Piecing Me Together

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Think of the multiple parts of your identity—the things that make you you. Make a list of all the components you can think of; note when those components are congruent and when they seem somewhat contradictory or inconsistent. Do you consider yourself a “brother/sister”? How about a “student”? Or an “athlete”? Which parts of your identity complement each other? Do some seem to conflict with each other?

Teaching Suggestion: Ask students if they have ever heard of the sociological term “intersectionality” and talk about what it means to them. To draw out the importance of Intersectionality, focus students’ attention on the numerous facets of their identity, having them come up with comprehensive lists of the many ways they might describe themselves. This could include roles in their family (brother/sister, cousin, son/daughter), their race, their age, roles in school (student, athlete, band member), their cultural affiliations, their hobbies, and many more.

• In this Learning for Justice clip entitled “Intersectionality 101,” students are given a 3-minute overview of the sociological concept.
• An infographic on this National Association of School Psychologists site called “Understanding Intersectionality” shows how members of historically oppressed groups may experience multiple forms of discrimination at once.

2. The American slave known only by his first name—York—was the sole African American member on the Lewis and Cark expedition from 1803-1806. As you may recall from American history lessons, in this celebrated expedition, Captain Meriwether Lewis and Lieutenant William Clark led a group to explore uncharted territory in the western part of the United States, which had been recently acquired from the French. From other classes or personal reading, what do you know about Lewis and Clark? What do you know about York?

Teaching Suggestion: Students will probably mention the importance of Lewis and Clark; perhaps they will know details about the expedition itself, or maybe they will be able to speak about their legacy. Students will probably know less, however, about York. Explain how the figure of York—an  unsung hero in American history recognized only within the last 20 years—demonstrates how the more we understand about racism and oppression’s effect on our shared history, the more we can begin to acknowledge and honor individuals who were once ignored or overlooked. York’s story features prominently as a motif in Piecing Me Together, so a better understanding of his history will help to make that motif’s nuances more meaningful to students. 

• The Washington Post’s article from January 2020 entitled “An enslaved man was crucial to the Lewis and Clark expedition’s success. Clark refused to free him afterward” helps modern day readers understand the importance of this little-known historical figure to the expedition. (Subscription may be required.)
• In 2010, the artist Alison Saar created the memorial statue “York: Terra Incognita” to celebrate the memory of York and his contributions to the Lewis and Clark expedition. This clip from Lewis & Clark College talks about the installation and meaning behind the memorial.