Biography is the account of a person’s life. As a narrative, it assumes the responsibility of explaining the period when a person lived as well as the places, the cultures, the organizations and the ideas that shaped an individual’s life. Furthermore, it examines how a person influenced family and community and, by contrast, how personal relationships influenced her or him or them. That person’s accomplishments as an actor or as a witness are important features of a biography.
The assignment for Essay #2 is that you write a short biography of a person, explaining how and why the message of the person’s life that you have selected provides testimony witnessing the injustices confronting workers of his or her or their historical period.
You may not select a famous leader but must describe a person who was a worker in a particular occupation, industry or social movement that gave meaning to work and workers’ destiny in history.
Answering this question means looking beyond what a person has said or not said about their life. The challenge is to examine the message that you discern in actions, decisions, what the person experienced and/or what the person suffered and/or tried to change.
Students must include at least one primary source in developing this biography.
Biographical Essay Requirements: The Five-Page Biographical Essay on the Life of a person whose experience informs our appreciation of Labor History:
Statement of the Message of the subject’s Life & Reason Why You Chose the person.
Movements or Persons that Influenced your Subject.
Labor Issue(s) that affected your subject.
Events that the subject witnessed.
Decisions or actions or ideas that best express the subject’s Message.
Conclusion stating why your subject is relevant today.
At least three different sources grounding your subject in the history of their time. One source must be a primary source.
Works Cited.
