For 4 weeks in May-June 2010, we’ve been studying Civil Rights. I felt it was a good time–with our nation achieving so much in this area in the last 18 months–to look at the road we’ve taken to get here and what work we still need to do. I’ll break down how we’re approaching this subject.
We had already studied American History from pre-Revolution until the Civil War, but I wanted to go back and give them a clearer picture of what brought on the Civil War and what made the battle for Civil Rights necessary: Slavery. So that’s where we began.
I had them watch the mini-series Roots, which I think is worthy viewing, or re-viewing, for all of us. The boys were shocked at how blacks were treated. We had talks after every episode and when they got down (along the lines of, “How could this have happened in our country?”), I reminded them to look at what is so great about our country–we came back from such a terrible episode in our history to not only give equal rights to blacks but to elect an African-American president. No matter what your politics, I tell them, that kind of resilience and openness is something to be proud of.
Other movies we’ve watched to get a sense of what life was life for blacks after the Civil War into the mid-20th Century.
Glory (Such a beautiful film. It contains one scene that makes me cry just thinking about it: when Matthew Broderick’s character looks out at the pelicans flying over the ocean just before battle, and you know he’s thinking he may not ever see such a sight again.)
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
I had Gus read To Kill A Mockingbird and do a report. (By the way, this year is the 50th anniversary of the publication of To Kill A Mockingbird. All kinds of events will be held to mark the anniversary.) Then we all watched the movie and discussed the issues raised (I’ll have Jeb read it and do a report later.)
The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till
We want to watch Mississippi Burning, but it’s not out on Netflix yet. We’ll wait on that.
In the Heat of the Night. (Surprisingly good drama; now I know why it won the Best Picture Oscar.)
And finally, the incredible documentary: Eyes on the Prize, which takes viewers through the Civil Rights struggle.
At the same time that we’ve been watching these movies, we’ve worked with these books:
I’ve read excerpts from interviews made in the 30s with people who lived as slaves. (Mainly so the boys realize that Roots wasn’t made up.) The book is called My Folks Don’t Want Me To Talk About Slavery. Excellent, but heartbreaking.
I’ve been reading chapters to them from a DK book called Martin Luther King, Jr.: A Photographic Story of a Life. Though it says it’s a photo book, it actually has come great explanations that make his life and times easy to grasp.
We’ve also been working with a book called The Civil Rights Movement for Kids, which has background on Jim Crow laws, the Montgomery Bus Boycott and all the major events in the movement. There are many activities as well–including putting on a short play about the lunch counter sit-ins and one about the Freedom Bus Rides.
Another good book is If You Lived at the Time of Martin Luther King, Jr..
I also have the book, You Can’t Do That, Dan Moody! It’s about a man who had the first court victory over the Ku Klux Klan, back in the 20s in Texas. Dan Moody stopped the klan in Georgetown, Texas, and went on to become governor of the state. Every fall in Georgetown, there’s a play put on based on the book. We’ll be going to that this fall, for sure!
Gus is reading Dreams From My Father, by Barak Obama, which gives his account of trying to fit in and find his racial identity (written long before he was a Senate candidate).
I will read to them from the prologue of a new book called The Bridge, by David Remnick, the editor of The New Yorker. The prologue vividly puts Barak Obama in context of the Civil Rights Movement.
Writing Assignments
When we get back from our trip across the South, Gus and Jeb will each write a report on one aspect of the Civil Rights struggle. I hope they will be collecting research in the museums we visit.
I’ve also had them write essays on what it would be like if eye color, rather than skin color, was the basis for discrimination. I’ve posted those under their blogs. Here is Gus’. Here is Jeb’s.
Here are some websites we’ve used that have been especially helpful.
www.jimcrowhistory.org (For a graphic and detailed look at Jim Crow laws and how they impacted lives.)
www.civilrights.org (Offers background on the Civil Rights struggle and how the effort is continuing today–not just for blacks).
www.civilrightsmuseum.org (This is the website for the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, which we will be visiting, and offers some interactive educational activities and some good history.)
www.blackpast.com (Great timeline and detailed history of different phases of black history.)
mlk-kpp01.stanford.edu (The Martin Luther King Institute at Stanford University.)
Our Experiential Learning Part of the Lesson
On our way to our annual family beach vacation, we will be stopping off in Selma and Montgomery, Alabama, to see where the Civil Rights effort was really born with the Montgomerey Bus Boycott. There are a couple of museums that seem worth visiting, and we’ll follow the National Historic Trail between Selma and Montgomery that takes you across the famous bridge where civil rights marchers were attacked by Alabama Police on a walk between on Bloody Sunday, 1965.
We’ll also stop off in Monroeville, Alabama, the home of Harper Lee–author of To Kill A Mockingbird–to see the courthouse, which was used as the model for the courthouse in the movie version of the book.
On the way back from the beach, we’ll be stopping at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, which is located at the Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King Jr, was assassinated.
The boys will be posting blogs about these experiences. Stay tuned!