Unit: Civil Rights Movement

Materials & Resources: Annotated Bibliography

Week 1-2: Exploration of big ideas and roots of inequalities
Book: Nonfiction
The Civil Rights Movement in America: Cornerstones of Freedom
Written by Elaine Landau
Summary:
This book highlights some major events that occurred during the Civil Rights Movement such as
the Freedom Rides, the signing of the Civil Rights Act, and the Little Rock Nine. This book also
focuses on the violence that was associated with this time period and surrounding the Civil
Rights Movement. There are images and text that draw attention to organizations such as the Ku
Klux Klan (KKK), lynching, as well as other forms of physical, psychological and verbal abuse.
With Support from Billie Holidays Strange Fruit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4ZyuULy9zs
"Strange Fruit" Protest Song by Abel Meeropol
Southern trees bear a strange fruit
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root
Black bodies swingin' in the Southern breeze
Strange fruit hangin' from the poplar trees
Pastoral scene of the gallant South
The bulgin' eyes and the twisted mouth
Scent of magnolias sweet and fresh
Then the sudden smell of burnin' flesh
Here is a fruit for the crows to pluck
For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck
For the sun to rot, for the tree to drop
Here is a strange and bitter crop
Critique:
This book gives a very general overview of the Civil Rights Movement as it addresses some key
events, but as we know, the fight was not just a few battles, but a substantial amount. For this
reason, I wanted to highlight the images this book has with students versus the events it shares.
Classroom Use:
Students are aware that colored people were mistreated for decades prior to the Civil Rights
Movement. Organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan were alive then and are still present today. I
want to use this book as an opportunity to highlight the unjust physical and mental abuse that
many faced.

As the image below shows, Id place each of these pictures on a chart and hang it up in three
different areas in the classroom. I would have students take a stroll and analyze the pictures
without captions first. Id ask them to write down what they are thinking, feeling, wanting to
know or ask.
Id collect these charts and record these findings on the board. Students would then go around
once more and do the same for the images which now give some context to what is happening in
the picture or the greater detail about the organization/event. I want them to see if anything they
wrote beforehand has changed. If so, why? Did the text answer their questions/concerns? Do
captions provide enough information?

I want to teach students about the development of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and its presence
today. The purpose of this organization was to intimidate colored folks, maintain segregation
laws, if not, remove non-whites out of the city, state and country. Often, those with political
power such as lawmakers, lawyers, big business owners, policemen, were members of the KKK.
I also want to challenge students to think about the law and human rights.

 Our Amendments give us the right for freedom in speech, but what about
organizations like the KKK? Should we have stricter regulations in order
to prevent such organizations for being formed?
In a time of inequality, did lawmakers uphold all the amendments? If not, which
rights were denied to colored people?
When teaching the students about lynching as a method of violence against African Americans,
it is important to make them aware that this was an act that was happening when slavery was still
occurring. Billie Holidays Strange Fruit allows students to hear and read a description of what
a lynching looked like. The lyrics provide a context for students. Each stanza can be closely
analyzed by different groups, which allow different interpretations and ideas to be shared.
Questions about lynching:
What might motivate someone or a group of people to lynch someone?
Is there a relationship between lynching and scapegoating?
To engage student involvement and interest, I can also have them listen to Kanye Wests song
Blood on the Leaves, which references Strange Fruit. A similar rhetorical analysis can be
done with his song as students would break down the lines and make inferences based on what
they know about lynching and the fight for equality.
References:
Landau, E. (2003). The Civil Rights Movement in America: Cornerstones of Freedom. New
York: Scholastic.
Monsieur Baudelaire (2006, November 25). Billie Holiday Strange Fruit. Retrieved from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4ZyuULy9zs
KWest Productions (2013, August 19). Kanye West - Blood on the Leaves. Retrieved from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCG1STDTKNA
Book:
Chains Written by Laurie Halse Anderson
Summary:
This historical fiction chapter book is takes place during the Revolutionary War. It features the
story about two child slaves, Ruth and Isabel. The story shares about the cruel fate of these two
sisters who become the property of a New York City couple. One day, Isabel meets a fellow
young slave Curzon who encourages Isabel to spy on her owners who know the details about the
British invasion. The story takes a rough, but realistic turn and is left for open interpretation.
Critique:
This book is very powerful and allows students to gain a glimpse of the ways slaves were treated,
especially child slaves. It also provides the opportunity for the exploration of the roots of
inequalities as slavery is a major theme. This book is fiction and in order for it to be a strong
teaching tool, it must be supplemented with outside sources. The documentary film,
Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, can support students further.

Classroom Use:
Whole-Class Read Aloud
Reference:
Anderson, L. H. (2008). Chains. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Week 3-4: Protests: Then vs. Now

Primary Source:
Photographs of Various Protests
Images provided by Life Magazine
http://life.time.com/history/civil-rights-photos
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/14/ferguson-civil-rights-photoscomparison_n_5678852.html
Summary:
All of these images are various forms of protests that occurred during the Civil Rights
Movement. They depict the side for the fight for equality and the brutality faced by many during
this time.
Critique:
These images are powerful and allow students to interpret meanings but if they do not have a
reference as in a caption or an event, students may not be able to fully grasp the situation in
which these actions took place, but they do have the ability provide meaningful and powerful
responses.
Classroom Use:
These various images will be placed along the classroom for students to walk around and
observe with some guiding questions. The purpose behind this activity is for them to notice the
different ways that people are protesting in the photos and to compare and contrast these ways.
Questions for Students to Consider When Observing:
Carefully look at the background of the protest images. Is there a significant monument
or words?
What are some benefits and risks associated with protests?
What kind of strength does it take to engage in protests? Is there strength in numbers? Is
there strength in a single or small presence?
What kind of statements does each of these photographs make?
Consider some possible reasons people might choose not to protest.
What do you think you would do if you were growing up during a time like this? Have
you ever protested anything?
What would you protest and in what manner?
These images will result in thought-provoking conversations and discussions in the classroom, as
they are powerful images of the times colored people faced during their fight for equality.
Beginning Courageous Conversations about Race by Glenn E. Singleton and Cyndie Hays,

addresses having these tough conversations in class through a four step process. By fostering an
open, honest, and respectful class community, students will be able to share what they are
actually thinking, feeling, and questioning without the worry of feeling shy or scared to share. As
a teacher, it is my responsibility to encourage such tough conversations, as they are realistic and
honest, and they allow students to engage in important academic and life skills. This source also
emphasizes the value images have in teaching students. It gives them a unique perspective to
investigate and question. It is important to observe your students and become kid-watchers. It's
important as a teacher to remember that you cannot necessarily dictate how the lesson will go
when it is an open dialogue. By knowing and engaging with your students, however, you are able
to provide them with an experience that will carry on outside of the lesson and classroom.
References:
Civil Rights: Photos From Sit-ins and Protest Training Sessions, 1960 | LIFE | TIME.com.
Retrieved November 6, 2014. http://life.time.com/history/civil-rights-photos
Singleton, E, G. & Hays, C. (2006). Beginning Courageous Conversations about Race. A Field
Guide for Achieving Equity in Schools. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Book:
Freedom Summer
Written by Deborah Wiles and Illustrated by Jerome Lagarrigue
Summary:
Freedom Summer (2001) is a childrens book that tells a story about the friendship between a
colored boy, John Henry and a white boy, Joe. John Henrys mother, Annie Mae, works for Joes
family, so the boys play and explore together. The story takes place when Jim Crow Laws are in
effect and that black people are not allowed in the same facilitates as whites, such as the pools or
restaurants. The boys want to go swimming together, but when the Jim Crow Laws are abolished
and all public facilities are to be integrated, the pool is being filled with tar. This event leaves
John Henry upset and he says to Joe that he wanted to swim. The story ends with John Henry and
Joe entering Mr. Masons General Store to buy an ice-pop together through the front door, which
was something they were not able to do earlier in the story.
Critique:
Freedom Summer (2001) is a great story to read with children. Though it is fictional, the author
references many factual events that were taking place in the United States at the time, such as the
implementation of Jim Crow Laws. The story gives students a basic understanding of the
separate but equal philosophy, however, additional support through primary resources, will be
needed for students to really grasp those laws. *Jim Crow Law text and pictures will be used as
another source (see below). The goal would be to bring all of these sources together since these
materials build upon each other.
Classroom Use:
I would use Freedom Summer as a read-aloud primarily to engage the whole class in an open
discussion.

I would highlight the common roles African Americans played during this time such as working
for white families. John Henry and Joe were able to become friends without the color of their
skin affecting them, but what if Joe and John Henry treated each other poorly? What if Annie
Mae or Joes parents did not want their sons to play together? I want students to explore
alternative scenarios but also to remember that there were people who didnt let color get in the
way of the larger issues, which is equality. During this time, there was a lot of collaboration
between different races, such as between the Jews and blacks. An event that highlights the
collaboration is the March on Washington, where Rabbi Joachim Prinz also spoke. Jewish civil
right activists supported the movement by providing legal services and financial support to the
NAACP. This is a key point to share with students as they will come to realize that it wasnt just
a black and white issue; anyone other than a white person, was the other which often meant
they were inferior.
Freedom Summer (2001) also highlights the importance of students understanding that even
when laws change that does not necessarily mean people will and or that the law abolition is in
full-effect. In the story, when integration finally occurs, Joe and John Henry are excited to finally
swim and race together, but when they arrive, they see John Henrys older brother and others
who are there to add cement to the pool. This event in the book shows that though laws were
passed to prevent segregation, some places were shut down to prevent integration. This is also
something that was common throughout the country, as business owners would close their shops.
Key Storylines to Highlight with Teaching Points:
Image on page: Private Pool MEMBERS ONLY
John Henry swims better than anybody I know.
He crawls like a catfish, blows bubbles like a swamp monster, but he doesnt swim in the town
pool with me.
Hes not allowed.
What does the author mean by not allowed? What laws were set during this time that
enforced these ideas?
What does the image on the page say? What determined whether you were a member or
not?
White folks dont want colored folks in their pool.
Youre wrong, John Henry, I say, but I know hes right.
Imagine yourself as either John Henry or Joe. What are you feeling?
Explore the idea of privilege:
Is it fair for some people to be treated more special than others?
Is this a privilege that is earned or unearned?
Who has the privilege in this case?
What special treatment should everyone have regardless of his or her race,
socioeconomic status, or physical abilities?
White power is invisible and often something that is unrecognizable and it is important that
history is taught outside of the white dominated narrative. This is an idea to investigate with

students as they can reflect and think about what privileges they have in their lives and which
they do not have. A key privilege of whites is the feeling of being protected from various forms
of hostility, distress, and violence. This is critical to the teaching of the violence involved in the
civil rights movement for justice and equality as often individuals were faced with physical,
verbal and psychological abuse. Who determines these privileges? Who keeps them intact?
Sample Images to Support Book Courtesy of the Miller Center:

References:
Wiles, D., & Lagarrigue, J. (2001). Freedom Summer. New York: Atheneum Books for Young
Readers.
University of Virginia, Miller Center. Primary Sources-Civil Rights Movement. Retrieved
November 8, 2014. http://millercenter.org/academic/dgs/primaryresources/civil_rights

Book: Fiction
Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-Ins
Written by Carole Boston Weatherford and Paintings by Jerome Lagarrigue
Summary:
The story begins with a little black girl, Connie, and her mother at a diner who are sipping on
cokes. The little girl wants to have a banana split like the white girl at the counter, but her mother
tells her she cannot. Connie questions her mother about this matter, and her mother responds
that, thats just the rules. The story continues with the sit-ins leading to a march for equality,
which then builds to a larger phenomenon happening all over the South by students. In the story,
Connies older sister and brother are also part of this movement and her sister gets arrested. The
parents are proud of her stance against inequality. The little girl also helps her brother who is part
of the NAACP in getting blacks registered to vote. The story ends with laws changing and blacks
being able to sit and order the same things whites. Connie finally gets to order and enjoy a
banana split, the dessert she was unable to have at the beginning of the story.
Critique:
Though the story is fictional, it tells about a monumental event that took place during the fight
for equality, the Greensboro sit-ins. Four individuals of A&T College who wanted to change the
ways things were and simply wanted equal treatment and opportunities led to this historical
event. Their actions swept the nation, and they received tremendous support as many other cities
had sit-ins as well. This book can leave students thinking it was an isolated issue and that it only
happened one time and then there was a change. As a teacher, I need to bring in other sources
such as photographs and stories that highlight the sit-ins as a national movement and not just one
event that took place.
Classroom Use:
This story has many powerful quotes and uses an historic event to tell a story about the role
young people played in the civil rights movement. I would use this book to recreate and reenact a
sit-in in the classroom with my students.
An activity such as this will call for collaboration with art and drama teachers, which will
increase the students interest in the project, as these are often fun classes for kids. It will also
call for students to bring in their knowledge of sit-ins outside of this fictional book and to
research personal stories and experiences of individuals who took part in the sit-ins. This miniplay can also lead into students working on their writing skills as they will break into groups and
create a script for the dialogue.
The book also has an authors note that shares historical information about the sit-ins and direct
quotes from the students involved with the first sit-in in Greensboro. This would also be
important to share with students, as they will be able to first hand read and think about the
reasons why these students took their actions.
This class reenactment can also lead to a school-wide production. Involving more students and
events that happened after the sit-in in Greensboro such as a march and imprisonment of many
students who took part in such actions.

Some quotes and scene from the book to use in the play:
Can I have a banana split? I begged Mama.
Not here, Connie, said Mama. Ill fix you one at home.
Wont be the same, I grumbled.
All over town, signs told Mama and me where we could and couldnt go. Signs on water
fountains, swimming pools, movie theaters, even bathrooms.
Look over at the lunch counter! We know those boys! There sat four Brothers friends from
A&T College.
Do they know theyre in the wrong place? I whispered.
Some rules have to be broken, Mama whispered back.
Dont yall understand English? a kitchen worker asked. Go on over to the snack bar, she
hissed. Stop making trouble here.
Whyd your friends do that? I asked.
If we can spend money at a store, said Brother, its only fair that we should be able to eat the
stores lunch counter.
I guess so, I said. Think itll work?
Sometimes its important just to try, said Daddy, rubbing his chin.
They sat four hours, said Daddy, peering over the newspaper.
Id be too hungry to wait that long, I said.
Connie, they didnt really want food, said Daddy. They wanted to be allowed to get it, same
as if they were white. To be treated fairly.
Fictional books provide the opportunities for students to deepen their knowledge of an event and
to rely on actual historical information through primary sources or other mediums such as
movies/film clips, to support their thoughts and work. Often educators may feel that content is
too harsh or inappropriate for students and due to this belief, they dont teach something. This
can be seen with the sit-ins as well as some teachers may feel that this above certain ages but by
engaging in activity such as play, you are inviting students to make this content their own and
making it age appropriate. It adds a factor of fun for students as they will turn to historical
sources to create a script.
Support from Primary Sources:
Authors Note in Freedom on the Menu:

Text and a Picture of a sit-in in a Selma, Alabama:

Witnesses to Freedom: Young People Who Fought for Civil Rights
Written by Belinda Rochelle
Chapter 5, The Sit-in Movement
References:
Weatherford, C., & Lagarrigue, J. (2005). Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-ins. New
York: Dial Books for Young Readers.
Rochelle, B. (1993). Witnesses to Freedom: Young People who fought for Civil Rights. New
York: Lodestar Books.
Book: Fiction
The Other Side Written by Jacqueline Woodson

Illustrated by E.B. Lewis

Summary:
The Other Side (2001) is about young girls who are neighbors. One is white and the other is
black. A long fence separates their house and both of them play on either side of the fence. One
day, the white girl Annie sits on the fence and the black girl, Clover, joins her. A friendship

blossoms between the girls and you see a change in not only their characters, but also in Clovers
friends who once did not support the friendship between Clover and Annie.
Critique:
The Other Side (2001) can provide students with many opportunities to reflect about their own
friendships, words, and actions, but may not be a book best suited for older children, as the
storyline is simple. Though it is powerful in a simple manner, the activities that can be done with
the book will allow it to be a great conversation starter and the chance for self-reflection.
Classroom Use:
The book provides the opportunities for students to use their reading skills to critically think,
analyze, and make inferences by using evidence from the text.
One activity to do with students is to choose lines from the book and have students make
inferences, using the text as evidence. A sample chart representing this activity is pictured below.
This can be implemented as a whole-class activity, allowing students to draw upon one another,
or shrunken into an individual or small-group activity.

In The Other Side (2001), the fence served as a boundary. Students can think about what the
fence represented to them as a reader and to the girls in the story. This will result in students
using their own knowledge and knowledge gained from class as examples to support their
opinions.

What were other boundaries such as a fence did individuals during this time encounter.
Are rules boundaries?
What are the limitations of such boundaries?
Are these boundaries meaningful and purposeful? If so, for who?
Who did not find meaning and purpose in these fences?

The boundaries can also be discussed in a way to address who has power and privileges in our
society, similar to the themes discussed with the students with the book Freedom Summer.
Privileges are often limitations for a selected population and who decides these restrictions and
how they are implemented are all questions for students to explore. It will allow them to gain
better understandings of the past and how such things are not necessarily only visible in the past,
but in current times. Students can also create a list of privileges known to them in different time
periods and then compare/contrast them to see the differences and similarities.
Reference:
Woodson, J., & Lewis, E. (2001). The Other Side. New York: Putnam's.

Week 5- 7: Monumental Strides in the Civil Rights Movement: School

Desegregation & Youth Leaders
Book: Nonfiction
Witnesses to Freedom: Young People Who Fought for Civil Rights
Written by Belinda Rochelle
Summary:
Chapter 2: Brown v. Board of Education
-This chapter shares the story of Linda Brown, a black girl who lived only five blocks away from
the elementary school, Sumner, but it was for whites only. Instead she had to walk twenty blocks
to attend the overcrowded school, Monroe that was for blacks. Lindas father filed a lawsuit,
which became known as Brown b. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas that aimed to force
officials to allow Linda to attend Sumner, the school much closer to her. The chapter highlights
another case that made great strides for blacks, which was Plessey v. Ferguson, which overturned
the ruling that there needed to be separate accommodations for blacks and whites in railroad cars.
Chapter 2 continues with the ruling of Brown v. Board of Education and introduces students to
key leaders such as Thurgood Marshall of the NAACP, who was the defense lawyer in the case,
who later became a Supreme Court Justice.
Chapter 3: The Little Rock Nine
This chapter tells the story of the nine black students who were chosen to attend Central High
School in Little Rock, Arkansas. It explores their story and journey through the bullying,
animosity, and support of their fellow students and community members. It also gives students
the chance to read first-hand experiences of Elizabeth Eckford, whose famous image of a white
student yelling, 2, 4, 6, 7, we dont want to integrate as she arrives at her first day of school at
Central High School.
Critique:
These two chapters compliment each other greatly. The first chapter (2) highlights a law change
that granted blacks their fundamental right of an equal opportunity for an education. The second
chapter (3) shows an example of the ruling of Brown v. Board of Education in Little Rock,
Arkansas. Though these chapters provide historical information about critical events in the fight
for justice and equal opportunities in education, it can leave students thinking that the Little Rock
Nine were the only individuals who experienced this animosity and hatred by fellow students and

community members. It can also leave the impression that these nine were the only young people
who helped pave the way for colored students everywhere.
Classroom Use:
The students will read chapter 2 and 3 to gain an understanding of the law change and the
implications it left on school boards and community members. Some guiding questions, Id like
the students to think about are below.
Though the law has changed, does that mean it will be in effect immediately?
Laws are written changes, but actions are left up to individuals and how they are
interpreted and fulfilled are open for interpretation. Is this fundamentally correct?
How can law and policy makers and enforces, encourage proper interpretation of laws?
Was the integration at Little Rock Nine a good example of proper interpretation?
Is it possible to have a unified approach?
Chapter 2 also shares some really great images that depict the actions that were happening while
these nine students started at Central High School. Id create a gallery walk to exhibit these
images. This will allow students to really think about the law enforcement, their feelings, and the
community reaction to events that took place during integration.
Id further break students up into small-groups, roughly of 3-4 students (depending on class size)
to further explore the nine individuals experience in Central, as each story is unique. I would
then have each group share their research and artifacts to the class. An activity such as this
challenges students to research in all different manners such as through a library, media clips,
and various types of primary sources like interviews, journal entries, newspaper clippings, etc.
Images are powerful tools of primary sources as it provides students with a mirror of what
occurred in an event. It captures many perspectives and is open for interpretation. A huge crisis
in the social studies curriculum for Grades K-12 is not only about what the content is teaching
but how the learning is happening. Students are primarily learning through textbooks and theres
a large disconnect with the use of primary sources in classrooms across the grades.

Gallery Walk of Images:

Reference:
Rochelle, B. (1993). Witnesses to Freedom: Young People who fought for Civil Rights. New
York: Lodestar Books.
Primary Source:
Oprah Winfrey Show: The Little Rock Nine Forgive Their Tormentors
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAsh_PDr1cc
*With the Elizabeth Eckford and Hazel Bryan Little Rock 9 image
Little Rock 9 is one of the most known events in the Civil Rights era. It is highly studied and
discussed. There are many images that students explore that capture the anger, frustration,
discrimination, and racism that many individuals faced in the United States during this time. In
1996, Oprah invited three white students from Little Rock 9 on her show to connect with the first
group of colored students who were joining that school. Its an emotional and powerful short clip
that will leave students sharing openly and willingly.
Id like to use this clip with students to show the power of images. Images are left for
interpretation and allow for misinterpretations, but can also show clear behaviors through the
evaluation of facial expressions, background scenes and other factors such as props in the picture
(ex: signs). This image can be often found in textbooks or used as a primary source to discuss
Little Rock 9 and the larger topic of desegregation of schools.
In a classroom setting, I would have my students interpret the image and discuss in groups what
that they thought was being said and in what manner (tone), just by critically evaluating and
dissecting the image. After that, Id make them aware that 2468, I dont want to integrate was
being chanted by Hazel Bryan in the picture. I would then ask them to turn and talk again and see

if their predictions were similar to what I just shared. If so, how? What clues in the picture
allowed them to make their prediction?
I would take this activity further and show them the reunion hosted by Oprah after. This video
will surprise many, as it is not commonly known. It shows many perspectives and angles of the
situation, which will illustrate the importance of studying multiple perspectives of a situation.
We cannot judge any event simply by listening or viewing a picture that shows one side of the
situation. Multiple perspectives highlight a more complete and thorough depiction of what
actually took place.
Id also like to encourage a conversation about the exchanges done by both parties in the reunion
and highlight some of them. For example, David Sontag shared some of the following: I didnt
know. I wasnt prepared for the moment. It wasnt done out of hate, it was done out of
ignorance. Comments such as this draw attention to the importance of studying multiple
perspectives. We view the Blacks as being targets of hatred, but were the whites a product of
their environment? Did they understand what they were saying or recognize what their behaviors
represented of this time period? Did these young students follow suit of their role models and the
opinions of the greater population?
By doing a past versus modern-day approach to the desegregation of Little Rock 9 through the
famous image of Hazel Bryan and Elizabeth Eckerd and the reunion shows students that history
is still happening. It is not just about the past. Past events influence the future, which is clearly
shown through the image and reunion clip. These activities will allow students to see this story
continue and where it stands today. Past events are not necessarily isolated issues that have no
bearing today. We need to study these different eras in light of today as well. Id leave them to
wonder why reunion pictures arent so popular and widely used in classrooms. Would they be
able to move forward from a situation like that?
Primary Source:
Prince Edward School County, 1963
Link: http://www2.vcdh.virginia.edu/civilrightstv/wdbj/segments/WDBJ04_34.html
In the 1960s, the United States was at a point where Jim Crow Laws, the notion of separate but
equal was not acceptable anymore. It was a time where schools were challenged to integrate and
become a place that was for all individuals, not just whites. Prince Edward School County in
Virginia chose to close down for five years rather than simply allow Blacks to enter their school.
This clip shows a student being interviewed as he is waiting to get on a school bus after four
years of being deprived an equal chance of an education as his peers.
This short interview shows a student who is eagerly anticipating his return to school. He is
happy, excited, and thankful for the opportunity to return to school. He was not in school for four
years as he was denied but does not show any anger, bitterness, or resentment towards others and
or the former situation. This video allows students to see that even in such unfair and unjust time,
there were many people such as this boy, who were so thankful for the growth the country was
finally experiencing. Looking back on the former laws and attitudes against people of color can
bring a lot of fury, but this video lets students step back from their own emotions and perhaps
other stories, clips, or pictures that may show bitterness towards the situation. I would encourage

students to wonder about the various emotions, feelings and perhaps concerns they would
experience if they were waiting for that school bus to arrive after four years of no schooling.
An activity I would have the class engage in through pairs is a similar interview. Having one
student play a child who has not been in school for four years and the other the reporter. They
would then switch. This will allow students to see the importance of the types and authenticity of
questions being asked and the emotions behind the responses.
Primary Source:
Negro Students Clash with Police, whites in Nashville
Birmingham Public Library, Digital Collections (newspaper clipping)
Link: http://bplonline.cdmhost.com/cdm/singleitem/collection/p4017coll2/id/7838/rec/75
Negroes Petition for Mixed Schools
Birmingham Public Library, Digital Collections (newspaper clipping)
Link: http://bplonline.cdmhost.com/cdm/singleitem/collection/p4017coll2/id/7248/rec/7
Negroe School Attendance Jumps
Birmingham Public Library, Digital Collections (newspaper clipping)
Link:http://bplonline.cdmhost.com/cdm/singleitem/collection/p4017coll2/id/7828/rec/110
Judges Decision Puts New Light on School Mixing
Birmingham Public Library, Digital Collections (newspaper clipping)
Link:http://bplonline.cdmhost.com/cdm/singleitem/collection/p4017coll2/id/7925/rec/135
Another great primary resource to use in a classroom is newspaper clippings. It allows depiction
of the political and governmental (local and national) influence on a situation. Newspapers and
other forms of media outlets can greatly sway an individual who is relying on that source to get
information. It can mold and opinions as well as behaviors.
I would set up various stations where these different newspaper clippings get passed along the
groups of students. At each station, I would ask a series of questions and allow time for each
student to reflect in writing a few sentences on what they thought. The goal of this exercise
would be to stress the importance of written language and not only oral. Written language is
open for interpretation and can often be misinterpreted depending on how it is being read by
someone. Successful communication occurs when a group has a shared meaning of an event. In
this instance, there are many perspectives to take into account and perhaps a shared meaning of
what occurred may not be possible. One of the things I like about an activity such as this in a
classroom is the different and similar interpretations students will have. The beauty of this
activity is in the sharing of those different and similar positions.
Below are some questions Id ask for all of the clippings:
Who is the target audience of this article?
Whose voice/point of view is missing?
What are some key words or lines from the article that support your answers?
What state and city was this article written in? What do you know about the history of
this state/city? Does that play a role?

Another way I can use these primary sources is to have students write their own newspaper
article reflecting the facts and knowledge they have from class. A few key concepts Id focus on
in my teaching would be the importance of knowing your audience, writing in a manner that is
for all, and leaving personal opinions/biases out. Id ask them to reflect after and think about if
this was an easy task. Is it possible to write in a neutral manner?
Book:
Separate is Never Equal Written by Duncan Tonatiuh
Summary:
This picture book introduces students to a girl named Sylvia Mendez who fought to end school
desegregation in California before the Brown vs. Board of Education case of 1954.
Critique:
This book itself can lead to a unit of study but has true power to show students that the Civil
Rights Movement really allowed many groups to fight back against the inequalities they
faced. It also introduces the big understanding that this is not an isolated experience, these
inequalities and racism existed before the 1960s.
Classroom Use:
Interactive Read Aloud
Book:
Lions of Little Rock Written by Kristin Levine
Summary:
This story is about a friendship between two girls, Marlee and Liz. Liz is the new girl at school
and is the opposite of Marlee, in many ways and one day Liz stops coming to school and Marlee
is devastated. The story is about Marlees hunt on finding out why her friend has left and the
power and dangers of segregation.
Critique:
Thought it is a fiction book, much merit can be given to the theme of passing, that is brought
into light through this book. For students to fully understand perhaps more primary sources can
be found such as testimonies or interview clips of experiences of this act.
Classroom Use:
Introduction of passing, and whole-class read aloud.
Books:
The Story of Ruby Bridges Written by Robert Coles
Through My Eyes Written by Ruby Bridges
Summary:
This story is about a six-year old, Ruby Bridges, who is attending an all-white school William
Frantz Elementary.

Critique:
Picture books are such a great way to lift the left of student interest and engagement but it's
important that is there is a historical component associated with the story line, outside sources
should be provided. There is a movie about Ruby Bridges experience and though it has the
same effect as a fictional book as things may be added or removed, the visual component of a
movie may help deepen student understanding and help build connections.
Classroom Use:
Interactive Read Aloud

Week 7-8: Independent Work: Research & Readings about Youth Leaders
Book:
We Were There, Too!: Young People in U.S. History Written by Phillip M. Hoose
Summary:
We Were There, Too! is a primary source as it includes authentic images and shares information
about the contributions of young people throughout American history.
Critique:
We Were There, Too! covers a lot of history, excerpts must be taken and additional sources such
as media clippings and more pictures can further give students more knowledge about a youths
effect and contribution to creating real change.
Book:
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice Written by Phillip M. Hoose
Summary:
Claudette Colvin: Twice toward Justice is a book about a 15 year old girl, Claudette, who refused
to give up her seat to a white woman on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. This event takes places
prior to Rosa Parks and the NAACPs action plan and results in the landmark case, Browder v.
Gayle.
Critique:
A huge strength of this resource is highlighting that children have so much ability to bring
change and that often the actions we take have intention and have been thought out carefully. It
would be a great opportunity to bring in the unknown history of Rosa Parks actions which took
place nine months later.
Book:
Child of the Civil Rights Movement Written by Paula Young Shelton
Summary:
This book is written by the daughter of a Civil Rights movement activist, Andre Young and
allows a unique perspective to be shared with students as they listen to the firsthand account of a
young child who not only watched but actively participated in the movement as a child.

Critique:
Students will benefit from more supports and points of views as they research and write papers
on the individual they are investigating.
Classroom Use (for all the books for this segment):
Excerpts from these books will be given to each student to read independently. They will use
these sources to support them on their research report which will integrate a reading (Nonfiction
reading) & writing (research reports) unit of study. Specifically for Claudette Colvin, students
will learn that Rosa Parks was not the first individual to refuse a seat but in fact, a 15 year old
girl did something very similar.
References:
Hoose, P. M. (2001). We Were There, Too!: Young People in U.S. history. New York: Farrar
Straus Giroux.
Hoose, P. M. (2010). Claudette Colvin Twice Toward Justice. Turtleback Books.
Shelton, P. Y., & Colon, R. (2010). Child of the Civil Rights Movement. New York: Schwartz &
Wade Books.

Week 9-10: The Present Movement

Article:
In Manhattans vast District 2 some parents seek a district-wide integration plan via
ChalkBeatNY.
Summary:
This article highlights a current conversation that has taken place in a NYC School District
where parents are seeking integration of schools.
Film Clip:
The Wire: Corner Kids in a Classroom via YouTube
Scores & Affluence Gap:
SAT Scores and Income Inequality: How Wealthier Kids Rank Higher via Wall Street Journal
Racial Segregation in NYC:
21 Maps of Highly Segregated Cities In America via Business Insider
Critique:
Sources to further support the parents stance must be shared in order for this article to be really
effective. The film clip, data and statistics that show the trend and segregation of NYC schools
must be shared but must be carefully interpreted and at the level of which kids will understand as
these are harder things to interpret and make sense of.

Resources:
Wall, P. (2016, April 12). In Manhattans vast District 2 some parents seek a district-wide
integration plan. Retrieved April 28, 2016, from
http://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/ny/2016/04/12/in-manhattans-vast-district-2-some-parents-seeka-district-wide-integration-plan/#.VyKsi3ocrzj
The Wire: Corner Kids. (2013, October 2). Retrieved April 28, 2016, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgG21qVnvEU
Zumbrun, J. (2014, October 7). SAT Scores and Income Inequality: How Wealthier Kids Rank
Higher. Retrieved April 28, 2016, from http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2014/10/07/sat-scoresand-income-inequality-how-wealthier-kids-rank-higher/
Lubin, G., & Remba, R. (2013, April 25). 21 Maps Of Highly Segregated Cities In America.
Retrieved April 28, 2016, from Business Insider Rebecca Lubin http://www.businessinsider.com/most-segregated-cities-census-maps-2013-4