The Nitty Gritty
Read and report

Two books listed in the recommended resources for this section, Amongst My Best Men: African Americans and the War of 1812, by Gerard T. Altoff and White Jacket or the World in a Man of War, by Herman Melville, contain fascinating accounts of life aboard naval ships in the last century. Ask for volunteers to read and report to the class on the conditions of daily life on board. If you have volunteers to read both books, after their presentations, lead a discussion on comparing shipboard conditions for blacks and whites.