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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How was the officer who killed Prince Jones dressed?

2. To where did the mother of the author's son travel when she turned 30?

3. Whom does the author blame for the death of Prince Jones?

4. Why was the man on page 112 arguing with the boy in the car?

5. Which protest sign did the author see while in France that reminded him of his blackness?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why has the author been too afraid to encourage his son to stand up for his rights?

2. According to the author, how do the behaviors of police departments reflect American values?

3. What is the significance of the author's description of the slave burial plot in southern Manhattan?

4. Why is the author angry and frustrated at the outcome of the investigation of the undercover cop who shot Prince Jones?

5. Why are black children told to be "twice as good"?

6. How did the author's trip to Paris affect his view of what it means to live in a black body?

7. How, does Coats write, have his eyes been damaged by what he has seen?

8. Why did the author move to New York?

9. What reasons does the author give for the anger of the man who was having his home repossessed?

10. Why did the thought of encountering the Prince George's County patrol officer frighten the author?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When the killer of Michael Brown was set free, Samori (the author's son) was overwrought with anger and sorrow. The author could not bring himself to console his son, although he did sit with him as Samori grieved. Why did Coates find himself unwilling to console his son? Why were things "not going to be okay"? What lesson was Coates trying to teach his son in that moment?

Essay Topic 2

The author often refers to white people as those who "believe themselves white." He also speaks often of dissociation. How might the concept of race and dissociation be related in America today? Is race a genetic or social construct?

Essay Topic 3

Compare how the events of September 11, 2001 affected the author with how a majority of Americans reacted to the tragedy at the time. Did the attacks eventually unify or divide the nation? Did the author feel a part of that movement? Why or why not? In your opinion, does his opinion represent that of a majority of black Americans?

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This section contains 1,260 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample