Final Presentation Script

Also, when facing problems in life, you're going to want to look at situations from both sides and identify key factors, even if they don’t support your original claim. Another positive I took away from the EOTOs, as Lucas mentioned, was my improvement in presenting skills. Having my own script for a few days and practicing it in front of a mirror until I could confidently stay within three minutes really helped. This boosted confidence for many people’s presentations, especially mine.

Jumping off what Ben was talking about, my opinions on the fact that this classroom not only allowed us to use A.I. but it was heavily encouraged for some projects, was a really cool idea. I think that as A.I grows we must also grow around it not against it; While most colleges and even other professors heavily deny the use of A.I; this class taught us that when using it correctly it can be a great tool. Firstly, we shouldn’t rely on it for everything, it’s a learning software, it’s going to make mistakes. Secondly, we should guide it so that it gives us exactly what we want; an example being that when making our EOTO’s we only wanted facts that coaligned with the topic we had. Lastly, we learned that while A.I. can be an amazing tool, in some scenarios we shouldn’t use it at all, mainly when the professors strictly say it’s not allowed. 

Hello, my name is Lucas Gustason. Ben and I will be doing our final presentation specifically on the topics of the EOTO’s, Blogs, and the use of A.I. in the classroom. First off, I think that the fact that when we were presenting the EOTO’s it gave us a different perception that most classes wouldn’t show us. It gave us firstly the angle that usually only professors have, teaching in-front of the class. This not only helps with presentation skills but it also helps with speaking skills in environments that you might not be comfortable in. I think that this has helped me not only gain confidence knowing that with enough preparation I can make it so that the presentation will not only sound better but I can present it better. Another thing that made the EOTO’s so much fun was the fact that it was a group project, it wasn’t just you sitting in front of the class, it was your group. This definitely helped elevated some of the stress that for example the Mock Trial gave. 

Adding on to what Lucas mentioned, I believe the EOTOs opened our eyes to looking beyond just one perspective. The fact that there was always a **contradicting viewpoint—whether supporting slavery or supporting desegregation—**forced us to consider sides we wouldn’t typically examine. It strengthened both arguments, because each perspective pushed back against the other.

Being able to incorporate AI ethically into our writing also taught me a lot. Instead of tediously looking through websites that might have biases or unreliable information, we were able to use AI. It made me focus more on the content rather than skimming through articles I wouldn’t end up using. While you can’t fully lean on AI, being able to use it as a tool felt like having training wheels. It provided us with scholarly sources, scripts, and well-crafted slides.

Being encouraged to use AI was a unique and valuable part of the way Professor Smith taught. Learning how to use it ethically was a game changer. It helped me understand not just how to gather information quickly, but how to evaluate it, refine it, and make it my own. Using AI responsibly showed me how to improve my writing without losing my voice, and it taught me how to double-check sources and avoid misinformation. I’ve already applied that knowledge in a few of my other classes, making research and writing feel more efficient, structured, and insightful.

The last part I want to talk about is how much I enjoyed the blogs. I’ve always enjoyed typing and writing but blogging has to be one of if not my new favorite way to write. It’s in an entire different league than an essay for a few simple facts. Firstly the fact that when writing and essay your main goal is to talk about the prompt usually; but for blogs it’s different. Your only goal is to make something that is both interactive and presentable. You have to think in the mind of out of the millions of blog posts out there, yours has to be the best for the most retention. Finally I love the fact that all blogs can be and will be different, it gives it a sense of personalism an essay prompt wouldn’t give. I also love how we add hyperlinks; instead of just writing a work cited you make it so you cite inside the work.

Lucas summed it up pretty well. Being tasked with a writing prompt is a thing you see in most of our classes, but being able to personalize and add your own flair to it is one special thing about the blogs. The short quick 300 or 500 word blogs were way easier to write than an essay. I think I speak for most, when writing an essay you get to about 500 words and a lot of the times after that find yourself repeating information. And being able to incorporate AI in some of them was extremely helpful, but when Professor Smith says it’s not an AI assignment, definitely don’t use AI. In the end, this class gave us more than just the material taught in class—it gave us experiences that actually taught us something. The EOTOs pushed us to think from multiple perspectives. The blogs gave us the freedom to express ourselves and write with personality. And learning how to use AI responsibly gave us a skill that’s becoming more and more essential. Altogether, these parts of the course helped us grow as writers, presenters, and students. Thank you.

Negative EOTO Reaction

KKK with Pushback

The Rise of the KKK and the Violent Pushback Against Progress

Every time I hear about the Civil Rights Movement, one thing that consistently shocks me is how the more progress America made toward racial equality, the harder the pushback became. The rise of the Ku Klux Klan during this era wasn’t just a reaction—it was a movement fueled by anger, fear, and a refusal to accept change. And honestly, seeing how far people went to stop basic human rights is something I still struggle to wrap my head around.

After the Brown v. Board of Education decision, the KKK basically stepped in as a leader of hate. Instead of backing down, the organization grew louder. What’s interesting is that the Klan in the 1960s wasn’t even unified at first. It was scattered, and yet still incredibly dangerous. Some sheriffs and local politicians were directly involved or supportive of Klan activity, which made everything even worse. Their tactics—violent intimidation, threats, and fear—were designed to scare people into silence. They even held parliamentary-style meetings to give themselves an appearance of order and legitimacy, even though everything they did was rooted in terror.

Brown V Board Desegregation

Freedom Summer in 1964 really shows how far they were willing to go. Civil rights groups organized a massive campaign to register Black voters in Mississippi. This should’ve been a simple act of democracy, but the KKK made it clear they would use violence to stop it. Three young civil rights workers were murdered after they went to investigate the burning of a Black church. They had been arrested, released, and then tracked down by the Klan. The case became known as “Mississippi Burning,” and it remains one of the darkest reminders of what activists were up against.

Then there was the massive resistance from southern states fighting school integration. To me, this resistance was pointless and terrible. Integration was going to happen no matter how hard people fought it—so shutting down schools only hurt the students and slowed progress. At the University of Alabama, Vivian Malone and James Hood were blocked from entering until the president had to call in the National Guard. It blows my mind how far people went just to keep things segregated.

16th St Bombing After Math

But the moment that sticks with me most is the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church on September 15, 1963. This was a trusted meeting place for Black activists, a safe space. And the KKK bombed it during Sunday service. No matter your race or beliefs, this crosses every possible line. It’s horrifying, and it shows exactly how far hate can go when it’s left unchecked.

AI Disclosure- I put my notes from the negative EOTO trial to create this blog, then I went in with my personal thoughts and added some. I then added pictures and captions.

Brown V. Board Trial

The Banning of Segregation in Schools

Brown v. Board of Education

When we think of Brown v. Board of Education, we often focus on the moral arguments against segregation or the psychological damage inflicted on Black children. But there's another compelling dimension to this landmark case that deserves attention: the devastating economic consequences of educational segregation.

The Myth of "Separate but Equal"

The doctrine established in Plessy v. Ferguson promised equality through separation. The reality was anything but equal. In Topeka, Kansas, where Linda Brown's case originated, white schools received $43 per pupil annually while Black schools received only $17. This wasn't an anomaly. Across the South, the disparities were even more staggering. South Carolina spent $179 per white student compared to just $43 per Black student—a four-fold difference that translated directly into educational quality.

"Separate but Equal?"

These funding gaps weren't abstract statistics. They meant crumbling school buildings without proper heating, outdated textbooks discarded from white schools, overcrowded classrooms with teacher-to-student ratios of 1-to-50, and shortened school years so Black children could work in fields picking crops. The infrastructure of segregation was designed to limit economic mobility before it could even begin.

Economic Warfare by Design

Segregation functioned as a system of economic control, creating and maintaining a permanent underclass. Without access to quality education, Black children faced insurmountable barriers to economic advancement. They couldn't access skilled trades or professional careers that required strong literacy and mathematical skills. They couldn't compete in a job market that increasingly demanded educated workers. They couldn't build the intergenerional wealth that education makes possible.

The outcomes spoke for themselves. At the time of Brown, the median income for Black families was only 51% of white families. Black unemployment consistently ran at twice the rate of white unemployment. These weren't market failures or individual shortcomings—they were the intended consequences of a system that systematically denied educational opportunity based on race.

The National Cost

The economic damage extended beyond Black communities to harm the entire nation. Economist Gunnar Myrdal calculated that segregation cost the American economy billions of dollars annually in lost productivity. By kneecapping ten percent of the population from birth, America was voluntarily handicapping its own economic potential during a critical period of global competition with the Soviet Union.

Gunnar Myrdal

Dr. Kenneth Clark's famous doll studies, which showed how segregation damaged Black children's self-perception, had profound economic implications. When children internalize messages of inferiority, they lose the motivation and aspiration necessary for economic success. You cannot achieve what you've been taught you're unworthy of pursuing.

The Constitutional Question

This economic reality made segregation a clear violation of the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause. Education is the gateway to economic citizenship in America. When states provide inferior schools based on race, they sentence children to economic exile before those children can even read. The act of segregation itself brands Black children as unmarketable and unequal—a stigma that follows them into every job interview, loan application, and economic transaction of their lives.

A Choice for America's Future

Brown v. Board ultimately forced America to confront a fundamental question: Could states use taxpayer dollars to economically handicap children based on race? The Supreme Court's answer reshaped American society. By recognizing that separate was inherently unequal, the Court acknowledged that educational segregation wasn't just morally wrong—it was economically destructive and constitutionally indefensible.

The decision represented more than civil rights progress. It was an admission that America could not claim to be a meritocracy while simultaneously kneecapping children at the starting line based on the color of their skin.

AI Disclosure- I used Claude AI to do my research and get good scholarly sources. Then I took some notes and had Claude turn it into a blog. I then edited it down, so it didn't ramble on. I also added headings and pictures.

Heat Of The Night

Film Cover

When looking back on my viewing of the movie, it definitely left me with an up-positive feeling, even though much of the story dealt with heavy, intense themes. I chose to focus specifically on how the film made me feel because I genuinely enjoyed it. I break down 5 key scenes and give my honest reactions to each one as they unfolded.

1. The Arrest of Virgil Tibbs

The film opens with Virgil Tibbs, a Black man, being wrongly arrested simply for standing in the wrong place at the wrong time. This immediately establishes the town of Sparta, Mississippi, as a place filled with racial prejudice.

At first, I was confused—this was the very beginning of the movie, and everything happened so abruptly. But as the plot progressed, this opening scene made me angrier. The idea that police would arrest someone with practically no evidence was shocking, especially when the real reason behind it was clearly his race.

2. Tibbs Revealed as a Skilled Homicide Detective

After being wrongfully detained, Tibbs reveals that he is actually a highly respected homicide detective from Philadelphia.

This moment flips the narrative completely. Now the town realizes he’s intelligent and capable, yet many still refuse to accept him because of his skin color. This raised serious questions about the town’s morals and the way they handle justice.

Tibbs Proves His Skills

3. The Uncomfortable Partnership with Police Chief Gillespie

The mayor forces Chief Gillespie to work alongside Tibbs to solve the murder.

Their relationship begins tense, full of mistrust, ego, and slow-building respect. Watching how the Chief initially treats Tibbs is honestly painful. His hatred toward Tibbs—based solely on race—is hard to sit through. Tibbs’ patience, however, is incredible. He continuously keeps his composure while dealing with Gillespie’s arrogance and refusal to see other perspectives. On the positive side, witnessing their relationship evolve is deeply rewarding. In my opinion, the ending of their partnership is one of the best movie conclusions I’ve seen.

4. Racism from the Town Residents

Throughout the film, Tibbs endures constant threats, slurs, and hostility from white townspeople.

Scenes where he is surrounded by angry groups or watched suspiciously show just how extreme the racism is in the Deep South. Working in a place where nobody wants you is difficult enough—being hunted and threatened is another level. The courage Tibbs shows by stepping out of his safe environment as a top detective to work in a deeply racist small town is remarkable. Remaining calm while being insulted and still staying focused on the case is truly admirable.

The Slap Scene

5. The Train Station Goodbye

In the final scene, Gillespie carries Tibbs’ suitcase and quietly sees him off.

It’s a subtle but powerful gesture that shows how much has changed. What stood out to me most was not just the friendship they formed but the barriers they broke. The racial walls that once defined the town begin to crumble, replaced with a sense of respect and understanding. Overall, the film comes full circle, and I genuinely believe it’s one of the best movies I’ve watched recently. Despite the ups and downs, the ending ties everything together beautifully. I definitely recommend it—and I will absolutely watch it again.

Video Reaction 2

Booker T. Washington

Booker T. Washington

Growing up, I learned about the big names in American history—the presidents, the generals, the inventors. But the more I dive into our past, the more I focus on the people who pushed forward through impossible circumstances. One of them is Booker T. Washington. Born into slavery, he taught himself to read against every barrier designed to keep him down. He eventually made his way to Hampton Institute, even working as a janitor just to afford his education. His success didn’t stop with himself—he went on to lead the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, a school built around teaching real skills and the importance of hard work. Washington believed that by becoming skilled and economically independent, Black Americans could gain respect in a country that refused to give it freely. In 1901, he even became the first Black leader to dine at the White House—an historic moment, even if equality was still far away.

Lincolns Assassination

Abrham Lincoln

Reconstruction after the Civil War should have been a turning point. Abraham Lincoln pushed for the 14th and 15th Amendments, giving citizenship and voting rights to formerly enslaved people. But after Lincoln was assassinated—by John Wilkes Booth—Andrew Johnson took over, and things changed. Johnson turned land back to white owners, leaving newly freed people with nowhere to go. Sharecropping became a new form of slavery, trapping families in endless debt while working someone else’s land. By 1870, only around 30,000 Black Americans owned land in the South—out of 4 million who had just gained freedom. And anyone who dared challenge the system risked being murdered.

Jim Crow Era

Still, during Reconstruction (1865–1877), Black Americans voted for the first time in U.S. history, and even held office. It was a glimpse of what could have been—maybe what would have been if Lincoln had lived.

Jim Crow Laws

But as Jim Crow laws spread across the South, segregation crushed those early gains. By 1900, 90% of Black Americans still lived in the South under these oppressive rules. Eventually, people decided they had to leave. Between 1916 and 1917, the Great Migration began—millions moving north and west searching for dignity, jobs, and a future.

This history shows the strength of those who kept pushing forward. They didn’t just survive—they laid the foundation for the rights we continue to fight for today.

AI Disclosure: I put all my notes into Claude and then had it write me a blog post. I then edited it, added images, subheadings and captions.

Mock Trial Plessy V. Ferguson Reaction

Plessy V. Ferguson Separate but Equal

Case Thoughts

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896). It’s honestly shocking how a case built around such a clear violation of equal rights could shape racial segregation for decades. 

So, the story starts with Homer Plessy, a man who was only 1/8 Black, what they called an “octoroon” at the time. He bought a first-class train ticket in Louisiana — completely legal — but because of a state law that required segregated train cars, he was told to move. His refusal triggered a lawsuit based on the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. These history overviews by both sides were really informative making it clear to understand what was going on at this time. 

Equal Protection Clause Under 14th A.

Constitutional Fight 

From the very beginning, the law was violating its own principles: white only and Black only accommodations were clearly not equal. 

The state defended segregation by saying the facilities were equal and that this was a “legitimate exercise to promote the comfort of its people.” Which is a valid supported statement throughout this period. They argued that the law treated both races the same — just separately — and therefore didn’t break the Constitution . But how can anyone claim a group has equal rights while forcing them into a lesser space? 

Religion

Some people even tried to justify segregation through religion and ethics. They pointed out teachings like “God created man equal” or “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” yet still allowed racism to dictate public policy — a complete contradiction. Personally, I thought Plessy's argument about religion was really strong, proving the points, she needed to prove that targeted the state well. 

Economic POV.

Economically, segregation hurt society too. Louisiana risked losing skilled Black professionals — doctors, lawyers, business owners — which could damage international business and the state economy. Still, lawmakers insisted they had to cater to the comfort of white customers to avoid backlash. 

Robert V. City Of Boston

What makes this ruling even worse is that earlier cases like Roberts v. City of Boston had already upheld segregated schools, setting the stage for this disaster. I thought when the state brought up this argument, it was really powerful and persuasive. It was all about “stabilizing society” instead of forcing real integration. 

Plessy v. Ferguson didn’t just maintain racial separation — it legitimized inequality under the fake label of fairness. It shows how dangerous the law can become when society protects comfort over justice. And even today, its legacy still echoes — reminding us why equality can never be conditional. 

AI Disclosure: I had AI put my bullet point notes into sentences, then added my own thoughts, images and subheadings.

Reconstruction Video Reaction

General Robert E. Lee Surrendering

Reconstruction Period

The period of Reconstruction following the American Civil War represented one of the most ambitious attempts to rebuild a divided nation. When Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865 — Palm Sunday — celebrations erupted as approximately four million enslaved people anticipated new lives in freedom Former enslaved Americans had long contributed to their own liberation; by the summer of 1862, many sought refuge in Union-controlled areas, while thousands of Black men enlisted in the U.S. military to fight for the Union cause. 

Reconstruction immediately faced critical questions: What would freedom look like for newly emancipated people? Which rights—education, land ownership, voting, and economic security—would define this “new America”?  

Freedmen's Bureau

To address these challenges, the U.S. government established the Freedmen’s Bureau, led by General Oliver O. Howard, which at one point controlled 850,000 acres of land intended for redistribution to formerly enslaved families — popularly remembered as “40 acres and a mule”. This initiative offered a blueprint for economic independence. 

Forty Acres and a Mule 

However, the effort to build a just post-slavery society quickly met resistance. Only days after advocating publicly for limited Black suffrage, President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. His successor, Southern Democrat Andrew Johnson, swiftly shifted policy. Though the Freedmen’s Bureau had begun granting land to freed people, Johnson reversed these gains by issuing pardons to former Confederates and ordering that confiscated land be returned to white owners. Frederick Douglass, among many, expressed concern about Johnson’s priorities, recognizing that the president’s leniency threatened hard-won progress. 

Reconstruction Push Back

Johnson’s approach empowered Southern legislatures to impose the Black Codes beginning in late 1865 — restrictive laws meant to acknowledge the end of slavery while eliminating meaningful freedom. Violence accompanied this backlash. Paramilitary groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, founded in Tennessee in 1866, continued the terror tactics earlier used by slave patrols. Disorder escalated: the Memphis massacre required federal troops three days to suppress and left 48 people — all but two of them Black — dead; a similar massacre in New Orleans followed only months later. These events demonstrated that legal freedom did not equate to security. 

Republicans in Congress responded forcefully. Using their majority, they refused to seat prominent ex-Confederate leaders and advanced civil rights legislation that established birthright citizenship and defined formerly enslaved people as full American citizens under the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and later the Fourteenth Amendment. These measures became foundational to constitutional equality and remain pivotal today.

By 1867, Radical Republicans were firmly in control of Reconstruction policy. Military Reconstruction Acts expanded Black political participation dramatically: in the beginning of the year fewer than 1% of Black men in the South could vote, but by year’s end more than 80% participated in elections. African Americans often traveled armed and in large groups to polling locations for protection against violence. Ultimately, roughly half a million Black men cast ballots, playing a pivotal role in electing Ulysses S. Grant to the presidency in 1868 and helping send dozens of Black leaders into public office. 

Jim Crow Era

This surge of political representation and civic engagement symbolized the promise of Reconstruction — a revitalized America defined by possibility, diversity, and democratic inclusion. Yet, as history shows, the achievements of Reconstruction provoked a fierce and lasting backlash. Later segregation laws, known as Jim Crow, emerged from that resentment, embedding racial inequality for generations. 

Jim Crow Protest Sign

Even in contemporary times, tragedies such as the Charleston church massacre remind us that the violence and resistance to equality that began in Reconstruction still echo in modern America. The struggle of Reconstruction — one of progress met by opposition — remains an essential chapter in the ongoing pursuit of civil rights and racial justice. 

AI Disclosure: I took all my notes from the video, poured them into Claude Ai to have it write me this, where I then edited the text slightly to make sure my main points came across. I then added images with captions and subheadings.