Historical Eras 6-10
This section is under development. Eventually,
each era will have its own page full of resources. I am currently seeking
a grant or other financial assistance to complete this work.
Meanwhile, I'm sure you'll find this sampler useful. |
Era 6: The Development of the Industrial United
States (1870-1900)
Era 7: The Emergence of Modern America (1890-1930)
Era 8: The Great Depression and WWII (1929-1945)
Era 9: Postwar United States (1945 to early
1970's)
Era 10: Contemporary United States (1968
to the present)
Eras 1-5 (New Page)
Era 6: The Development of the Industrial
United States (1870-1900)
Details
of Era 6 Standards at the National Center for History in the Schools
After
Reconstruction: Problems of African Americans in the South
American Memory Collection
Grades 9-12
Time Required: Three 50-minute class periods
Requires student internet access
"In this lesson, students use the collection's Timeline of African
American History, 1852-1925 to identify problems and issues facing
African Americans immediately after Reconstruction. Working in small
groups on assigned issues, students search the collection for documents
that describe the problem and consider opposing points of view, and suggest
a remedy for the problem."
From
Jim Crow To Linda Brown: A Retrospective of the African-American Experience
from 1897 to 1953
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/lessons/97/crow/crowhome.html
American Memory Collection
Grades 9-12
Time Required: 1 week (Can be broken into segments)
Requires student internet access
"The era of legal segregation in America, from Plessy v.
Ferguson (1897) to Brown v. The Board of Education, Topeka, Kansas (1954),
is seldom fully explored by students of American history and government.
[...] After completing a study of Plessy v. Ferguson (1897), students
will simulate the Afro-American Council Meeting in 1898 using African American
Perspectives: Pamphlets from the Daniel A.P.Murray Collection, 1818-1907.
This will be followed by an exploration of resources in American Memory
and other classroom materials."
Back to Top of Eras 6-10
African
American Odyessy: Booker T. Washington Era http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aopart6.html
Section six of a nine section exhibit featuring digital documents (posters,
paintings, prints, letters, etc) in the Library of Congress. Provides background
information and documents related to African American soldiers,
educational, economic and social progress, crusades against lynching
and organizing for civil rights.
Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia at Ferris State University
Collects, exhibits and preserves objects and collections related to racial segregation, civil rights and anti-Black caricatures in order to promote the scholarly examination of historical and contemporary expressions of racism. Even if you cannot visit the museum, you'll find a wealth of images and historical information online.
Cooper, Michael L. Slave Spirituals and the Jubilee Singers. New
York: Clarion, 2001.(Middle School) Read
more at Amazon.com
Traces the development of spirituals, and how the Jubilee Singers made
them known world-wide. Includes many archival prints and photographs, extensive
annotated source notes and the words and music to seven of the spirituals.
Madam
C.J. Walker: Entrepreneur. Black Americans of Achievement
Video Collection. Produced and Directed by Rhonda Fabian & Jerry Baber.
Videocassette. Schlessinger Video Productions, 1992.
Adapted from the book
from Chelsea House Publishers. Cleared for educational use. 30 minutes.
(Middle School- Adult.) (NB: contains two graphic images of lynching)
Born Sarah Breedlove, (1867-1919) Madam Walker rose from poverty to
become America's first black self-made millionaire by creating and marketing
hair care products for blacks. She also gave back to the community, and
helped hundreds of black women support themselves by creating job.
Jubilee Singers: Sacrifice and Glory. Producer/Director, Liewellyn
Smith. Videocassette. PBS Home Video, 2000. 60 minutes.
"In the chaotic decade following the Civil War, a group of young ex-slaves in Nashville, Tennessee, set out on a mission to save their financially troubled school by giving concerts. Traveling first through cities in the North, then on to venues across Europe, the Jubilee Singers introduced audiences to the power of spirituals, the religious anthems of slavery." As of 2009, this still isn't available on DVD.
The Rise and Fall of Jim
Crow: Episode One, Promises Betrayed (1865-1896) http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/
This PBS landmark series aired in October 2002. This site has supplemental
materials and lesson plans for educators.
Wade in the Water Volume 1: African
American Spirituals: The Concert Tradition. CD. Smithsonian Folkways,
1996.
Program notes by Bernice Johnson Reagon and Lisa Pertillar Brevard,
lyrics, and selected bibliography and discography inserted in container.
Back to Top of Eras 6-10
Era 7: The Emergence of Modern America
(1890-1930)
Details
of Era 7 Standards at the National Center for History in the Schools
1920's
Variety Show
http://www.artic.edu/artaccess/AA_AfAm/pages/AfAm_lesson5.shtml
Art Institute of Chicago: Art Access
Middle School, Estimate Time 4 hours
Does not require student internet access
"By participating in a variety show of literary readings, musical
and dance performances, and an art exhibition, students will gain an appreciation
of the cultural achievements of the Harlem Renaissance."
Jacob
Lawrence Lesson Plans: All Levels http://www.speedmuseum.org/jacob_lawrence_lesson.html
Members of The Speed Art Museum's 2000-2001 Teacher Advisory Board prepared
these lesson plans to compliment a tour of the Jacob Lawrence special exhibition
at the Speed.
Back to Top of Eras 6-10
African
American Odyssey: Booker T. Washington Era http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aopart6.html
Section six of a nine section exhibit featuring digital documents (posters,
paintings, prints, letters, etc) in the Library of Congress. Provides background
information and documents related to African American soldiers,
educational, economic and social progress, crusades against lynching
and organizing for civil rights.
African
American Odyssey http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aopart7.html
Section seven of a nine section exhibit featuring digital documents
(posters, paintings, prints, letters, etc) in the Library of Congress.
Provides background information and documents related to the fight at home
and abroad during WWI, and the flowering of the Harlem Renaissance.
African
American Mosaic: Migration http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/african/afam008.html
This online exhibit highlights materials found in the Library of Congress.
Background information and digital documents related to several migrations
include land-ownership maps, demographic charts, prints and photos. Includes
three great migrations: Western Migration and Homesteading, the
Exodusters of Nicodemus, Kansas, and Chicago.
Du Bois Central
Special collections, essays, photos and all manner of resources on the life and legacy of W.E.B. Du Bois.
I'll Make Me A World. Executive Producer Henry Hampton. Videocassette.
60 minutes. PBS Video, 1999.
Profiles African American musicians, artists and authors
throughout twentieth century America. (6 videocassettes.) Out of
print, but still widely available in libraries.
- Segment 1 "Lift Every Voice" (1900-1920)
Artcyclopedia:
Harlem Renaissance http://www.artcyclopedia.com/history/harlem-renaissance.html
Provides a brief description of major artists of the period, with links
to their work and articles about them on the internet.
Harlem Renaissance at
Eduscapes http://www.42explore2.com/harlem.htm
This project includes over one-hundred and fifty websites providing
biographies of writers, poets, artists, musicians, entertainers, activists,
thinkers, and leaders of the Harlem Renaissance movement. It also links
to sites designed by and for kids, activites and web quests.
Harlem Renaissance http://www.artic.edu/artaccess/AA_AfAm/pages/AfAm_glossary3.shtml
William Grant Still -
Still Going On http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/sgo/
William Grant Still (1895 - 1978) is considered the "Dean of Afro-American
Composers." This online exhibit provides historical information, photos
and discography, plus links to related collections at the Duke archives.
You can listen to music by Still and others at Amazon.com, which carries
the CD collection Piano Music by Still and other Black Composers. and
Works
by William Grant Still.
The Rise and Fall of Jim
Crow: Episode 2, Fighting Back (1896-1917) http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/
This site accompanies the landmark PBS series which first aired October
2002. Includes supplemental materials and lesson plans which can be used
with or without the video.
Back to Top of Eras 6-10
Hinman, Bonnie. A Stranger in my Own House: The story of W.E.B. Du
Bois. Morgan Reynolds, 2005. Young Adult. Read
more and Order at Amazon.com
W.E.B. DuBois - pioneering sociologist, historian, professor, writer,
editor, speaker, social activist, founding member of the NAACP and world
traveler - has become an icon, and as such, rather unapproachable. Bonnie
Hinman brings his work, passions and even his doubts to life, making him
real.
She also navigates deftly through the complex social history of the
era, which during DuBois lifetime ranges from Reconstruction to the early
1960's. This is particularly commendable, as too often the Civil Rights
Movement is simplistically portrayed as all black people joining hands
and marching forth as one unified voice. Without wandering off into confusing
tangents, the book manages to capture the fact that "what was becoming
the civil rights movement was born in fits and starts and changed along
the way."
Well illustrated with period paintings, photos and documents, the book
includes a time line, source notes, bibliography, and selected web resources.
Highly recommended for young adults and actually, even for adults who would
like to get to know this great and complex man.
Harlem Stomp! Laban Carick Hill. Little Brown, 2003. Read more
at Amazon.com
This book is a visual feast and a joy to browse; the graphic design
captures the energy of the Harlem Renaissance. It's like a scrapbook jammed
with 'rent party' tickets, dinner programs, book covers, letters, playbills,
song lyrics and more. There is something here to capture the interest of
even reluctant readers. But the text also shines. The story of how and
why Harlem came to be is told clearly and without mincing words: we learn
the glorious achievements in art, music, theater, literature and just plain
survival, but we also learn of the racism haunting the era, and the infighting
within the Black community itself. I think readers will appreciate this
honest, realistic approach, which brings the era to life. At the price,
it's a steal.
Harlem Renaissance Map, Walking Tour & Wall Poster Ephemera Press http://ephemerapress.com/
Features homes, nightclubs, churches and other sites associated with
Harlem's writers, artists, musicians, thinkers, and political leaders.
Featuring portraits and drawings of buildings and streets, this illustrated
map makes a beautiful poster suitable for framing. The back of the map
provides addresses and an easy-to-follow walking tour of Harlem.
DuBois, W.E.B. The Souls of Black Folks. New York: Dover, 1994.
Read
more at Amazon.com
Originally published in 1903 this book is as fresh and insightful as
ever.
Against The Odds : the artists of the Harlem Renaissance . Produced
by Amber Edwards. DVD PBS Home Video, 1998. 60 minutes. Middle School & up. Read
more at Amazon.com
"Harlem in the 1920s and 1930s was the scene of a passionate outburst
of creativity by African-American visual artists. This documentary tells
how black artists triumphed over the prejudice and segregation that kept
their work out of mainstream galleries and exhibitions, and recalls the
vibrancy of Harlem in the roaring twenties. You'll view over 130 paintings,
prints, photographs and sculptures, along with rare archival footage of
artists at work."
Black Bicycle Corps: America's Black Army on Wheels PBS Video,
2000. 60 minutes. VHS at Amazon.com
or the DVD at the PBS Shop ( search the title when you arrive)
The 25th Infantry - one of four black regiments created after the Civil
War - arrived at Fort Missoula in May 1888. In the 1890s, the U.S. Army
believed it could replace horses with popular new "safety bicycles."
Testing this theory, the army sent 20 African-American soldiers on a 2,000-mile
ride from Fort Missoula, Montana, to St. Louis, Missouri.
I'll Make Me A World. Executive Producer Henry Hampton. Videocassette. 60 minutes. PBS Video, 1999. Out of print. You will still find it in libraries and used copies at Amazon.com
Profiles African American musicians, artists and authors
throughout twentieth century America. (6 videocassettes.) Outstanding
Educational Resources provide an extensive overview of each segment, links, suggested reading and standards-based activities to put the video in context.
Unforgiveable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson. PBS
2005. DVD and Videocassette. Read
more at Amazon.com
"Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight champion, whose reign
lasted from 1908 to 1915, was also the first African American pop culture
icon. He was photographed more than any other black man of his day and,
indeed, more than most white men. He was written about more as well. Black
people during the early 20th century were hardly the subject of news in
the white press unless they were the perpetrators of crime or had been
lynched (usually for a crime, real or imaginary). Johnson was different-not
only was he written about in black newspapers but he was, during his heyday,
not infrequently the subject of front pages of white papers. As his career
developed, he was subject of scrutiny from the white press, in part because
he was accused and convicted of a crime, but also because he was champion
athlete in a sport with a strong national following." Teacher's
Guide, target audience grades 9-12.
Voices & Visions: Langston Hughes, The Dream Keeper. Directed
by St. Clair Bourne. Videocassette. PBS, 1999. Read
more at Amazon.com
"The prodigious writer achieved distinction in poetry, fiction
and drama about the Black American experience. In the film, Hughes (in
archival footage) discusses the importance of the Harlem Renaissance of
the 1920s in his artistic development. Musical influences are dramatically
reflected in a performance of "Listen Here Blues" and in jazz
and gospel sequences. Author James Baldwin discusses how the loneliness
depicted in Hughes' work finally overtook the man himself."
The Voice of Langston Hughes. Smithsonian Folkways, 1995. Read
more or listen to samples at Amazon.com.
Twenty-one poems read by the author, including "The Negro Speaks
of Rivers" and "Breath of a Spiritual."
Euphonic Sounds: Nineteen Rag-Time Piano Performances. Reginald
R. Robinson. CD. Delmark Records, 1998. Program notes enclosed. Available at Amazon.com
Young Reginald Robinson of Chicago has a passion for ragtime music,
and it shows. He performs works by his major inspirations (Scott Joplin,
Louis Chauvin) and also his own original works. I especially enjoyed
"Lift Every Voice and Sing" which is performed in a very singable
key, and which probably sounds much as the song would have been performed
back in 1900.
Works by William Grant Still. Videmus. CD. New World Records,
1990. Read more at Amazon.com
Includes biography, lyrics, program notes and discography. Still (1895
- 1978) is considered the "Dean of Afro-American Composers."
Since I'm a romantic at heart, I especially enjoyed "Summerland"
and his gorgeous setting for Johnson's "Life Every Voice and Sing"
gave me a lump in my throat. Of all the versions I've heard, this one
truly captures the majesty and power of the text.
Back to Top of Eras 6-10
Era 8: The Great Depression and WWII
(1929-1945)
Details
of Era 8 Standards at the National Center for History in the Schools.
Black
Pearl: The Story of Dorie Miller, the Hero of Pearl Harbor
http://www.phila.k12.pa.us/ll/curriculumsupport/aastudies/pearl.html
School District of Philadelphia, African American Studies Program
Grades 5-12, 2 Lessons
Internet access helpful but not required
Students explore the contributions of African Americans during WWII,
and analyze why these contributions are not found in many American history
text books.
To
Kill A Mockingbird: A Historical Perspective
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/lessons/98/mock/intro.html
American Memory Collection
Recommended for 10th grade, adaptable for grades 7-12
Time Required: 4 to 5 weeks, depending on the time allowed for reading the
novel. Activities range from 1 to 4 days.
Requires Student Internet Access
Uses the novel To Kill a Mockingbird to help students "better
grasp how historical events and human forces have shaped relationships
between black and white, and rich and poor cultures of our country."
"This unit guides students on a journey through the Depression
Era in the 1930s. Activities familiarize the students with Southern experiences
through the study of the novel and African American experiences through
the examination of primary sources.
Back to Top of Eras 6-10
African
American Odyssey: The Depression, The New Deal, and World War II http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aopart8.html
Section eight of a nine section exhibit featuring digital documents
(posters, paintings, prints, letters, etc) in the Library of Congress.
Provides background information and documents related to Segregation
at Home and Abroad, Cultural Expressions in the 1940s (including
William Grant Still, Duke Ellington, Paul Robeson
and Billie Holiday), Breaking Barriers in Sports.
The Rise and Fall of Jim
Crow: Episode 3, Don't Shout Too Soon (1918-1940) http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/
This site accompanies the landmark PBS series which first aired October
2002. Includes supplemental materials and lesson plans which can be used
with or without the video.
African-American
Mosaic: WPA http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/african/afam012.html
This online exhibit highlights materials found in the Library of Congress.
Background information and digital documents include posters, prints and
more related to the sweeping WPA project, Cavalcade of the American
Negro (1865 to 1940), Authors and the Federal Writers Program,
and Ex-Slave Narratives.
Born in
Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1938
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/snhtml/
A joint presentation of the Manuscript and Prints and Photographs Divisions
of the Library of Congress. More than 2,300 first-person accounts of slavery
comprising over 9,500 page images with searcheable text, bibliographic
records and 500 black-and-white photographs of former slaves. The photographs
of former slaves are linked to their narratives. Extensive introductory
essay includes information about the interviewers, the people interviewed,
and the processes of collection and compilation, and fascinating stories.
The Federal Writers' Project (FWP) originally made no plans for collecting
slave autobiographies and reminiscences. Interviews with former slaves
were undertaken spontaneously after the inception of the FWP and were included
among the activities of several Southern Writers' Projects for almost a
year before these isolated efforts were transformed into a concerted regional
project, coordinated by the national headquarters of the FWP in Washington,
D.C. On April 1, 1937, the collection of slave narratives formally began
with the dispatch of instructions to all Southern and border states directing
their Writers' Project workers to the task of interviewing former slaves.
Today, the Slave Narrative Collection provides a unique and virtually unsurpassed
collective portrait of a historical population.
Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (Kansas City, MO)
History, information about traveling exhibits and more. Been There! Read my review at AfroAmericanTravel.com
Negro League Baseball
http://www.negroleaguebaseball.com/
A content rich-site with feature articles and links to other resources.
Breaking Racial Barriers:
African Americans in the Harmon Collection http://www.npg.si.edu/exh/harmon/
This exhibition was organized in 1944, "with the express goal of
reversing racial intolerance, ignorance and bigotry by illustrating the
accomplishments of contemporary African Americans. " The online exhibition
features 20 portraits from that exhibition, prominent citizens
of Era 8, with biographical information on the subject.
Little Rock
Nine Web Quest
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/BHM/little_rock/
Tuskeegee
Tragedy Web Quest
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/BHM/tuskegee_quest.html
Back to Top of Eras 6-10
The Negro Soldier. Republic Pictures, 1944 VHS 40 minutes Read
more at Amazon.com
This documentary was produced in 1944 by the War Department, and serves
as a primer on African American soldiers throughout US history. Granted,
it takes a rosey view of how blacks were actually being treated while serving
their county, but it is an important and interesting peek into the past.
Taylor, Mildred D. Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry. New York: Puffin,
1997. (Reprint) Read
more at Amazon.com
The riveting story of a black family holding together against racism
during the Great Depression.
Thurgood
Marshall: Supreme Court Justice. Black Americans of Achievement
Video Collection. Produced and Directed by Rhonda Fabian & Jerry Baber.
Schlessinger Video Productions, 1992.
Adapted from the book
from Chelsea House Publishers. Cleared for educational use. 30 minutes.
Middle School- Adult.
Thurgood Marshall (1908-1993) devoted his life to eliminating Jim
Crow, the legalized separation of blacks and whites. This powerful
video presents him not only as an intelligent, articulate fighter for justice,
but a man with a sense of humor and warmth.Covers some of his most important
cases, such as Brown vs. the Board of Education, and his nomination
as the first black justice to the Supreme Court.
Paul Robeson: Here I Stand. Produced for American Masters/PBS. Videocassette & DVD. PBS, 1999. Read
more at Amazon.com
"Paul Robeson was the epitome of the 20th-century Renaissance man.
He was an exceptional athlete, actor, singer, cultural scholar, author,
and political activist. His talents made him a revered man of his time,
yet his radical political beliefs all but erased him from popular history."
The PBS
web site has related educational resources .
Richard Wright: Black
Boy. PBS Video, 1995 . 90 minutes
Available for purchase from California
Newsreel
"RICHARD WRIGHT- BLACK BOY is the first full-length documentary
portrait of the life, work, and legacy of renowned author Richard Wright.
Born outside Natchez, Mississippi in 1908, Wright overcame a childhood
of poverty and oppression to become one of America's most influential writers."
Paul Robeson CDs - The Peace Arch Concerts, Freedom Train and
more! See
all his titles available at Amazon.com
Paul Robeson (1898-1976) was the first lack man to present a concert
program consisting entirely of African-American spirituals. Joseph Kern
wrote "Old Man River" for him to sing, and he was the first black
man to portray Othello on Broadway. Both albums feature extensive liner
notes telling Robeson's story, and the story behind the music on the albums.
"These albums are more than just music. They are living, singing history."
Wade in the Water Volume 3: Gospel
Music Pioneering Composers. CD. Smithsonian Folkways, 1996.
Sixteen gospel compositions. Program notes by Bernice Johnson Reagon
and Lisa Pertillar Brevard, lyrics, and selected bibliography and discography
inserted in container. The booklet provides an overview of the history
of gospel music, and focuses on mportant figures, including: Charles Albert
Tindley, Lucie Eddie Campbell, Thomas A. Dorsey, William Herbert Brewster,
Sr., Roberta Martin, and Kenneth Morris.
Florence Price. The Women's Philharmonic, Ap Hsu, Artistic Director & Conductor. KOCH International Classics, 2001. Program notes enclosed.Amazon.com
Florence Price (1888-1953) was American's first black woman composer
to achieve international recognition, and she was highly celebrated in
her lifetime. She was a neoromanticist who drew freely on African American
folk idioms and fortunately, through work by those such as The
Women's Philharmonic, she is being restored to her rightful "place
among those important composers of the 1930's and 1940's who helped define
America's voice in music." Features premier recordings of "The
Oak," Mississippi River Suite" and "Symphony No. 3."
Back to Top of Eras 6-10
Era 9: Postwar United States (1945
to early 1970's)
Details
of Era 9 Standards at the National Center for History in the Schools.
Eyes on the Prize. Produced for PBS, 1986. Part 1 is 6 hours.
Part 2 is 8 hours. Available through
PBS
The most comprehensive television documentary on the American civil
rights movement ever produced, includes rare film footage and incisive
present-day interviews to bring the events of this period to life. For
many years copyright restrictions prevented this landmark film from being
re-released or broadcast, but it is now available again through PBS in
a new classroom compatible Educator's Edition which includes additional
footage and a comprehensive study guide. Additional
free resources and lesson plans are found at the PBS website.
Honor Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr. in Your Classroom http://www.ncte.org/middle/teaching/123441.htm
A collection of lesson plans and resources provided by the National
Council of Teachers of English.
Did
the Dream Become a Reality?
http://www.phila.k12.pa.us/ll/curriculumsupport/aastudies/afr-lsns-merr-did.html
School District of Philadelphia
Grades 5-8, Internet Access not required
Familiarizes students with the life and times of Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr., the concept of nonviolence, and analyzes the content of "I Have
A Dream" to determine if the dream has been fulfilled.
Beyond
the Playing Field: Jackie Robinson, Civil Rights Advocate
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/jackie-robinson/
National Archives and Records Administration
Middle - High School, One or two class periods each
Minimal internet access required
Three exercises use reproducible documents and worksheets to trace Robinson's
career as a civil rights leader.
Jackie
Steals Home
American Memory Collection
Grades 9-12, 2-3 hours
Requires Student Internet Access
"In this lesson students draw on their previous studies of American
history and culture as they analyze primary sources from Jackie
Robinson and Other Baseball Highlights, 1860s-1960s in American Memory.
A close reading of two documents relating to Jackie Robinson's breaking
of the racial barrier in professional baseball leads to a deeper exploration
of racism in the United States, both in and out of sports."
Back to Top of Eras 6-10
Martin Luther King Center
Website http://www.thekingcenter.org/
Links, a chronology of the MLK annual celebration, biographical information
and more!
A Knock at Midnight: Original Recordings of Reverend Martin Luther
King Jr. Audio Program Total running time: 8 hours. Amazon.com
This unique collection features a selection of Dr. King's best sermons
- some not heard since he first delivered them - recorded at Ebenezer Baptist
Church, Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, and in other churches where he carried
his ministry. They include "Rediscovering Lost Values," "A
Knock at Midnight," "The American Dream," and "When
Jesus Called a Man a Fool." Each is introduced by a distinguished
member of today's spiritual community, including Rev. Wyatt Tee Walker,
Dr. Joan Campbell, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Winner of Publishers
Weekly Listen Up Award: Best Audio of 1998, Use of Archival Tape 
Eyes on the Prize. Produced for PBS, 1986. Part 1 is 6 hours.
Part 2 is 8 hours. Available through
PBS
The most comprehensive television documentary on the American civil
rights movement ever produced, includes rare film footage and incisive
present-day interviews to bring the events of this period to life. For
many years copyright restrictions prevented this landmark film from being
re-released or broadcast, but it is now available again through PBS in
a new classroom compatible Educator's Edition which includes additional
footage and a comprehensive study guide. Additional
free resources and lesson plans are found at the PBS website.
Martin
Luther King Papers Project http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/
On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his stirring "I
Have A Dream" speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington
DC. You'll find the text of that speech and others, along with audio clips,
information about internships and more. (Requires Internet Explorer or
Netscape 6 to view.)
Edward H. Peeples Prince Edward County (Va.) Public Schools Collection
"During the 1950s Prince Edward County would become the focus of the public schools desegregation issue in Virginia. On 23 April 1951, African American students at Robert Russa Moton High School walked out to protest squalid conditions at the segregated site. Four years earlier the school had been ruled inadequate by the State Board of Education.
"Attorneys Spottswood Robinson and Oliver Hill of Richmond met with the student leaders and agreed to represent them in court if they agreed to challenge Virginia's public school segregation law. The students' challenge to Virginia's law eventually became one of five such complaints heard in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court case. In 1954, the nine Justices ruled unanimously in favor of the students, overturning the "Separate But Equal" precedent established by Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896. The decision also set in motion a course of "Massive Resistance" by segregationists and the Virginia political power structure. In Prince Edward County, rather than integrate their public schools, segregationists chose instead to close their public schools from 1959-1964.
"On the ground documenting these events was Edward H. Peeples (RPI graduate '57 and Emeritus professor at VCU). The collection explores the history of the Prince Edward County school segregation issues of the 1950s and 1960s."
You can access photos, documents and maps through this outstanding digitized collection.
Unseen. Unforgotten http://www.al.com/unseen/
Dozens of never before released photos from the civil rights era came
to light after an intern discovered them buried in an equipment closet
at the Birmingham News. The photos had been in a box marked: "Keep.
Do Not Sell." But at the time they were taken, the newspaper didn't
want to draw attention to the racial discord of the 1950s and 1960s, news
photographers from the period said. This website displaying the never before
seen photos was launched in February 2006.
African
American Odyssey: The Depression, The New Deal, and World War II http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aopart8.html
Section eight of a nine section exhibit featuring digital documents
(posters, paintings, prints, letters, etc) in the Library of Congress.
Provides background information and documents related to Cultural Expressions
in the 1940s (including William Grant Still, Duke Ellington,
Paul Robeson and Billie Holiday), and Breaking Barriers
in Sports (through to the 1960's).
African
American Odyssey: Civil Rights Era http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aopart9.html
Section nine of a nine section exhibit featuring digital documents (posters,
paintings, photos, letters, etc) in the Library of Congress. Provides background
information and documents related to desegregation, Sit-ins, Freedom
Rides, and Demonstrations.
The Rise and Fall of Jim
Crow: Episode 4, Terror and Triumph (1940-1954) http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/
This site accompanies the landmark PBS series which first aired October
2002. Includes supplemental materials and lesson plans which can be used
with or without the video.
We Shall Overcome:
Historic Places of the Civil Rights Movement http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/civilrights/
Presents a travel itinerary of forty-one houses, schools, churches,
and buildings, now in the National Register of Historic Places. You'll
also find a reading list, Web resources, and more information on key events
and people.
Back to Top of Eras 6-10
Eyes on the Prize. Produced for PBS, 1986. Part 1 is 6 hours.
Part 2 is 8 hours. Available through
PBS
The most comprehensive television documentary on the American civil
rights movement ever produced, includes rare film footage and incisive
present-day interviews to bring the events of this period to life. For
many years copyright restrictions prevented this landmark film from being
re-released or broadcast, but it is now available again through PBS in
a new classroom compatible Educator's Edition which includes additional
footage and a comprehensive study guide. Additional
free resources and lesson plans are found at the PBS website.
Mighty Times: The Legacy of Rosa Parks. Videocassette, 40 minutes.
Teaching Tolerance, 2002. Free
to schools.
The film presents the birth of the Civil Rights Movement as more than
a mere history lesson for the classroom but also as a model for young activists
who are looking to make a positive change in their communities. The viewer's
guide describes various ways to use the video and includes discussion starters,
writing assignments and project ideas geared to a wide range of learning
styles and media. Curriculum activities are also presented online.
The Children's March VHS or DVD, with teaching kit for Middle
and Upper Grades. Teaching Tolerance, 2005. Free
to schools
"The Children's March" tells the story of how the young people
of Birmingham, Ala., braved fire hoses and police dogs in 1963 and brought
segregation to its knees. Their heroism complements discussions about the
ability of today's young people to be catalysts for positive social change.
Includes: A 40-minute teachers' edition of the Academy Award-winning documentary
film, available in VHS or DVD format, with closed-captioning; and A teacher's
guide with 9 standards-based lesson plans for social studies, language
arts and music classrooms.
Bray, Rosemary, paintings by Malcah Seldis. Martin Luther King. New
York: Greenwillow Books, 1995. (Elementary - Middle School) Read more at
Amazon.com
There are so many good books on Dr. King that the list could be a page
in itself! Instead of compiling that page, I will make one recommendation
and then suggest you talk to your local librarian for others. I like this
particular book because it presents Dr. King as both a hero and a human
being, accessible, and I find that the gorgeous folk art style paintings
help root the book in African American tradition. Elementary - Middle School.
Jackie
Robinson: Baseball Great. Black Americans of Achievement Video Collection.
Produced and Directed by Rhonda Fabian & Jerry Baber. Videocassette.
Schlessinger Video Productions, 1992.
Adapted from the book
from Chelsea House Publishers. Cleared for educational use. 30 minutes.
Middle School- Adult.
Everyone knows that Jackie Robinson's (1919-1972) drive, athletic ability,
courage and conviction helped him break the color line in baseball in 1947.
But he was also a college graduate, a former Army officer, a business man
and an "eloquent spokesman for the NAACP."
(The) Long Walk Home. Director Richard Pearce. Videocassette.
Live Home Video, 1991. 98 min. Non-commercial, educational use permitted.
Read reviews from teachers and students at Amazon.com
Based on the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott. A powerful drama that accurately
depicts how thousands of unsung heroes, black and white together, sustained
the Civil Rights Movement. Starring Whoopi Goldberg and Sissy Spacek. Rated
PG. (Historically accurate, so it uses the "N" word.)
Malcolm
X. Black Americans of Achievement Video Collection. Produced and
Directed by Rhonda Fabian & Jerry Baber. Videocassette. Schlessinger
Video Productions, 1992.
Adapted from the book from Chelsea House Publishers. Cleared for educational
use. 30 minutes. Middle School- Adult.
"One of the most controversial figures of the 20th century, Malcolm
X insisted that blacks battle racial oppression with militant action."
Citizen King. PBS Paramount 2005. Read more at Amazon.com
This two-hour documentary from acclaimed filmmakers Orlando Bagwell
and Noland Walker, explores the last five years in the life of slain civil
rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Personal recollections and eyewitness
accounts of friends, movement associates, journalists, law enforcement
officers, and historians illuminate this little-known chapter in the story
of America's most influential moral leader in the 20th century.
Martin
Luther King, Jr.: Civil Rights Leader. Black Americans of Achievement
Video Collection. Produced and Directed by Rhonda Fabian & Jerry Baber.
Schlessinger Video Productions, 1992.
Adapted from the book
from Chelsea House Publishers. Cleared for educational use. 30 minutes.
Middle School- Adult.
(1929-1968) This moving video tells the inspiring story of Dr. King's
life, and his commitment to Civil Rights in American. He led a non-violent
movement based upon the teachings of Ghandi, and won the Nobel Peace Prize
in 1964.
Our Friend Martin. Fox Video, 1999. 60 minutes. (Elementary -
Middle School.) Read more at Amazon.com
Blends historical footage of Dr Martin Luther King and animation. A
routine class project for sixth-graders turns into a fascinating journey
that allows the students to learn about - and meet - the great civil rights
leader. An all-start cast of voices includes Ed Asner, Levar Burton, Danny
Glover, Whoopie Goldberg, James Earl Jones, John Travolta and Oprah Winfrey.
Veterans
of Hope Educational Video Project
Each tape is 30-45 minutes long, and includes bibliography, web resources,
and study guides for student use. "The first group of tapes features
interviews with participants in the southern freedom movement of the 1960s:
James Lawson, Bernice Johnson Reagon, Ruby Sales, Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons
and Andrew Young. The interviews cover such topics as how they each became
involved in the movement, how their participation in the movement affected
the rest of their lives, what they see as important contemporary social
issues, and how religion or spirituality (broadly defined) has helped sustain
their work."
Martin Luther King Jr. Tapes. CD. Soundworks, 1994. Amazon.com
Live recordings of "The Great March To Freedom," "The
Great March To Washington" and the immortal "Free At Last"
speech. 70 minutes.
Back to Top of Eras 6-10
Era 10: Contemporary United States
(1964-Present)
Details
of Era 10 Standards National Center for History in the Schools.
Back to Top of Eras 6-10
iAbolish: The Anti-Slavery
Portal at http://www.iabolish.org/
and
Free The Slaves http://www.freetheslaves.net/
Didn't expect to find a link about slavery in Era 10? Slavery
still flourishes in many parts of the world and slave labor produces some
of the items we use in the United States... like chocolate. Learn what
you can do to help eradicate slavery.
I'll Make Me A World. Executive Producer Henry Hampton. 6 Videocassettes,
60 minutes each. PBS Video, 1999.
Profiles African American musicians, artists and authors
throughout twentieth century America. Out of print, but widely available
at libraries.
- Segments 5 & 6 : Not a Rhyme Time (1963-1986); The Freedom You
Will Take (1985 - Present)
The Two
Nations of Black America: Frontline
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/race/
"Thirty years after Martin Luther King, Jr.'s death, how have we
reached this point where we have both the largest black middle class and
the largest underclass in our history?" Original air date 2/10/98.
Hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr. with interviews of Eldridge Cleaver, Quincy
Jones, Angela Davis, Julian Bond, Cornell West and more. The video is no
longer for sale, but is widely available through interloan. The website
contains transcript , suggested reading and more.
Back to Top of Eras 6-10
- Era 10 Books, Videos, CDs
Bell, Derrick. Faces at the Bottom of the Well. New York: Basic
Books, 1992. High School Read
more at Amazon.com
This book uses fables and familiar scenarios to explore the persistence
of racism in the U.S. and to challenge old assumptions.
Colin
Powell: Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff. Black Americans of Achievement
Video Collection. Produced and Directed by Rhonda Fabian & Jerry Baber.
Schlessinger Video Productions, 1992.
Adapted from the book
from Chelsea House Publishers. Cleared for educational use. 30 minutes.
Middle School- Adult.
Colin Powell (1937-Present) entered the military in 1958, served two
tours of duty in Viet Nam, earned a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. After
earning and M.B.A. and serving as a White House Fellow, he returned to
active duty and rose rapidly. As America's first black chairman of the
Joint Cheifs of Staff, he oversaw operations in the Persian Gulf War in
1991. (Of course, this video will need to be supplemented with current
events.)
Jesse
Jackson: Civil Rights Leader & Politician. Black Americans of
Achievement Video Collection. Produced and Directed by Rhonda Fabian &
Jerry Baber. Schlessinger Video Productions, 1992.
Adapted from the book
from Chelsea House Publishers. Cleared for educational use. 30 minutes.
Middle School- Adult.
(1941- Present) "Well-known for his life-long efforts as a voice
for black America, civil rights activist and politician Jesse Jackson
joined the Southern Christian Leadership Conference led by Martin Luther
King, Jr. in 1965. Jackson created an independent civil rights organization
called Operation PUSH (People United to Serve Humanity) in 1971, and his
organizational skills and mesmerizing speaking style propelled him to the
national political stage where he ran for the Democratic presidential nomination
in 1984 and 1988. "
Veterans of Hope Educational Video Project
Each tape is 30-45 minutes long, and includes bibliography, web resources, and study guides for student use. "The first group of tapes features interviews with participants in the southern freedom movement of the 1960s: James Lawson, Bernice Johnson Reagon, Ruby Sales, Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons and Andrew Young. The interviews cover such topics as how they each became involved in the movement, how their participation in the movement affected the rest of their lives, what they see as important contemporary social issues, and how religion or spirituality (broadly defined) has helped sustain their work."
Back to Top of Eras 6-10
http://creativefolk.com/toolkit/history6-10.html
