First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.
Then they came for the socialists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for me,
and there was no one left to speak for me.
- Martin Niemöller (attributed)
“I come from a people who gave the Ten Commandments to the world. Time has come to strengthen them by three additional ones, which we ought to adopt and commit ourselves to: thou shall not be a perpetrator; thou shall not be a victim; and thou shall never, but never, be a bystander.”
- Yehuda Bauer
Background and Instructions: Throughout history, even in the most dire circumstances, there have always been people who have risked their safety and that of their families to publicize and prevent human rights abuses and genocide from taking place.
In the coming days, we will learn about some of the individuals who risked or gave their lives resisting the Nazi regime and the Holocaust. Drawing inspiration from these people, we will each create an artistic memorial to a massacre, genocide, or other human rights abuse at different times and in different parts of the world. The artistic representation can take whatever form you choose: a painting, song, drawing, collage, sculpture, etc., but should be designed to both educate your audience and inspire them to take action to prevent such events from happening again.
In addition to your artistic representation, you will write a two-page summary about the history of your chosen event (in addition to a works cited page), what you believe the world should do or should have done about it (a “call to action”), and how your artistic memorial represents the event. If the event you are describing is a historical event (i.e. not currently ongoing), write your “call to action” in the present tense, as if the events are currently taking place and you are communicating directly with the people of that era.
Steps to completing this project:
1. / Identify an event of mass killing, violence, or genocide for your research. Start collecting sources / November 12 / 5%
2. / List of sources due in proper MLA format. 5 sources minimum / November 14 / 5%
3. / Draft summary and “call to action” due.
Start working on artistic memorial / November 18 / 10%
4. / Type statement summarizing your memorial and explaining how it represents the event you chose / November 21 / 10%
5. / Artistic memorial due / November 25 / 10%
6. / Final Project Due / November 26 / 60%
Assessment: Your writing will be assessed using the 6+1 Writing Traits and should be typed, double-spaced, 12-point font, Time New Roman. Your artistic memorial will be assessed based on creativity, clarity, and presentation. You must turn in a printed copy of your written work in class on November 26.
Possible topics: Rwanda, Guatemala genocide, Chinese occupation of Tibet, Belgian Colonization of the Congo, Genocide in Bangladesh (then called East Pakistan), El Mozote Massacre in Honduras, My Lai Massacre in Vietnam, Armenian Genocide, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, Sudan, Ethiopia (Red Terror), Burundi.
Reminder: You must include a Works Cited page in proper MLA format.