Use these activities to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of each activity.

ACTIVITY 1: “Letter to the Future”

In this activity, students write an expository letter to future humans, warning them to avoid the pitfalls and practices that led to the transatlantic slave trade and the events that followed.

There are certain historical periods and events that most people agree shouldn’t ever be repeated. The transatlantic slave trade, or the Maafa, is one of them. Imagine a child 300 years into the future. Write a letter to them explaining the concept of slavery, and include a list of things they can do to ensure that it never happens again. Your list can include habits of character, beliefs, or practices that may prevent humans from treating other humans as personal property based on race or any other identifying markers.

• Remember that you may be writing to someone who has little background knowledge or context for your basic ideas. When you present an item on your list, include a few sentences that explain how to do it in explicit detail.
• You might include historical research or direct quotes from the novel to justify your points.