The poem entitled, “The Other Fellow’s Burden,” was written by W. Allison Sweeney and included in his book, History of the American Negro in the Great World War (1919). Students read and analyze this poem in light of the historical context of African American soldiers fighting in World War I.

Guiding Questions

• How does the poem “The Other Fellow’s Burden” reflect the experience of African American soldiers during World War I?

Learning Outcomes

The student will be able to:

• Read and interpret the poem “The Other Fellow’s Burden” by W. Allison Sweeney.
• Identify and define specific words within the poem.
• Paraphrase the first stanza of the poem.
• Answer analytical questions about the poem.

Pre-activities

• Assign the students to read the poem “The Other Fellow’s Burden.”

Activities

• Assign the students to paraphrase the first stanza of the poem.
• Assign the students to answer the questions related to the poem.

Assessment

Assess students’ answers to the questions related to the poem. Each answer should be in the form of a paragraph.

Materials Needed

Handout including brief biography of W. Allison Sweeney, text of “The Other Fellow’s Burden” poem, glossary of terms, and questions about the poem.