will need a lot of courage and determination to drive positive change in the American society.
9) Barack Obama’s election was viewed as a dream because he became the first African American president in US History : it's a colossal event because before. Black people were not even allowed to vote in Martin Luther King’s time and so they couldn’t decide for themselves who ran the country and what kind of laws were passed. They weren't really represented or taken into account in US policies or by politicians. Blacks were victims of discrimination and racism and it was so complicated for a black person to be elected.
The film Selma by Ava DuVernay clearly shows how hard Civil Rights activists had to fight to get full righting votes and many peaceful demonstrators were beaten up during the Selma to Montgomery march in 1965, a tragedy that was watched by millions of people as it was broadcast live on TV and known as “Bloody Sunday”.
10) Because Martin Luther King's the person situated between Rosa Parks and Barack Obama, like a central element, the point of passage between Rosa Parks’ fight and Barack Obama's election : He used Rosa Parks’ act of defiance to give the Civil Rights Movement momentum and continued the fight and then, he passed his dream on to Barack Obama.
This mural is clearly a tribute to Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King’s legacy and its message is clear: everybody should celebrate these heroes and remember the struggle they went through so that African American people could be free and happier.
11) The choice to represent this work on a wall makes it visible to everyone: no need to go to the museum. Also, it allows you to remember each time you pass by. On social media, people could share this artwork and spread the message of hope that was generated with Barack Obama’s election. We can only see the lady's back but it looks as though she might be taking a picture of the mural to share it on her Facebook page.
Street art is the best way to open people’s eyes on a large scale and to drive positive change in the community and around the world, to open up a debate, to make people think and change the way they behave with other people.
So, by painting this mural, Mr Brainwash was taking a clear stance against racism and for equality and at the same time offering comments on the news and maybe some kind of warning as to the future.
The cartoon The American Dream Game by David Horsey can help you visualize things better and put things into perspective. It shows how much adversity African American people have had to face over the centuries. There have been dark times in US history, times of unspeakable violence, suffering and loss. So, to make it and reach the top, famous African American people had to work even harder, they had to have more courage and determination to be successful. They needed more resilience and will power as well as hard work.
12) In my mind, the construction cone means that the fight against racism is not over : the equality project is still under construction. It literally means “work in progress” and that there’s a lot of work to be done to put an end to racism as racism was still widespread in the USA in 2008 and 12 years later, even more so it seems.
13) This could mean that more people will be involved in the fight for racial equality in the future: the wall is far from over.
It also literally means “work in progress” and that there’s a lot of work to be done to put an end to racism as racism was still widespread in the USA in 2008 and 12 years later, even more so it seems. Some people even claim that they’re not even close to Martin Luther King’s dream because the consequences of segregation run too deep.
Black people are still among the poorest in the USA and black kids are still getting poor education because they live in poor neighbourhoods and don’t get any funds to pay for good-quality equipment or highly-qualified teachers.
In many ways and in spite of Barack Obama’s efforts to change things, there’s still economic segregation between the whites and the blacks. Black people still suffer from everyday discrimination.
14) This vertical elevation of the wall could underscore the fact that black rights have never been higher in the United States now that Obama has been elected.
The portraits chosen are taken from a low-angle which makes all three people look more impressive and powerful. This technique is well-known in movies to show heroes in a positive light, when everything is under control or that they’re in charge.
The vertical lines emphasize their greatness and power, all the more so that their size is huge, covering the whole wall. Maybe, some people will look at them as a reminder that there’s hope because even though there have been dark times in American history, good has prevailed in the end. Let’s hope it will prevail again in the coming election and Donald Trump and the likes of him with their far-right ideas will not win again.
I cannot help but notice that both Rosa Parks and Barack Obama are smiling, hinting that they share the qualities that move things forward: the same optimism and generosity. That creates a horizontal line going up to counterbalance the vertical lines.
> Create a language card on Mr Brainwash's mural
Listen to Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech
Do you know Rosa Parks's story?
Learn HARD FACTS & key dates
> draw your own timeline with pictures
for Black History
DIG DEEPER: Q&A
What is Black History Month?
Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing the central role of black people in U.S. history. It's a time to celebrate black activists and in particular Civil Rights heroes.
When did Black History Month start?
The story of Black History Month begins in 1915, half a century after the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States.
Which month is Black History Month?
Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating black history.
Find out about Harriet Tubman's breathtaking courage.
Watch and listen carefully & take notes
Focus on GRAMMAR > PAST SIMPLE
"I was a conductor on the Underground Railroad. I never ran my train off the track and I never lost a passenger."
This is a famous quote by Harriet Tubman.
The verbs in red are in the Past Simple. They are irregular verbs.
It's important to learn irregular verbs by heart and to revise them regularly.
There are 3 columns. For the Past Simple, you need column no. 2.
be > was / were > been = être
run > ran > run = courir
lose > lost > lost = perdre
Be careful when you translate from French, it can correspond to
l'imparfait le passé composé le passé simple et même parfois le présent historique
N.B. On utilise the PAST SIMPLE pour raconter une histoire située dans le passé avec une date précise. On parle d'ancrage dans le passé, sans lien avec le présent: c'est fini, daté.
Attention, il y a 2 mots pour le passé composé, mais en anglais il n' a qu'un seul mot. C'est pour celà qu'il faut éviter de traduire mot pour mot.
Hier, je suis allée au parc
> Yesterday, I went to the park.
Can you translate Harriet Tubman's quote properly into French?
Be careful, there's a phrasal verb: run the train off the tracks > faire dérailler
Regular verbs are much easier > just add +ED
I listened to the TED lesson carefully.
I repeated some sentences to improve my pronunciation.
I created a mind map with illustrations
I really liked Harriet Tubman's story.
Watch the video again and fill in the blanks in this summary with the correct verbs.
The first letter has been given.
a) Harriet Tubman was called Araminta Ross and her nickname was Minty.
b) She was born a slave. She was hired out to different owners when she was a child.
c) She f__________ into sleeping spells after being hit by a slaveowner.
d) She w__________ with her father who t__________ her to lumber.
e) In 1844, Minty m__________ a free black man called John Tubman and t__________ her mother's first name Harriet.
f) Harriet Tubman w__________ an abolitionist, a freedom fighter. She t __________ 13 times from the South to the North to free members of her family.
g) She h __________ slaves to escape to the North and then later to Canada.
h) During the Civil War, she w __________ as a nurse but she also p __________ and
l __________ a military raid to free 700 slaves in South Carolina.
i) She r __________ funds and h __________ build schools and hospitals for formerly enslaved people.
j) Harriet Tubman w __________ a suffragette. In 1888, she b __________ more involved in the fight for women's right to vote.
k) In 1899, she was granted $20 a month for her service in the US Army.
l) In 2016, the United States Treasury a __________ that Harriet Tubman's image would appear on a redesigned $20 bill.
All the verbs in blue are also in the Past Simple, but they are in the PASSIVE VOICE
Self-correction down below at the end
GET READY FOR ORAL EXAMS
Anticipate the interview > Show that you know
> Learn hard facts with dates
When was slavery abolished?
The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1865 in the aftermath of the Civil War, abolished slavery in the United States. The 13th Amendment states:
“Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”
When did segregation start?
The people in charge of the South in the post-civil war era wanted to keep their power and were not happy that their slaves were now freed men and women. They passed a number of laws known as the Jim Crow Laws that were designed to keep black people inferior to white people. This was the beginning of segregation.
Watch Roots , a series of video from History.com on the legacy of slavery and the Civil War
Did slavery end after the Civil War?
Slavery might have ended on paper after the Civil War, but many white landowners did everything they could to exploit newly freed slaves well into the 20th century. Thousands of black laborers across the South were forced to work against their will as late as the 1960s—a new form of enslavement that went on in the shadows of rural America.
SELF-CORRECTION
> grammar exercise on Harriet Tubman
J'étais "conductrice" du Chemin de fer clandestin*. Je n'ai jamais fait dérailler le train et je n'ai jamais perdu aucun passager.
*un vaste réseau d’évasion connu sous le nom de Chemin de fer clandestin
a) Harriet Tubman was called Araminta Ross and her nickname was Minty.
b) She was born a slave. She was hired out to different owners when she was a child.
c) She fell into sleeping spells after being hit by a slaveowner.
d) She worked with her father who taught her to lumber.
e) In 1844, Minty married a free black man called John Tubman and took her mother's first name Harriet.
f) Harriet Tubman was an abolitionist, a freedom fighter. She travelled 13 times from the South to the North to free members of her family.
g) She helped slaves to escape to the North and then later to Canada.
h) During the Civil War, she worked as a nurse but she also planned and led a military raid to free 700 slaves in South Carolina.
i) She raised funds and helped build schools and hospitals for formerly enslaved people.
j) Harriet Tubman was a suffragette. In 1888, she became more involved in the fight for women's right to vote.
k) In 1899, she was granted $20 a month for her service in the US Army.
l) In 2016, the United States Treasury announced that Harriet Tubman's image would appear on a redesigned $20 bill.
Can you pronounce your verbs+ED properly?
There are 3 possibilities (N.B. /ed/ doesn't exist!) > make 3 columns.
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