Civil Rights and the First Amendment

Essential Question of our JuneTime Study:

In the aftermath of slavery in the United States (but particularly in the 1960s), how did these individuals, movements, and actions (including publications) promote the rights of African-American citizens to achieve education, justice and equal rights? How did the First Amendment provide essential support for their progress?

Key people and their contrasting approaches:

• Sojourner Truth (abolitionist, “Ain’t I a Woman?” –  details on her life 1797-1883)
• Booker T. Washington Up from Slavery (founded Tuskegee Institute, a historically black college, which gave blacks technical training.)
• W.E.B. DuBois (Souls of Black Folk) was more strident and became a voice for faster change and education equal to whites.
• Metger Evers lost his life as a leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) who led efforts to to integrate businesses, and government services and register blacks to vote in the Deep South. It’s youth wing was the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, SNCC (“Snick.”)
• Little Rock Nine (1957) desegregated high school in Arkansas after the Supreme Court ruled “Separate IS unequal” in court case Brown vs. Board of Education (1954);  students here at Stratford Jr. High in 1958 were first to integrate a Virginia school.
• Martin Luther King, Jr. and John Lewis (March series) – Christian inspired non-violent civil dis-obedience.
• NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.)
• US President Lyndon Baines Johnson (Passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Great Society legislation.)
• Black Consciousness Movement leads to Black Power (Stokely Carmichael– broke from SNCC to lead a movement that questions non-violence and eventually separation from whites.)
• Malcolm X led the Black Nationalists (Nation of Islam… aka Black Muslims.)
• Black Panthers (led by Bobby Seale and Huey Newton.)
• Louis Farakhan led the Nation of Islam. Encouraged separation, racial unity among blacks combined with devotion to Islam.
• Maya Angelou (I know why the Caged Bird Sings) Oprah Winfrey (The Oprah Winfrey Show) and Barack Obama (The Audacity of Hope)
• Ta-Nehesi Coates (Between the World and Me) and Jeff Chang (We gon’ be alright)
• “Black Lives Matter” and “Respectable Blacks” movements
• Novelists for Young Adults:  Jason Reynolds and Brandon Kiely (All American Boys), Angie Thomas (The Hate U Give), Jacqueline Woodson (Brown Girl Dreaming) and Nic Stone (Dear Martin.)
• Arlington Black Heritage Museum – link
• 1882Foundation.Org and their documentary Through Chinatown’s Eyes

We will have the potential to understand and distinguish between the roles played by each of the following developments:  establishment of Liberia (look up) Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HCBU’s), Brown vs. Board of Education, Non-Violent Civil Disobedience, Civil Rights Act on 1965, the Black Power movement, Black Nationalism, Black Panthers.

Days in DC:

Although a couple of our museum events are already fixed on the calendar, two of our trips involve same-day bookings, so they remain “TBD, based on ticket availability.” The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC)  and the Holocaust Museum will be available to us only if we can achieve tickets on the day of our visits (when I will attempt to secure tickets with a very early morning login.  But we have a menu of other options in DC if those plans don’t pan out:

• Alternatives:  Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, Howard University, the Art Galleries and American History buildings of the Smithsonian, Martin Luther King Jr. Library, City Hall, African-American Civil War Museum.

Tuesday, June 12:  Stay in Arlington (potentially on campus except for lunchtime walk to Lebanese Taverna.)

1. Introduction
2. View “Civil Rights”
3. Slide show:  Exploration of early writers… milestones in the Civil Rights movement.
4. View Vol 3  EYES ON THE PRIZE to understand Freedom Summer and division into 2 movements…
5. Lunch:  We’ll walk up to eat at the Lebanese Taverna. Bring at least $10 for your meal.
6. Empowerment through Education– desegregation, redlining, lotteries, charter schools.
7. View “Waiting for Superman” – continuing struggles for better education.

Wednesday, June 13– Trip into DC: 

1. LBJ helps pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964:  biographical treatment in THE PRESIDENTS.
2. EYES ON THE PRIZE: “Ain’t gonna shuffle no more” Vol. 6- Cultural Hero Mohammed Ali.
3. Newseum Documentary Film experience
4. Lunch at the food trucks nearby.
5. Afternoon: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Thursday, June 14– Trip into DC:

1. THE MIGRATION SERIES by Jacob Lawrence  shares a INCREDIBLE works of art at the Phillips Collection in DC. React to the artwork.
2. View THROUGH CHINATOWN’S EYES.
3. Lunch in Chinatown?
4. Further exploration of National Museum of African American History and Culture (depending upon which one we score tickets for.) Alternate plan:  Native American Museum.
5. Afternoon:  The power of Hollywood and documentaries offer additional ways people advocate for change.

• Black Like Me
• Hoop Dreams
• Hidden Figures

Checklists:  students may bring their own brown bag lunch each day in order to defray expenses each day.  We note that lunch at the Newseum is listed for $10 – 13.  However, we are doing a lot of walking and study during which students often like to buy a drink or snacks.  Therefore, please provide the following:

___ By June 4, Parent authorization for the field trips (p. 3,4,5 ) and emergency care information (side 7) and parent driver forms (side 6).

____ Tuesday, Wed., Thursday June 12-14 – Students should use this checklist to properly prepare a light knapsack in which their can bring their

1. Lunch IF PACKING IT, or money to purchase lunch (suggesting $10 – 12 per day for museum cafeteria or hot trucks
2. Wallet carrying additional funds for snacks
3. I-Pad or phone if student might desire taking photos
4. Smartcard or cash to purchase Metro tickets on Thurs. and Friday
5. Pens or pencils
6. Hat
7. Sunscreen or
8. Umbrella as weather dictates
9. A water bottle
10. Space in small backpack for instructional handouts
11. Comfortable walking shoes