Teaching the Civil Rights MovementUsing Primary Sources

July 19, 2012

Many average citizens participated in the struggles and the successes of the movement.

The Civil Rights Movement has a long history and is ongoing today.

Not just a February topic. African American freedom struggle part of

the American story.

Teaching the Movement

Teaching the concepts Stereotyping Prejudice Discrimination- Race, gender, disability, etc.

Segregation Violence

Dr. Seuss, Sneetches

Slavery & the Freedom Struggle

Dred Scott v. Sanford, 1857- African Americans are not citizens.

- Slavery is protected, as the right to property is protected by the 5th Amendment.

- Congress cannot ban slavery.

Dred Scott

After the Civil War… 13th Amendment:

abolishes slavery 14th Amendment 15th Amendment:

right to vote for African American males

Equal Protection Clause

All persons are equal in the eyes of the law.

By 1870s - Black Codes in South “It shall be unlawful for a

negro and white person to play together or in company with each other in any game of cards or dice, dominoes or checkers.”

—Birmingham, Alabama Poll tax receipt, Alabama

Racial Segregation More than 400 laws passed

between 1865-1967. Passed in both the North and

South, but more common in the South.

“Separate but equal” affected all aspects of life after.

In Plessy v. Ferguson case, Supreme Court gives the thumbs up to “separate but equal.”

The Origins of Jim Crow

Separate but Equal…

The Moton High School The Farmville High School

Separate but Equal…

Challenging Jim Crow…Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, 1954

Ruby Bridges

Linda Brown

Challenging Jim Crow after the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Activities:Thinking bubblesEnter the pictureTarget, Perpetrator, Upstander, Bystander

Why did Rosa Parks take a stand? Sourcing

Contextualizing

Reading closely and looking for details

Corroborating multiple sources

Booking Photo

12/1/1955

Sourcing (using S.O.A.P.)

What do we know about the source?

What is the occasion? Who is the audience? What is purpose of

the document?

This seating diagram was an exhibit in the Parks v. City of Montgomery trial, Affidavit, February, 1956

Context

Montgomery City Code,Sections 10 and 11

Close Reading English Professor at

Alabama State Became President of

the Women’s Political Council (WPC)

Was once humiliated on the bus.

Wrote letter to Mayor. Jo Ann Robinson

Corroborating

City of Montgomery police report, Rosa Parks, December 1, 1955

Detective Work What happened after Rosa Parks

took a stand for more rights?