AO3 (Production & Reception) Flashcards
What did the 13th Amendment (1865) accomplish?
Abolished slavery, freeing African-Americans from legal bondage.
What rights were granted by the 14th Amendment (1868)?
Granted citizenship and equal protection under the law.
What was the purpose of the Freedmen’s Bureau (1865-1872)?
Provided education, employment, and social welfare to formerly enslaved people.
What legal decision upheld the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’?
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896).
What was the Great Migration?
Millions of African-Americans moved from the rural South to urban centers in the North.
What cultural movement was centered in Harlem during the 1920s?
Harlem Renaissance.
Who were some notable writers of the Harlem Renaissance?
- Langston Hughes
- Zora Neale Hurston
- Nella Larsen
What does ‘racial passing’ refer to?
The ability of light-skinned African-Americans to access the privileges of whiteness.
What influenced Nella Larsen’s portrayal of passing in her novel?
Her own mixed-race heritage and experiences with racial ambiguity.
What themes are explored in Passing?
- Racial Identity
- Class and Gender
- Psychological and Social Consequences
What literary techniques did Nella Larsen use in Passing?
- Interior monologue
- Fragmented storytelling
What was the initial reception of Passing in 1929?
Praised for its exploration of racial identity but criticized for lacking political urgency.
What was a significant change in the reception of Passing post-1960s?
Rediscovery during the Civil Rights Movement highlighted its exploration of intersectionality.
What role did the NAACP play in the context of Passing?
Challenged discriminatory laws but did not immediately change social attitudes.
What is the literary significance of Passing today?
Recognized as a pioneering work in African-American and feminist literature.
Fill in the blank: The 15th Amendment (1870) granted African-American men the right to _______.
vote
True or False: The Harlem Renaissance only focused on literature.
False
What societal challenges did characters in Passing navigate?
Racially divided environments and the pressures of passing.
What was Nella Larsen’s profession before becoming a writer?
Nurse and librarian.
What did the Great Migration create for African-Americans?
New opportunities and new challenges.
What was the cultural impact of Passing?
Themes resonate with discussions of racial passing, privilege, and intersectionality.
What critical perspective did some African-American critics have about Passing?
Felt it neglected the broader struggles of the Black community.
What does the term ‘intersectionality’ refer to in the context of Passing?
The interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, gender, and class.
