Digital:
Historic Georgia newspapers  https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu
Historic African American Georgia newspapers https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/types/african_american
Historic Cobb County newspapers https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/counties/cobb
The Marietta Journal 1866-1909  https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn85034082/
Georgia Archives Online Collection  https://www.georgiaarchives.org/research
Digital library/Cobb County  https://dlg.usg.edu/records?f%5Bcounties_facet%5D%5B%5D=Cobb
Online Library resources https://dlg.usg.edu
Gateway to Georgia’s History  l https://dlg.usg.edu
Galileo https://www.galileo.usg.edu/cob1/highschool
Civil Rights digital library https://crdl.usg.edu
Georgia collection African American collection   https://www.cobbcounty.org/library/learning-programs/georgia-room/collections/african-american-collection
Cobb County Sanborn maps https://www.loc.gov/collections/sanborn-maps/?q=cobb+county,+georgia 

Books :
Several books and publications by Ida B. Wells (many available on line), The Strange Career of Jim Crow by C. Van Woodward, The Atlanta Riot by Gregory Mixon, And the Dead Shall Rise by Steve Oney, Blood at the Root by Patrick Philip, At the hands of Persons Unknown: the Lynching of Black America by Philip Dray.

“The Changing South of Gene Patterson: Journalism and Civil Rights 1960-68” edited by Roy Peter Clark and Raymond Arsenault
“Caste” The Origins of Our Discontents, by Isabel Wilkerson
“Where Peachtree Meets Sweet Auburn” by Gary M. Pomerantz 

Media :
Buried Truths, a podcast by Hank Klibanoff, Emory Professor 

Other local libraries/museums:
Georgia Room @ Switzer Library in Marietta, Georgia Archives in Morrow, oral histories @ KSU, Auburn Avenue Research Library 

 If researching housing practices, the Smyrna History Museum has some resources. Smyrna’s City Limits were designed to exclude African Americans. 

Contestants, we’ve provided a collection of video resources to assist you in developing your essays. While using the problem/solution essay structure demonstrated in these videos is optional, it can be a highly effective method for organizing your arguments and presenting clear, impactful solutions.

These videos, originally designed for English Language Learners, offer concise and accessible guidance on fundamental essay writing techniques. We encourage you to review them as a valuable tool in your essay preparation.

Specifically, you’ll find:

• A video explaining the Problem-Solution Essay Structure:

This will help you organize your thoughts and build a strong framework for your essay.

• A video on how to write an effective Introduction Paragraph: 

Learn how to capture your reader’s attention and set the stage for your argument

• A video on how to write a compelling Thesis Statement:
  

Discover how to formulate a clear and focused central argument for your essay.

While the videos were designed for English Language Learners, the teacher’s explanations are universally applicable and provide a valuable walkthrough of the essay writing process. We encourage you to review these videos to enhance your essay-writing skills. They are linked to YouTube.

Think of your essay as a story with a problem and a super awesome solution, and YOU are the solution! Remember to use strong, evocative language to make your essay stand out. This means you may choose to: 

Identify and Define the Problem(s): 

• Clearly identify specific problems related to racial injustice in Cobb County. 

• Provide evidence and examples to illustrate the scope and impact of these problems. 

• Consider the historical and contemporary factors contributing to these issues. 

Propose Specific Solutions: 

• Develop concrete and actionable solutions to address the problems you’ve identified. 

• Explain how these solutions will contribute to achieving racial justice. 

• Consider the feasibility and potential impact of your proposed solutions. 

Your Role in the Solution(s): 

• Describe the specific role you envision yourself playing in implementing or supporting these solutions. 

• Outline the actions you will take, both within and outside of school, to contribute to a more equitable and just society for all residents of Cobb County. 

Hey amazing writers! We’re so excited to see the stories and ideas you come up with for your essays! We want to remind you that this contest is all about YOUR own special thoughts and how YOU see the world.

Sometimes, there are tools that can help write things for you, like robots that try to write stories. But for this contest, we really want to hear YOUR voice! Your ideas, your words, and your feelings are what make your essay truly special.

Think of it like drawing a picture. You could have a machine draw it for you, but wouldn’t it be much more fun and meaningful to draw it yourself? Your own drawing shows your unique style and what you imagine!

So, please, use your own brain and your own heart to write your essay. We want to see what YOU can do! We believe in your creativity and your ability to write something wonderful all by yourself!

Okay, super writers! Let’s talk about how to make your essay a real winner! We have a special guide called a “rubric” that shows you exactly what the judges are looking for.

Guess what? We made a special checklist just for you! It’s like a treasure map to make sure your essay is the best it can be. This checklist will help you remember all the important things, like making sure your sentences make sense and that your ideas are super clear. So, before you send in your amazing essay, grab the checklist and check, check, check everything off! It’s like a secret weapon to make your writing shine!

Essay Submission Checklist

Essay Requirements

• Essays must be original, unpublished works.
• Essays must be typed and double-spaced.
• Essays must be no more than 1,000 words.
• Use a standard font (e.g., Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri) in 12-point size.
• Include a title page with the following information:
  • Your full name
  • Your grade level
  • Your school name
  • Your email address
  • Your phone number
  • Your home address
  • Your essay title
• Do not include your name or school information within the body of the essay itself. This is to ensure anonymous judging.
• Cite any sources used within the essay using a consistent citation format (MLA or APA recommended).

Instructions:

• Essays must be submitted electronically as a PDF file
• The file name should be formatted as: LastName_Firstname_EssayTitle.pdf
• Submit your essay via email to cobbcountyremembrancecoalition@gmail.com

We’re super excited to see what you come up with! Remember, we’re here to help you shine! If you get stuck or just want to chat about your ideas, you can email us at cobbcountyremembrancecoalition@gmail.com. We can answer your questions, and if you want to talk to someone directly, we can even set up a time for you to have a special one-on-one chat! Just let us know in your email, and we’ll make it happen. We believe in you!