Unsung Hero's of the Civil Rights Movement

Who's Not in Your Textbook?

Grade Level: 6-8
Subject: Social Studies; Reading & Language Arts; The Arts; Science & Technology

History is not a compartmentalized series of isolated events, but rather a rich tapestry in which everything is interwoven. Many times our students may know the details of a specific person or social movement that occured, but can not put this person or actions in perspective with other concurrent or effectual events that allowed that person or event to transpire. Such is the case during the American Civil Rights Movement.

Students will review text and online resources for information on famous African American in the Civil Rights. Who do they see?
Students then broaden their search to include politics, science, the arts, athletics, activism, and entertainment. Who do they see? In which topics are African Americans featured most prominently, other than slavery and the civil rights movement?

Have student then go back to the Civil Rights Movement and identify people other than African Americans that supported, contributed, helped in gaining equity for African Americans and other Minorities.

Have Students (in groups) research a time period or specific topic and have them identify notable African Americans and their contributions.
Have students identify other people or events that directly or indirectly contributed to the time period or African American they chose but they believe deserve more credit or attention.


Students will create a Podcast using images, video, audio, interviews and narrations based on that individual's experience and accomplishments. As part of their presentations, students should address how this person's inspired them, and helped the Civil Rights Movement.

If time permits, students will be asked to do a brief interview with 2 culturally different people not part of their family asking them how the Civil Rights Movement impacted them. Students should be encouraged not to just ask White or Latino people on their views but Asian (Mung, Vietnamese), Native American, Muslim, Arab, etc points of view. We hope to do this by visiting our local Senior Center for the interviews.

Examples of people, events, organization that influenced the Civil Rights Movement:
Mohatmmas Ghandi
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT
John F. Kennedy
ROBERT F. KENNEDY (MAJOR PLAYER IN CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT)
The Rockefeller Family and their foundation (founded and funded the first Black Women's college in America)
Many in the Jewish-American community supported the Civil Rights Movement and Jews were more actively involved in the civil rights movement than any other white group in America. Many Jewish students worked in concert with African Americans for CORE, SCLC, and SNCC as full-time organizers and summer volunteers during the Civil Rights era. Jews made up roughly half of the white northern volunteers involved in the 1964 Mississippi Freedom Summer project and approximately half of the civil rights attorneys active in the South during the 1960s.[37]
Jewish leaders were arrested with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in St. Augustine, Florida, in 1964 after a challenge to racial segregation in public accommodations. Abraham Joshua Heschel, a writer, rabbi and professor of theology at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York was outspoken on the subject of civil rights. He marched arm-in-arm with Dr. King in the 1965 March on Selma.
Brandeis University, the only nonsectarian Jewish-sponsored college university in the world, created the Transitional Year Program (TYP)in 1968, in part response to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's assassination. The faculty created it to renew the University's commitment to social justice. Recognizing Brandeis as a university with a commitment to academic excellence, these faculty members created a chance to disadvantaged students to participate in an empowering educational experience.
The program began by admitting 20 black males. As it developed, two groups have been given chances. The first group consists of students whose secondary schooling experiences and/or home communities may have lacked the resources to foster adequate preparation for success at elite colleges like Brandeis. For example, their high schools do not offer AP or honors courses nor high quality laboratory experiences. Students selected had to have excelled in the curricula offered by their schools.
The second group of students includes those whose life circumstances have created formidable challenges that required focus, energy, and skills that otherwise would have been devoted to academic pursuits. Some have served as heads of their households, others have worked full-time while attending high school full-time, and others have shown leadership in other ways.
The American Jewish Committee, American Jewish Congress, and Anti-Defamation League actively promoted civil rights.
Jean Bennett Smiley and her infant son Mitchell (whom she carried on her back while marching in protests)
The United States Supreme Court in 1954 (none of whom were black) who led the way in desegregating schools.
Bella Abzug
Gloria Steinem
the list is far too long for this forum; but if you research this you will find how little you really know.

Students will use Internet and Library resources for thier research
Students will use Inspiration to create Time lines and research webs
Students will storyboard their person\s or events into a coherent sequence
Students will scan or photograph media for their project
Students will narrate researched material into digital format.
Students will use flip cams and TOOL FACTORY PODCASTING V3: in creating podcast
Students will meet basic requirements in Copyright rules
Students will upload projects to school or alternate server with links on the school website that is accessible to the public