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CIVIL RIGHTS UNIT

Lesson Materials

The Modern Civil Rights Movement was a political movement for equality before the law occurring throughout much of the twentieth century through the 1970s. It was accompanied by civil unrest and popular rebellion. This movement did not fully achieve its goals. However, the efforts did lead to improvements in the legal rights of African Americans. The most common misconception was that it was won and ended in the 1960s. Persisting racial inequalities point to the fact that unequal treatment still exists. Some argue that the Civil Rights Movement is ongoing until greater equality is achieved.

The unit begins with an introductory activity using primary sources and includes the following lesson areas: 1) What Are Civil Rights?, 2) Judicial Strategies, 3) African American Self-Determination Strategies, 4) Mass Action Strategies, 5) Legislative Strategies, and 6) Cultural Renaissance. This page and its content are best viewed from a desktop computer, laptop, or tablet. Content is not accessible via mobile phones

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Worksheet #1: What’s the Story?

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Document Set #1

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Document Set #2

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Document Set #2 – Comic Book

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Registration Procedure

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Citizenship Questions for Registration

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Visual Lecture: What are Civil Rights?

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Worksheet #2: Document Analysis

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NAACP cartoon: “Don’t be a Free Rider!”

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Visual Lecture: Judicial Strategies

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The Daily Picayune, June 9, 1892

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The Daily Picayune, November 19, 1892

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The Daily Picayune, November 27, 1892

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The Daily Picayune, December 20, 1892

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Report of the Proceedings of the Annulment of Act 111 of 1890

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The Daily Picayune, October 29, 1892

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"Affidavit of Detective C. C. Cain regarding the arrest of Homer Plessy, June 8, 1892"

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The Violation of a Constitutional Right

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Booklet: Prominent Thinkers During the Civil Rights Movement

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Worksheet #3: Black Power Mixtape

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Worksheet #4: Revolutionary Suicide, A Manifesto

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Worksheet #5: Revolutionary Suicide, Starting Out

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Worksheet #6: Revolutionary Suicide, Patrolling

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Worksheet #11:

The Autobiography of Malcolm X, 1965

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Worksheet #12: The Speeches of Malcolm X at Harvard, The Leverett House Forum of March 18, 1964

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Wordcloud

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Worksheet #7: Revolutionary Suicide, The Defection of Eldridge and Reactionary Suicide

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Worksheet #8: Revolutionary Suicide, I Am We

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Worksheet #9: "A Black Feminist Statement"

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Worksheet #10: "A Black Feminist’s Search for Sisterhood"

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Visual Lecture: Mass Action Strategies

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Worksheet #13: Black Natchez

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Worksheet #14: Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin

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Black Natchez (62 minutes)

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Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin (83 minutes)

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Oretha Castle Haley interview: Sit-ins (5:13 minutes)

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Oretha Castle Haley interview: CORE Participation (7:14 minutes)

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“Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round (4:00 minutes)

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“Keep Your Eyes on the Prize” (3:01 minutes)

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“We Shall Overcome” (2:34 minutes)

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Knight Lab

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Knight Lab tutorial

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Knight Lab Timeline

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Worksheet #15: Racism Exercise

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Visual Lecture: Legislative Strategies

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Racism Exercise Scenarios

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Article, Confronting Institutionalized Racism by Camara Phyllis Jones

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Visual Lecture: Cultural Renaissance

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Poems by Sonia Sanchez

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Poem by Tom Dent

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Poems by Jerry Ward

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Poem by Kalamu ya Salaam

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John O’Neal and Jesse Morrell Interview (21:22 minutes)

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BLKARTSOUTH Performance (7:40 minutes)

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BLKARTSOUTH Poetry Reading (1:23 minutes)

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Poetry Reading- “On Dreams and Mexican Songs” (5:45 minutes)

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Worksheet #16: Poetry Analysis

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