Final Blogpost

Starting a new chapter:

Walking onto High Point University’s campus for the first time felt like stepping into a new chapter—one filled with unfamiliar faces and the overwhelming excitement that comes with a clean slate. As a first-semester student, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But if there’s one class that defined my transition into college life, it was Talking about Freedom with Professor Smith.

What made it stand out wasn’t just the content itself, but how it was taught.

Timelines: The Secret Tool I Didn’t Know I Needed

Early in the semester, Professor Smith started drawing timelines across the board long, detailed stretches of history, concepts, and court cases all lined up in a way that felt manageable. At first, I thought it was just a visual aid. I’ve seen teachers use timelines before. But this was different.

Professor Smith didn’t just use timelines to show dates; he used them to build meaning.

Instead of throwing isolated facts at us, he connected ideas across centuries—linking Supreme Court cases to cultural shifts, amendments to national crises, and philosophical principles to the world we live in today. Everything had a place. Everything had a cause. Everything had a consequence.

And suddenly, the First Amendment, the Fourteenth Amendment, judicial review, civil rights, Reconstruction, and the Progressive Era weren’t scattered facts in a textbook anymore—they were part of a larger story.

Seeing Freedom as a Living Timeline

One of the biggest takeaways from the class was the idea that freedom in America has never been static. It’s constantly being debated, reshaped, expanded, and challenged.

Me before a EOTO presentation

Professor Smith’s timelines helped show how: ideas build on one another, court decisions respond to earlier conflicts, and generations inherit the choices—and mistakes—of those before them.

It made the entire concept of American freedom feel more alive, more complex, and more relevant to my own life.

As a first-semester student, college-level material can feel intimidating. But the timeline approach made the class accessible without watering anything down. It transformed complicated legal principles into patterns I could track and understand.

Instead of memorizing facts, I began recognizing relationships: Why Marbury v. Madison still matters. How Reconstruction shaped the 20th century. Why precedents develop the way they do and how rights expand or contract over time

This method turned learning into exploration. And because everything fit together visually, studying for exams felt less like cramming and more like following a map I had already walked through.

That’s probably the biggest thing I’ll carry with me from my first semester at HPU—the confidence that I really can tackle big ideas. With the right structure, the right professor, and the right tools, even the most complicated topics start to make sense.

I expected college to challenge me, and it did, but not in the scary way I imagined. Instead, it pushed me to see learning differently: not as a mountain of information, but as a timeline—one I can step into, follow, and understand.

As I move into my next semester, I’m grateful for the foundation this one gave me. Professor Smith’s class didn’t just teach me about the First Amendment or the evolution of American democracy. It taught me how ideas build, how history works, and how to approach complex material with clarity and curiosity.

Brown v Board Reaction Post

 

Lessons from Segregation

Civil law derives its legitimacy from moral law. When the two diverge, society faces a crisis of justice that demands correction.

This principle was never more evident than during America's era of legal segregation, when laws contradicted the fundamental dignity of human beings.

The Moral Crisis of Segregation

Segregation wasn't just bad policy. It was a systematic denial of human dignity that violated both universal ethical principles and constitutional guarantees.

The 14th Amendment promised equal protection under the law to all persons. Yet for decades, state and local governments created separate and unequal systems that treated Black Americans as second-class citizens.

This wasn't merely a legal contradiction. It was a moral failure that touched every aspect of daily life, from education to transportation to public accommodations.

Universal Principles vs. Cultural Practice

Matthew 22:9 reminds us of a radical inclusivity that transcends human barriers: "Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find." This biblical principle of universal welcome stood in stark contrast to the reality of segregated America.

Historical and cultural practices created schools where white and black children were deliberately kept apart. Communities defended these arrangements as "tradition" or "the way things have always been."

But tradition doesn't make something right. Culture doesn't override dignity.

Real Lives, Real Harm

Consider Linda Brown, the young girl at the center of Brown v. Board of Education. She was denied access to her neighborhood school simply because of the color of her skin.

The damage went beyond inferior facilities or resources. Segregation communicated a message about human worth that no child should ever receive.

Linda Brown

What happens when civil law violates moral law? It loses legitimacy.

Laws that degrade human dignity cannot claim our ultimate allegiance. They demand challenge, resistance, and reform.

The civil rights movement understood this deeply. Activists appealed to higher principles—constitutional guarantees, religious teachings, universal human rights—to expose the moral bankruptcy of segregation.

They weren't asking for special treatment. They were demanding recognition of the equal dignity that should have been theirs all along.

Lessons for Today

We've made progress since the days of legal segregation, but the fundamental principle remains vital: civil law must align with moral law to maintain legitimacy.

Whenever laws violate the foundation of human dignity, we must ask hard questions. Are we defending justice or merely preserving comfortable arrangements?

The 14th Amendment and universal ethical principles still call us toward a more inclusive society. The work of honoring human dignity never ends.

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AI Disclosure: This blog post was written with the assistance of Claude, an AI assistant by Anthropic. The content was developed from provided notes and structured for professional readability, I added my own thoughts and subheaders and photos. 

The NAACP Roots

People protesting with the NAACP

A Legacy Rooted in Justice

For more than a century, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has stood at the center of America’s struggle for civil rights. Founded in 1909 in response to racial violence, including the Springfield Race Riot, the organization began with a mission that still guides it today. According to the NAACP’s official history, its purpose has always been to secure justice and equal rights for all.

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How the NAACP Began

A Diverse Group of Founders

The NAACP was formed by a coalition of Black and white activists dedicated to confronting racial injustice. Leaders such as Ida B. Wells, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Mary White Ovington helped shape the organization’s early direction. You can learn more about its founding through the Library of Congress Civil Rights History Project.

A Mission That Still Matters

Since its creation, the NAACP has focused on eliminating race-based discrimination through legal advocacy, grassroots organizing, and community education. The organization continues to influence voting rights, education, employment, and criminal justice reform nationwide.

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Milestones That Shaped a Nation

Legal Victories With Lasting Impact

One of the NAACP’s most defining achievements was the landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education in 1954. Argued by NAACP lawyers, the case declared segregated schools unconstitutional and paved the way for the modern Civil Rights Movement.

A Voice Against Racial Violence

Long before the nation paid attention to the problem of lynching and hate crimes, the NAACP was already fighting to end racial violence. The organization went on to play a key role in the March on Washington and in the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, strengthening protections for millions of Americans.

Built Through Community Power

With thousands of chapters across the country, the NAACP empowered local communities to challenge discriminatory laws and advocate for change. The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture highlights how these local efforts helped fuel national progress.

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The NAACP Today

The Seal of NAACP

Modern Challenges, Same Commitment

Today, the NAACP continues to address major civil rights issues, including voting rights protection, criminal justice reform, environmental justice, and economic equity. The organization also prioritizes youth development and education through leadership and scholarship programs.

Why the NAACP Still Matters

Although the U.S. has made significant progress, racial inequality persists. The NAACP remains a powerful voice for fairness, equal opportunity, and systemic reform. Its work helps ensure that every person—not just a few—can participate fully and freely in American life.

AI Disclosure: After gathering information about The NAACP, and evidence of this association, I used Claude Ai and Microsoft CoPilot to generate the notes into a smooth, readable text. I then edited the generated-AI text. I added photos and captions. I expanded on the generated-AI with adding some of my personal thoughts. 

'In The Heat of the Night'

This was my first time watching In the Heat of the Night. I was expecting it to be boring, but it shocked me. It was the complete opposite  In my opinion, the film put a lie to the prediction that segregation would lead to the separate by showing that the whole idea of creating peace, and order in segregation is completely false. 

In Sparta Mississippi, the racism leads to multiple counts of corruption, accusing someone of a crime based on their race instead of having evidence on the crime. This shows that the separate but equal idea that they was going for did not work out. The facilities that they had in the town were not equal from the ones that they had for the whites. When it came to the law, it was not fair. It was most of the time the black people that was automatically guilty. 

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Virgil Tibbs vs. the System

Virgil Tibbs and the Sparta police

Virgil Tibbs had to step into a world that was completely against him. Virgil Tibbs is an accomplished detective from Philadelphia who finds himself instantly targeted because of his race. The local police force, politicians, and power brokers all expect him to “know his place.” Tibbs’ response is simple but powerful: he refuses. He leans on his expertise, forcing the town to confront the uncomfortable truth that they need him even if they don’t want to admit it. His presence becomes a quiet challenge to the entire system.

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A Relationship That Reflects a Changing Nation

Chief Gillespie

One of the most compelling parts of the film is the progressive relationship between Tibbs and Police Chief Gillespie. At first, Gillespie sees Tibbs as a threat, who wouldn't? He is a Black man who is smarter, more skilled, and not intimidated by Southern racism. But as the investigation unfolds, and time goes on,  respect begins to replace hostility. Their uneasy alliance mirrors the broader social changes happening in the 1960s: slow, messy, and far from complete, but undeniably moving forward for the better. 

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A Film That Leaves You Feeling Both Heavy and Hopeful

I think that the movie doesn’t shy away from exposing the ugliness of racism. It’s often tense and uncomfortable. However it also offers moments of humanity and connection, especially in Tibbs’ refusal to be broken by Sparta’s hostility. The result is a film that leaves you both moved and hopeful. It also makes you aware of the injustice, but also of the possibility for change.

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Women in Sparta: A Different Kind of Inequality

Watching the film for the first time highlighted how women suffered enough under their own strict limits in the Jim Crow Era. Mrs. Colbert has wealth but little power. Delores Purdy is judged and used by the men around her. Mamma Caleba has inner strength but no influence outside her community. Whether rich or poor, white or Black, none of them enjoy equality. Even issues like reproductive rights appear in the story, shown through secrecy, desperation, and a total lack of safe options. Equality was nowhere visible.

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A Crumbling Power Structure

Mr. Endicott’s single scene in the greenhouse captures the collapse of the old Southern order. When Tibbs slaps him back, it shatters a rule about who could lay hands on whom. Endicott’s tears reflect more than personal humiliation—they mark the moment he realizes his world is changing.

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Not Even All White Men Were Protected

Even the white male characters supposedly the most privileged—don’t come off as secure. Sam Wood is easily blamed. Harvey is intimidated. Ralph lives a violent, empty life. The system only truly protects its most powerful men. Everyone else is not protected.

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A Story of Injustice and the First Steps Toward Change

In the Heat of the Night exposes how segregation harms entire communities. But it also shows how courage and persistence can begin to crack even the oldest systems of oppression. Through Virgil Tibbs, the film reminds us that change often starts with one person refusing to step aside.

Reaction Post - Videos

People during the Reconstruction Era

 
Rising from the Coal Mines

Born into slavery in 1856, Booker T. Washington began life under the harshest conditions. As a boy, he worked in coal mines and salt furnaces before setting out on a 200-mile journey to attend the Hampton Institute.

“Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.” – Booker T. Washington

By 1881, he had founded the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, where students learned farming, trade skills, and self-discipline — values he believed would uplift Black Americans through hard work and education.

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A Seat at the White House Table

Washington’s 1895 Atlanta Exposition Address urged African Americans to focus on economic empowerment first, famously advising, “Cast down your bucket where you are.”

In 1901, he became the first Black leader to dine at the White House, a symbolic moment of progress. Yet not all agreed with his approach — critics like W.E.B. Du Bois felt he accepted segregation too easily.

Despite the debate, Washington’s legacy remains one of resilience, vision, and belief in the power of education.

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After Lincoln: Dreams and Disillusionment 

Abraham Lincoln during the Era 

Just decades earlier, the U.S. faced a nation-shaking tragedy. Abraham Lincoln’s assassination in April 1865 — only five days after the Civil War’s end — shattered hopes for a gentle reunification.

His successor, Andrew Johnson, quickly welcomed Confederate states back into the Union, allowing the rise of Black Codes that tightly controlled the lives of newly freed people.

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Sharecropping: Freedom in Name Only

A system called sharecropping emerged, offering land and shelter in exchange for crops. In reality, it trapped millions — mostly Black farmers — in a cycle of debt and dependency.

Even as the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments promised equality, racial violence, poll taxes, and segregation erased many of Reconstruction’s gains.

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The Long Road to Equality

Washington’s story and the Reconstruction era share a powerful truth: ending slavery did not end racial struggle. Progress came slowly — through classrooms, communities, and the persistent fight for civil rights that would continue for generations.

AI Disclosure: After gathering information about the videos we watched in class and taking notes on the topic, I used Chat GPT and  Microsoft CoPilot to generate the notes into a smooth, readable text. I then edited the generated-AI text. I added photos and captions. As well as some subheadings. I expanded on the generated-AI with adding some of my personal thoughts. 

Reaction Post - Plessy v Ferguson

 

Separate but equal doctrine

Separate but Unequal: The Story of Homer Plessy

In 1892, a fair-skinned African American man named Homer Plessy bought a first-class train ticket in Louisiana. Though he looked white, one of his grandparents was African American — making him what society then called an “octoroon.” Under Louisiana law, that single drop of African ancestry meant he was considered Black. 

Plessy boarded a “whites-only” train car, quietly taking his seat. He wasn’t disruptive or loud — he was simply testing an unjust system. Moments later, he was arrested for violating the Separate Car Act, a law that required railroad companies to segregate passengers by race.

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A Peaceful Act of Defiance

At the time, segregation was spreading across the South under the banner of “separate but equal.” But Plessy, a taxpayer and working man, saw the contradiction in a democracy that promised liberty while denying it to millions.

His protest was part of a carefully planned challenge organized by a group of Black and Creole leaders in New Orleans. They chose Plessy precisely because his appearance blurred the racial line — forcing the courts to answer a profound question: What truly defines race?

When Plessy refused to move, he was forcibly removed from the train. His legal team argued that his arrest violated the 14th Amendment, which guarantees equal protection under the law.

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The Court’s Decision — and Its Consequences

In 1896, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Plessy in the now-infamous case Plessy v. Ferguson. The Court upheld racial segregation, claiming that separate facilities for Black and white citizens were constitutional as long as they were “equal.”

They never were. This decision gave legal cover to decades of racial discrimination under Jim Crow laws, which enforced segregation in schools, transportation, housing, and public spaces. 

Justice John Harlan

Justice John Marshall Harlan was the lone dissenter, warning that the Constitution “is color-blind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens.” His words would echo throughout history, inspiring later generations of civil rights activists.

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The Legacy of Homer Plessy

Though he lost his case, Homer Plessy’s act of peaceful resistance planted a seed that would grow decades later. In 1954, the Supreme Court overturned Plessy v. Ferguson in Brown v. Board of Education, declaring that segregation was inherently unequal.

Homer Plessy

Plessy’s story is a reminder that progress often begins with ordinary people who dare to stand up — or, in his case, sit down — for justice.

As one writer put it, “Some of God’s children were deemed unworthy to sit beside others.” Yet through faith and courage, that false belief began to crumble.

Today, Homer Plessy’s name represents the power of conscience over conformity — a lasting symbol of the fight for equality that continues to shape America’s story.

AI Disclosure: After gathering information and watching the presentations of the mock trial from Plessy v Ferguson,  I used Claude Ai to generate the notes into a smooth, readable text. I then edited the generated-AI text. I added photos and captions. I also added subheadings.

Reconstruction Video

 On June 17, 2015, a man entered Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, to pray. Moments later, he opened fire, killing nine African Americans during Bible study. It was a modern act of racial hatred, echoing a painful history that stretches back centuries. (Read more about the To understand the weight of that tragedy, we must look back to another defining era — Reconstruction, the period after the Civil War when America tried, and often failed, to rebuild a more equal society.

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The Promise of Reconstruction

After Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered on April 9, 1865, the war that divided the nation finally ended.

During the war, enslaved people had already begun shaping their freedom. Thousands fled to Union lines seeking refuge, and more than 180,000 Black men enlisted in the Union Army, ensuring the war would truly end slavery. Their prayers — and their courage — brought liberation closer to reality.

The first colored senators
and representatives. 

The end of slavery sparked a wave of hope. For the first time, Black Americans held seats in Congress, advocating for rights, education, and land ownership. Reconstruction was not just political — it was deeply personal. Families once separated by slavery sent out letters and requests, desperately searching for loved ones. 

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“Forty Acres and a Mule” — The Dream That Was Denied

In the summer of 1865, General Oliver O. Howard began helping freed families acquire land — an idea that became known as “40 Acres and a Mule.” 

But President Andrew Johnson, who took office after Abraham Lincoln’s assassination on April 14, 1865, reversed those efforts. He returned much of the land to former Confederates and required freed people to sign labor contracts with their old enslavers.

The freed people refused. As Howard recalled, a woman began singing, and soon the crowd joined in — a powerful act of defiance. Their voices carried a simple message: freedom must be more than words.

Howard and his Mules.

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The Backlash: Jim Crow and the “Lost Cause”

The Reconstruction dream was short-lived. White Southerners, unable to accept equality after 250 years of slavery, fought to restore dominance. “The Lost Cause” myth romanticized the Confederacy, while Jim Crow laws enforced racial segregation and stripped Black citizens of rights and dignity.

Violence became routine. From vagrancy laws to lynch mobs, every mechanism of control was used to suppress Black progress. Yet through it all, the fight for justice continued — rooted in the same faith and resilience that guided the enslaved.

Trying to beat the segregation.

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A Legacy Still Unfolding

When shots rang out in Charleston in 2015, they echoed centuries of struggle — but also centuries of strength. From Reconstruction to the Civil Rights Movement and beyond, Black Americans have carried forward a vision of freedom grounded in equality and hope.

As the 13th Amendment once symbolized the dawn of liberation, today’s pursuit of racial justice reminds us that freedom is not a moment — it’s a mission. (Learn more about the 13th Amendment.

AI Disclosure: After gathering information and watching the video of reconstruction, and the history on this,  I used Claude Ai to generate the notes into a smooth, readable text. I then edited the generated-AI text. I added photos and captions. I also added subheadings.