These are the following readings from the course to use per your discretion:

Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz : An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States

Carlos Munoz, Jr. : Youth, Identity, and Power: The Chicano Movement

Russell Jeung :  Mountain Movers: Student Activism and the Emergence of Asian American Studies

Joshua Bloom and Waldo Martin : Black Against Empire: A Political History of the Black Panther Party

Please read & choose one of the following questions below to write a comprehensive essay to:

(1) Compare and contrast the modern freedom struggles (since 1940) of Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Mexican Americans (Chicanxs) in the US, focusing on the most salient similarities as well as the most salient differences among/across these freedom struggles. Be specific.

(2) “Both race, or racialization, and class, or socio-economic status, taken together, rather than either race or class, considered separately, have most crucially shaped the freedom struggles of Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Mexican Americans (Chicanxs) since 1940.” Do you agree with this argument? Fully explain, using at least one compelling example drawn from each of the four freedom struggles since 1940 that we have examined. This means a total of at least four (4) compelling examples.

(3) According to one observer, “Freedom is not free.” Looking back over the most crucial developments in the histories of Civil Rights and Social Movements of Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Mexican Americans (Chicanxs) between 1940-2020, do you agree with this assessment? Why or why not? Explain fully, advancing a specific and pointed response to the above observation. Also, in your essay you must explore at least one compelling example drawn from each of the above four freedom struggles to advance your own assessment/argument. This means a total of at least four (4) compelling examples.