To Ellen; Midterm Topics

Dearest Ellen,

Your situation is quite unique. I admire the lengths you and your husband took to escape from slavery to a life of freedom for yourself and family. As a scholar and historian of African American's lives, especially of African American women, I pose the following questions:

What was of more use to you: your male or white privilege?

Do you ever feel a surge of power over your husband during or after posing as his slave master?

How has your relationship changed with William? In this time period, even your husband, a black male as slave has typically more authority than a black female slave. William makes an abrupt transition in calling you wife to master and back. Your personal transition is of interest.

Has your experience "as a white male" changed how you identify: Are you woman or black first? I'm curious due to my analysis of race as an overriding factor in Americans' experiences.

Finally, despite your mortified response, will you consider passing in the future? If it helped your family, specifically enhance the lives of your children again?

Respectfully yours,

Evelyn Higginbotham

Midterm Paper Topics:

I am considering Martha “Euphemia” Lofton Haynes as a potential research subject since she is a relatively unknown figure in the STEM community. Haynes was the first African American woman to obtain a Ph.D. in Mathematics and was an advocate for improving black schools. As a black woman interested in STEM, I am very interested in researching Haynes or other black women who have unbeknownst to the public, impacted the science and technology sphere. Sources would be mainly scholarly articles and newspapers.

Another woman from the 1800s I consider was Francis Harper, a notable poet and author. Harper is also the first African-American to publish a short story. I believe reading her work, as well as supplementing research with articles and biographical text could help me in learning more about her.