Ronald Harmon Brown and Michael Steele (leaders)

AFRICAN AMERICAN POLITICS

Leadership Profiles Assignment

Overview

There is no argument that leadership is essential to any movement, organization, community or nation. Leadership is so very important that its significance is even seen in the family unit. What is leadership? Wikieducator.org, defines leadership as the ability of an individual to influence, motivate, and enable others to contribute toward the effectiveness and success of an organization or group of which they are members. A person who can bring about change, therefore, is one who has this ability to be a leader. This definition explains positive leadership. A leader can also have negative objectives.

For groups of people who have experienced systemic discrimination, effective positive leadership is paramount. From slavery to the White House and beyond, leaders from all walks of life have emerged to guide the paths of African Americans to a more perfect union. Such paths have always involved politics.

Instructions

Each student has been assigned two leaders. Compare and contrast the two leaders. Research the leaders you are assigned and address the questions below. The two websites below will assist in providing a framework for understanding leadership.

This assignment is 15% of your final grade. It contains two parts, a ten-minute oral presentation and written summary (not more than four pages, excluding the title and reference pages) of your research. The research summary should be in APA format. Consult the writing guide posted on D2L.

All students should be prepared for oral presentations on November 26, 2018.

1. Background (Who is the person? What life events shape the person?)

2. Training/Experience (What training and/or experiences shaped the person as a leader?

3. Why is this person considered a leader?

4. Was/Is the person an effective leader? Why? (Provide examples and achievements.)

5. Using the characteristics of leaders listed on wikieductaor.org, list five that best describe the person’s (leadership) qualities.

6. How did the person impact politics in America?

7. How are the two leaders similar and different?

The list of assigned leaders are on the following page.

Due Date

Submit the written research summary to the appropriate D2L dropbox folder by November 26, 2018.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kimberlyfries/2018/02/08/8-essential-qualities-that-define-great-leadership/#2980e4843b63

https://hbr.org/2016/03/the-most-important-leadership-competencies-according-to-leaders-around-the-world

African American Leaders	SSU Students
Benjamin E. Mays Cornell West	Cade, India C.
Willie E. Gary Ken Blackwell	Ellis-Foster, Morgan R.
Barbara Jordan Alexis Margaret Herman	Flye, Ayanna M.
Thurgood Marshall Bryan Stevenson	Henderson, Nakeyia C.
Charles Hamilton Houston Johnnie Cochran	Holmes, Ariel E.
Robert Abbott Robert L. Johnson	Luster, Taylor D.
Maynard Jackson Deval Patrick	Mann, Jawun
Patricia Roberts Harris Leah Ward Sears	Martin, Jacob
Angela Davis Condoleezza Rice	Meadows, Jessica J.
Ron Brown Vernon Jordan	Mugford, Dejanerra T.
Madam C. J. Walker Suzanne Shank	Nash, Tacionia F.
Daniel Hale Williams Lynt B. Johnson	Peterman, Jordan A.
Reginald F. Lewis Kenneth I. Chenault	Platt, Quanise M.
Ronald Harmon Brown Michael Steele	Smith, Christian S.
Benjamin Oliver Davis, Jr. Colin Powell	Smith, Zaquavian D.
Mary McLeod Bethune Valerie Jarrett	Snead, Aerin K.
George Washington Carver Neil deGrasse Tyson	Turner, Annabelle S.
Jack Johnson Bill (William Felton) Russell	Walker, Destini Y.