Activity Overview
Researching real people helps students to gain a more concrete and compassionate understanding of the culture, lives, and diverse perspectives of people who were enslaved in America and people who worked to end slavery. Giving students the perspective of those who lived during a time period helps them go beyond simply memorizing dates and names to acquire a more substantial, empathetic, and realistic view of the period.
In this activity, students will create a mini graphic novel biography of a person who lived during the time of slavery in America. This narrative storyboard will describe the important events that helped shape this person’s life in the format of a mini comic book or graphic novel.
Teachers can assign students specific people or give students a choice on who they would like to research. In each cell, students will create a scene from their person’s life using images and text. The biographies should explain the major events and accomplishments that helped shape the life and legacy of the person that they chose.These mini biographies can be printed out, laminated and added to the classroom library. Students can also present their biographies to their classmates, sharing their knowledge about their person. Thus combining research, writing, and public speaking skills into one powerful assignment.
Important People in the History of Slavery
- Crispus Attucks (1723-1770)
- Elizabeth Freeman (1742–1829)
- Olaudah Equiano (1745-1797)
- Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784)
- Richard Allen (1760-1831)
- Ona Judge (1773-1848)
- Mary Prince (1788‐1833)
- John Rankin (1793 – 1886)
- Sojourner Truth (1797-1883)
- John Brown (1800-1859)
- Maria W. Stewart (1803–1879)
- William Lloyd Garrison (1805 – 1879)
- Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)
- Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896)
- Henry “Box” Brown (1815-1897)
- Frederick Douglass (1818-1895)
- Harriet Tubman (1820(?) - 1913)
- Sarah Parker Remond (1824–1894)
- Ellen Craft (1826–1891)
- Robert Smalls (1839-1915)
- Susie King Taylor (1848-1912)
- Booker T. Washington (1856-1915)
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Research a famous or notable person that relates to the period of slavery in America such as an enslaved person or an abolitionist. Create a mini biography of their life in the form of a narrative storyboard that highlights important events in their life and accomplishments.
Student Instructions:
- Choose a person.
- Using school resources, conduct some research and learn more about your chosen person.
- In a narrative storyboard of about 4-8 cells create a mini illustrated biography. Include your person’s name and dates of birth and death. Add scenes with captions to describe the different important events and accomplishments throughout your person’s life.
Requirements: Person’s image, name, dates of birth/death, 4-8 important events and/or accomplishments depicted with appropriate scenes, characters and items with descriptive captions.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Needs Improvement | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Description | The descriptions include at least four important facts about the famous or historic figure. | The descriptions include less than four important facts or they include information that is not pertinent to the famous or historic figure. | The descriptions are incomplete and do not contain important information about the famous or historic figure. |
| Artistic Depictions | The art chosen to depict the scenes, characters and items that are appropriate to the famous or historic figure. They enhance the poster by symbolizing or illustrating important facts about the figure. Time and care is taken to ensure that the scenes are neat, eye-catching, and creative. | The art chosen to depict the scenes, characters and items are mostly accurate, but there may be some liberties taken that distract from the assignment. Scene constructions are neat, and meet basic expectations. | The art chosen to depict the scenes, characters and items is too limited or incomplete. |
| English Conventions | Ideas are organized. There are few or no grammatical, mechanical, or spelling errors. | Ideas are mostly organized. There are some grammatical, mechanical, or spelling errors. | Storyboard text is difficult to understand. |
Activity Overview
Researching real people helps students to gain a more concrete and compassionate understanding of the culture, lives, and diverse perspectives of people who were enslaved in America and people who worked to end slavery. Giving students the perspective of those who lived during a time period helps them go beyond simply memorizing dates and names to acquire a more substantial, empathetic, and realistic view of the period.
In this activity, students will create a mini graphic novel biography of a person who lived during the time of slavery in America. This narrative storyboard will describe the important events that helped shape this person’s life in the format of a mini comic book or graphic novel.
Teachers can assign students specific people or give students a choice on who they would like to research. In each cell, students will create a scene from their person’s life using images and text. The biographies should explain the major events and accomplishments that helped shape the life and legacy of the person that they chose.These mini biographies can be printed out, laminated and added to the classroom library. Students can also present their biographies to their classmates, sharing their knowledge about their person. Thus combining research, writing, and public speaking skills into one powerful assignment.
Important People in the History of Slavery
- Crispus Attucks (1723-1770)
- Elizabeth Freeman (1742–1829)
- Olaudah Equiano (1745-1797)
- Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784)
- Richard Allen (1760-1831)
- Ona Judge (1773-1848)
- Mary Prince (1788‐1833)
- John Rankin (1793 – 1886)
- Sojourner Truth (1797-1883)
- John Brown (1800-1859)
- Maria W. Stewart (1803–1879)
- William Lloyd Garrison (1805 – 1879)
- Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)
- Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896)
- Henry “Box” Brown (1815-1897)
- Frederick Douglass (1818-1895)
- Harriet Tubman (1820(?) - 1913)
- Sarah Parker Remond (1824–1894)
- Ellen Craft (1826–1891)
- Robert Smalls (1839-1915)
- Susie King Taylor (1848-1912)
- Booker T. Washington (1856-1915)
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Research a famous or notable person that relates to the period of slavery in America such as an enslaved person or an abolitionist. Create a mini biography of their life in the form of a narrative storyboard that highlights important events in their life and accomplishments.
Student Instructions:
- Choose a person.
- Using school resources, conduct some research and learn more about your chosen person.
- In a narrative storyboard of about 4-8 cells create a mini illustrated biography. Include your person’s name and dates of birth and death. Add scenes with captions to describe the different important events and accomplishments throughout your person’s life.
Requirements: Person’s image, name, dates of birth/death, 4-8 important events and/or accomplishments depicted with appropriate scenes, characters and items with descriptive captions.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Needs Improvement | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Description | The descriptions include at least four important facts about the famous or historic figure. | The descriptions include less than four important facts or they include information that is not pertinent to the famous or historic figure. | The descriptions are incomplete and do not contain important information about the famous or historic figure. |
| Artistic Depictions | The art chosen to depict the scenes, characters and items that are appropriate to the famous or historic figure. They enhance the poster by symbolizing or illustrating important facts about the figure. Time and care is taken to ensure that the scenes are neat, eye-catching, and creative. | The art chosen to depict the scenes, characters and items are mostly accurate, but there may be some liberties taken that distract from the assignment. Scene constructions are neat, and meet basic expectations. | The art chosen to depict the scenes, characters and items is too limited or incomplete. |
| English Conventions | Ideas are organized. There are few or no grammatical, mechanical, or spelling errors. | Ideas are mostly organized. There are some grammatical, mechanical, or spelling errors. | Storyboard text is difficult to understand. |
How Tos about Narrative Biographies: Slavery in America
Organize student presentations for maximum engagement
Arrange for each student to share their mini graphic novel biography with the class in a structured format. Presentations let students showcase their research, build confidence, and reinforce learning for the whole group.
Set clear expectations for respectful listening
Remind students to listen attentively and respectfully during each presentation. Model positive audience behavior so everyone feels valued and heard.
Encourage questions and thoughtful feedback
Invite classmates to ask questions or share kind comments after each presentation. Foster curiosity and respectful discussion to deepen understanding.
Display finished biographies in a classroom gallery
Showcase all completed mini biographies on a bulletin board or as a gallery walk. This celebrates student effort and lets everyone learn from each other's work.
Reflect together on the impact of personal stories
Lead a short class discussion on how learning about real people affected students’ understanding of slavery in America. Connect personal stories to broader historical themes for deeper insight.
Frequently Asked Questions about Narrative Biographies: Slavery in America
What is a narrative biography activity for teaching about slavery in America?
A narrative biography activity is an assignment where students research a real person related to slavery in America, then create a mini graphic novel or storyboard that highlights key events and accomplishments in that person's life using images and text. This approach helps students build empathy and a deeper understanding of history.
How can I guide students to create a mini graphic novel biography for a history lesson?
Start by having students choose or assign them a notable person from the era of slavery in America. Ask them to research important life events, then illustrate 4-8 key moments in a comic-style storyboard with captions, including the person's name and life dates. Encourage creativity with images and concise descriptions.
Which historical figures are best to feature in a slavery in America biography project?
Notable figures include Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, Abraham Lincoln, Phillis Wheatley, Olaudah Equiano, and William Lloyd Garrison. Choose a mix of enslaved people and abolitionists for diverse perspectives.
What should students include in their illustrated biography storyboards?
Students should include the person's image, name, birth and death dates, and illustrate 4-8 significant events or accomplishments, each with descriptive captions. Scenes should use appropriate characters, settings, and items relevant to the person's life and legacy.
Why are narrative biographies effective for teaching about slavery in America?
Narrative biographies help students move beyond memorizing facts by encouraging empathy and a more realistic, personal understanding of history. By focusing on real people’s stories, students gain insight into the culture, struggles, and achievements of the past.
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Slavery in America
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