Words Like Freedom/Sturdy Black Bridges is a “poetic concert” featuring African-American writing and music.
Words Like Freedom focuses on the role of African-American women in the struggle for racial justice and opens with Sojourner Truth’s “Ain’t I a Woman” speech.
Sturdy Black Bridges explores the trials and triumphs of black womanhood through the words of African-American women writers, including Nikki Giovanni, Yusef Iman, Carolyn Rogers, and Priscilla Cooper.
Grade Levels: 9-16
Resource Types: 1 Video, 1 PDF
Words Like Freedom/Sturdy Black Bridges
Teacher's Guide
Download the Teacher/Viewer’s Guide PDF
The video and guide provide excellent opportunities for interdisciplinary study in literature, theatre, history, and social studies, as well as discussions of music, philosophy, and religion. At the post-secondary level, instructors in African-American, American, and women’s studies will find relevant material for study and discussion.
This program shows the relationship of the arts to the humanities because the poetry becomes a vehicle for articulating complex issues and concepts about human relations and behavior. In addition helping students respond to the video program, this guide provides suggestions for activities that will allow students to create and perform as well.