Paperless Versions - Miss Becker's Fifth Grade Class

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CIVIL RIGHTS

Printable + Paperless Versions

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Teacher’s Guide to Getting Started About the Passages: Guide to the Layout 4

About the Passages: Guide to the Passage Levels 5

How to Use the Passages: Lesson Plan for Guided Reading Use (Days 1-3) 6-8

How to Use the Passages: Homework or Independent Assignment 9

Guide to Close Reading: Student Directions (Handout) 10

About the Questions: Understanding the Questions 11

About the Questions: RI.9 Analyzing Two or More Texts 12

Two Texts One Topic: Combining Information from Multiple Texts (Handout) 13

Differentiated Passages Brown v. Board of Education 14-18

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Nonviolent Movement 19-23

The Power of Nonviolence 24-28

Civil Rights Act of 1964 29-33

Voting Rights Act of 1965 33-43

Who was Malcolm X? 44-48

March on Washington 49-53

Text-Dependent Common Core Questions Brown v. Board of Education 54-55







©Teaching is the Sweetest Thing 2

CIVIL RIGHTS

Table of Contents

Answer Keys Brown v. Board of Education 68-69







Additional Activities Whole Group Discussion Questions (for each article) 82-89

Desegregation of Armed Forces (primary source) 90

Content-Specific Vocabulary 91-94

Timeline of Events 95-96


CIVIL RIGHTS

Table of Contents

Unit Title The individual passage title is included below the unit title.

Level Indicator Shapes

*Word Count (passage titles not included)

Early Reader Text

Developing Reader Text

Fluent Reader Text

Each passage is included on differentiated levels of

difficulty. See the next page for further information

regarding these levels and how to match each student with the best-fitting passage.


Independent Reader Text

Advanced Reader Text

Level indicator shapes are located in the upper right-hand corner of each passage. These shapes offer a discreet way for the teacher to monitor which level

each passage is on without the student feeling labeled as a below, on, or above grade level reader. The level

bands (i.e., ranges) are closely based on the new Common Core Reading bands.

NOTE TO TEACHERS WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY PURCHASED PASSAGE SETS FROM ME First of all, THANK YOU! J Secondly, please do not to be thrown off by the “new” titles being used for each level as you see above. The reading levels represented by these level indicator shapes are the SAME! They just have new names J For example, if you have used “+” passages from previous sets you’ve purchased from me with your students, you can do the same now! “+” will still fit them!

ABOUT THE PASSAGES

Guide to the Layout AND

READ ME!


CORRELATIONS Below Grade Level Student

On Grade Level Student

Above Grade Level Student

3rd Grade with teacher

support

4th Grade

5th Grade

6th & 7th Grade

8th Grade

ABOUT THE PASSAGES Guide to the Differentiated Passages

BY GRADE LEVEL AND

READ ME!

HOW TO READ THIS TABLE First, look at the far right column where grade levels are listed. Look at the row for the grade level

you teach. For example, if you teach 3rd grade, look at the first row. Then, in order to decide which passages to give each individual student, use the column headers. For example, if you have a group of below grade level students in 3rd grade, you’ll see that you need to use the “+” level passages with these students. It is also recommended that you provide additional teacher support for these students, unless you do not feel it is necessary.

Students come into your classroom with a wide RANGE of reading levels. Each passage in this set comes in multiple LEVELS of difficulty so that you can meet EVERY child at his or her reading level with the SAME rich content. It is up to you to choose which level you assign each student to use. The following guidelines regarding each passage level will help you determine which passage is best for each student.

Each passage included in this set has been ANALYZED to fit readers based on the Common Core Standards Reading Levels. The passages are gradually differentiated into different reading levels. Each passage, regardless of the level, contains the same ESSENTIAL INFORMATION. Easier passages have simpler words and shorter sentences. More challenging passages have advanced vocabulary and more complex sentences.

If you know the specific reading levels of your students, use the Common Core Standards Reading Levels chart found in the Common Core Standards Appendix (Figure 3) to match students with appropriate text complexity. Email me if you have questions about how to do this [[email protected]]. Note: The passage levels are indicated by DISCREET SHAPES in the corner so that you know which level is which without your students knowing! The shapes are listed below with the corresponding reading level.

IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING LEVELS As you will read later in this section, these passages were analyzed to fit the Common Core

Standards Reading Levels. You may need to make adjustments to fit the needs of YOUR class. Meaning, your 3rd grade class of readers may not match up with the Common Core definition of a 3rd grade reader. The Common Core Standards set rigorous goals for each grade level, so please be aware of that. Please refer to the Common Core Standards Reading Levels (found in Figure 3 of the standards’ appendix and easily via Google search) for more specific information regarding levels. Or feel free to email me!

1.  Introduce the text. a.  Activate any background knowledge that the students have. Even if this is the

very first lesson of the year, find a way to make a connection to information they already know. For example, when using a Reconstruction text, prompt the students to recall information they know about the Civil War, which preceded Reconstruction.

b.  Verbally discuss predictions about the contents of the text and observations about the text structure. Research has proven that allowing students ample time to think out loud is very beneficial in jump-starting their thought processes.

2.  Introduce new vocabulary. a.  This will vary based on your students’ needs. For lower readers, you may need to

identify words that you think the students will struggle with based on your experience with their ability as readers.

b.  Avoid identifying bold words in the text. The bold nature of the word provides structure for the students to gather the meaning on their own. Let the students solve these words within the context of the text. It will be empowering for them!

3.  Allow students to read independently while you tap to listen in. a.  Choose a student to “tap.” Train your students to know that when you “tap” your

hand quietly in front of their text, it means you want them to read quietly (just above a whisper) to you. Keep a running log of how often you tap students to ensure that you have a chance to hear each student read. Struggling readers should be tapped at a higher frequency than proficient readers. Use the “tap” time to take notes on fluency and accuracy.

b.  After you prompt students to begin reading silently, pause for approximately one minute to allow the natural progression of different reading paces to separate where your readers are in the text. Ideally, when you “tap” a student to begin reading quietly out loud to you, the other students that are reading quietly to themselves will be in different places in the text. This will prevent other students from getting distracted listening in to the student who is reading aloud.

c.  Allow students to jot while reading. In fact, encourage them to keep their reader’s notebooks out and have their pencils ready to quickly jot down any confusing ideas or words that jump out at them while they are reading. Note that the jots they make should not interrupt the flow of their reading for too long. Jots are quick and sloppy!

4.  Allow students to return to their independent reading books at their desks when they finish reading the text.

a.  Use this time to work with struggling readers one-on-one while allowing the other students who have finished to move back to their seats.


NOTE: These plans are simply meant to give you a guideline for how these passages could be used in a guided reading lesson. Please adapt and make changes to fit the needs of your students.

HOW TO USE THE PASSAGES

Lesson Plan for Guided Reading: Day 1

1.  Briefly review Day 1’s pre-reading discussion. a.  Verbally review the previous day’s vocabulary and content discussion. Review

any connections that were made to the students’ prior knowledge.

2.  Walk back through the text with the students. a.  Briefly discuss the overall structure of the text. Use the structure of the text to

guide your review of the content. For example, focus on subheadings, sections, captions, etc.

b.  Walk back through each section of the text to discuss the content with the students aloud. Give the students the lead in discussing what they read the previous day. Allow them time to focus on discussing things from the text that they found most interesting.

3.  Read through the Common Core questions with the students. a.  Preview the questions now that students have read and discussed the text

verbally one time. As you go through the questions with them, decide if you would like to allow them to discuss the answers verbally or if you would like them to answer the questions on their own independently or in partners.

b.  Prompt the students to reread the text a third time to find specific evidence for the answer to each question. Some students may have a hard time pulling information directly from the text to support their ideas. You may want to allow these students to mark on their copy of the text.

c.  One strategy is to assign a color to each question. For example, if red is assigned to the first question, students would have to underline where in the text they found the supporting information for the answer to the question using a red crayon.

d.  If you have students work independently or in partner sets during this time, you may want to float from student to student to assess their progress as they work. Early finishers should review their answers.

4.  Allow students to return to their independent reading books at their desks when they are finished responding to each question and reviewing their answers.

a.  Use this time to work with struggling readers one-on-one while allowing the other students who have finished to move back to their seats.




1.  Briefly review Day 2’s task. a.  Simply remind students of the task they completed the previous day. Take time to

discuss any difficulties they had or any strategies they felt were particularly helpful.

2.  Walk through the Common Core questions with the students. a.  Work to foster a sense of community amongst the group so that students will feel

more comfortable discussing their thoughts when reviewing these answers. If you feel like your students are comfortable sharing their answers, see Step b below. If you feel like your students are not comfortable sharing their answers, see Step c below.

b.  Read each question (or have a student read each question) and allow the students to engage in a group discussion of each question. If the students are in agreement about the answer to a particular question, encourage them to move on to the next question. If they are not in agreement, the group should discuss the question and come to a conclusion regarding the answer **by going back into the text to find support**. Feel free to move through the first four to five questions quickly. Be sure to put more emphasis on the later questions as these require deeper thinking, more synthesis, and further analysis.

c.  Partner students. Have partners take turns reading each question and allow the partner set to engage in a discussion of each question. If students are in agreement about the answer to a particular question, encourage them to move on to the next question. If they are not in agreement, the partners should discuss the question and come to a conclusion regarding the answer **by going back into the text to find support**. You may wish to float from partner set to partner set to assess their progress as they work. Feel free to move through the first four to five questions quickly. Be sure to put more emphasis on the later questions as these require deeper thinking, more synthesis, and further analysis.




If you do not plan to use these passages during Guided Reading groups, you could assign the texts for students to read for homework or as an independent classwork assignment (possibly during content area center rotations).

Other Ideas to Encourage Close Reading While Reading: * COLOR CODING: Before reading, have students read each question and write the name of a crayon color next to the last word in the question. Have the students read through a second time. As they answer each question, have them underline in crayon where they found the answer in the text using the color they chose to write next to the problem number.

Example: 1. Where did the idea for the League of Nations come from? RED The student would underline where he found the answer in the text in RED.

* FIND THE TEXT FEATURES AND MAIN IDEAS: Have students follow these guidelines while reading the text for the first time:

-Highlight headings in yellow -Circle important content-specific vocabulary words in blue -Underline the topic sentence or phrase in red

If you plan to use these passages as a homework assignment or an independent classwork assignment, give each student a copy of the directions at right. Have them keep these directions in a page protector or glued in their Social Studies interactive notebooks if you plan to use these passages more than once.

You will find the sheet to the right immediately following this page.



Homework or Independent Assignment

1.  Read through the text once. Pay attention to what the text says. Think of the main ideas and key details. Use a pencil to underline or a highlighter to note the important ideas you find as you read.

2.  Think and Respond. Go back into the text to answer the Key Ideas & Details section of your question sheet. Use direct evidence from the text to support your thinking.

3.  Read through the text a second time. Pay attention to how the text explains the information to you as the reader. Think about the author’s word choices and how the author’s point of view might impact (or affect) the meaning. Use a pencil to underline or a highlighter to note the important ideas you find as you read.

4.  Think and Respond. Go back into the text to answer the Craft & Structure section of your question sheet. Use direct evidence from the text to support your thinking.

5.  Read through the text a third time. At this point, you know the text very well. As you re-read, think carefully about the author’s message. Evaluate the evidence that the author uses to support his/her reasoning. Pay attention to what the text is saying. Use a pencil to underline or a highlighter to note the important ideas you find as you read.

6.  Think and Respond. Go back into the text to answer the Knowledge & Integration of Ideas section of your question sheet. Use direct evidence from the text to support your thinking.


GUIDE TO CLOSE READING

Student Directions

Name __________________________________

Questions Types

*Key Ideas & Details

*Craft & Structure

*Integration of Knowledge & Ideas

Key Ideas & Details focuses on ensuring that the readers understand what is explicitly

written in a text before they attempt to gain deeper meaning. Craft & Structure pushes readers to recognize the choices authors

make about text structure and other elements included in the text. Craft & Structure asks

readers to understand how these choices add to the content and meaning of the text.

Integration of Knowledge & Ideas encourages readers to draw logical conclusions about the

central meaning and purpose of the text.

Key Ideas & Details What did the text say? RI.1 - Read closely to determine what the text explicitly says and to make logical inferences f rom i t ; c i te specif ic textual evidence when writing or speaking to support the conclusions drawn from the text. R I .2 - Deter mine the central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas. RI.3 - Analyze how and why individuals, events, or i d e a s d e v e l o p a n d interact over the course of a text.

Craft & Structure What did the text say? RI.4 - Interpret words and phrases as they are used i n a t e x t , i n c l u d i n g determining technical, c o n n o t a t i v e , a n d figurative meanings, and analyze how specif ic word choices shape the meaning or tone of a text. RI.5 - Analyze the structure of texts, including how s p e c i f i c s e n t e n c e s , paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and to the text as a whole. RI.6 - Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.

Integration of Knowledge & Ideas

What did the text say? R I .7 - In tegrate and e v a l u a t e c o n t e n t presented in d iver se m e d i a a n d f o r m a t s , i n c l u d i n g v i s u a l l y , quantitatively, and in words. R I .8 - Del ineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning and the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.


ABOUT THE QUESTIONS

Understanding the Questions

CCSS RI.9 asks students to combine (integrate) information from multiple texts on the same topic in order to write or

speak about the subject knowledgeably.

Consider the wealth of informational texts related to historical topics that you have access to: leveled mini readers, library, internet, etc. Consider asking your students to look closely at how two or more texts approach the same topic. For example, how does the information included in a passage in this set compare to the information included in the textbook about the same topic?

Printable Guide to Analyzing Two Texts Print a copy of “Two Texts, One Topic” for each student. Discuss the information included at the top of the sheet with students: Why should readers and researchers look at more than one text when gathering information? Reading and thinking about information from more than one source allows the reader or researcher to write more knowledgeably about the topic. After discussing, you may choose to assign students specific topics to use with this activity. The topic you choose will depend on your unit of study. For example, if you are studying Native Americans, you may choose to assign one tribe to each student. If you are studying World War II, you may choose to assign one world power leader to each student. After students complete the sheet “Two Texts, One Topic,” you may choose to have them create a Venn diagram of the information found in the texts.

You will find the sheet above immediately following this page.


ABOUT THE QUESTIONS

RI.9 Analyze Two or More Texts

WHY ANALYZE TWO TEXTS? Why should readers and researchers look at more than one text when gathering information? Reading and thinking about information from more than one source allows the reader or researcher to write more knowledgeably about the topic. Directions: Write down a specific topic you want to focus on in the blank below. Write down the names of the two texts you plan to read closely to gather information from. Read Text 1. Think of the key points that the text focuses on. List those ideas below. Read Text 2. Think of the key points that the text focuses on. List those ideas below. Once you have read both texts, consider how the texts are different. List the differences below.

TOPIC: ______________________________________________

TEXT 1: ______________________________________________ What key information does the author of Text 1 include about the topic? _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ TEXT 2: ______________________________________________ What key information does the author of Text 2 include about the topic? _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ COMPARING AND CONTRASTING What key information did both texts include about the topic? _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ What key information about the topic was different from Text 1 and Text 2? _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________


TWO TEXTS, ONE TOPIC

Combining Information from Sources

Name __________________________________

Word Count: 362

CIVIL RIGHTS

Background In 1954, most schools in America were still segregated. Segregated means to be

separated by skin color. A court case in 1896 called Plessy vs. Ferguson made it okay for schools to be separated. This case decided that blacks and whites could have different school buildings. The only rule was that the buildings had to be equal. In the early 1950s, many people tried to get schools desegregated. Several people ended up in court. Oliver Brown

One case was in Topeka, Kansas. Oliver Brown was an African-American. His daughter could not go to Topeka’s white schools. Brown did not think the black schools were equal to the white schools. Sadly, Brown lost. The local court said the schools were equal enough. Brown appealed. To appeal a case means to ask for it to be heard in a different court. Off to the Supreme Court

In December 1952, the Supreme Court put five court cases together. Oliver Brown’s case was one of them. The other four cases were just like his. The group of cases was called Oliver Brown vs. the Board of Education of Topeka. Putting the cases together showed that segregation in schools was a problem in many places. It wasn’t just an issue in Topeka.

Thurgood Marshall was the lawyer for the African-Americans. He claimed that segregation in schools violated the 14th Amendment. To violate means to break or go against. The 14th Amendment said that all Americans were equal citizens. Marshall said that separate schools made the colored students feel less important. Many black students did not want to work hard in school because they did not feel important. Landmark Decision

After many days, the Supreme Court made a decision. It decided that segregated schools were not equal. Separating people by skin color could not happen anymore. The Supreme Court knew the southern states would be mad. So, there was not a set time for schools to be desegregated. Desegregation took a long time. Southern schools were finally desegregated in the late 1960s and 1970s.

The Brown vs. Board of Education decision changed America’s schools forever. It was an important event leading up to the Civil Rights Movement.


Brown v. Board of Education


Brown v. Board of Education Background

In 1954, most schools in America were still segregated, or separated, by skin color. The 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson case made this legal. This case decided that there could be different buildings for blacks and whites if the buildings were equal. In the early 1950s, different people went to court to try to get schools desegregated. Oliver Brown

One case was in Topeka, Kansas. Oliver Brown was an African-American. His daughter could not go to Topeka’s white schools. Brown went to court because the separate schools were not equal. Sadly, Brown lost. The local court said the white and black schools were equal enough. Brown appealed, or asked to get the case in a higher courtroom, to the Supreme Court. Off to the Supreme Court

In December 1952, the Supreme Court put five court cases together. Four other people went to court for the same thing Oliver Brown did. This group of cases was called Oliver Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka. The five cases were put together to show that segregation in public schools was a problem in the whole country – not just in local towns.

Thurgood Marshall was the lawyer for the African-Americans. He argued that segregation in public schools violated, or went against, the 14th Amendment. The 14th Amendment said that all Americans had equal protection. Marshall also said that separating colored students from white made the colored students feel less important. The black students did not care about school as much because they felt less important. Landmark Decision

After many days, the Supreme Court decided that segregated schools were not equal. Separating people by skin color could not happen anymore. The Supreme Court knew the southern states would be mad. So, there was not a set time for

Word Count: 345

CIVIL RIGHTS

schools to be desegregated. This caused desegregation to take a long time. Full integration in southern schools finally happened in the late 1960s and 1970s.

The Brown v. Board of Education decision changed America’s schools. It was also one of the most important events leading up to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.



In 1954, most schools in America were still segregated, or separated, by skin color. The 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson case made this legal. This case decided that there could be different buildings for blacks and whites as long as the buildings were equal. In the early 1950s, five different people went to court to try to get schools desegregated. Oliver Brown

One of those five cases was against the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. Oliver Brown was the parent of an African-American girl that was not allowed in Topeka’s white schools. Brown went to court because all of the schools were not equal. He knew this went against the Constitution. Sadly, Brown lost because the local court said the white and black schools were equal enough. Brown appealed, or asked to get the case heard in a higher courtroom, to the Supreme Court. Off to the Supreme Court

In December 1952, the Supreme Court had four other cases like Brown’s case. The Supreme Court put all five together. This case was called Oliver Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka. The five cases were put together to show that segregation in public schools was a problem throughout the whole country – not just local towns.

Thurgood Marshall was the lawyer representing the African-American side in the case. He argued that segregation in public schools violated, or went against, the 14th Amendment. The 14th Amendment promised all Americans equal protection. Marshall also said that separating colored students from White students made the colored students feel less important. The black students did not care about school as much because they felt less important. Landmark Decision

After many days of listening to both sides, the Supreme Court decided in 1954 that segregation in schools was unequal. The Supreme Court ruled that separating people by skin color could not happen in the public school system. The Supreme Court knew this would

Word Count: 373

CIVIL RIGHTS

make a lot of the southern states mad. So, there was not a set t ime for schools to be desegregated. This caused desegregation to take a long time. Full integration in southern schools finally happened in the late 1960s and 1970s.

The Brown v. Board of Education decision changed America’s schools. It was also one of the most important events leading up to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.



CIVIL RIGHTS

Background In 1954, most public schools in America were still segregated, or separated, by skin

color. The 1896 Plessy vs. Ferguson case, which decided that there could be different buildings for blacks and whites as long as the buildings themselves were equal, made this legal. In the early 1950s, five different groups of people went to court to try to get schools desegregated. Oliver Brown

One of those five cases was filed against the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas by Oliver Brown. Brown was the parent of an African-American girl who was not allowed in Topeka’s white schools. Brown argued that, because all of the schools in Topeka were not equal, the city was not following the Constitution. Unfortunately, Brown lost his case because the local court said the segregated schools were equal enough. Brown appealed, or applied to get the case heard by a higher court, to the Supreme Court. Off to the Supreme Court

In December 1952, the Supreme Court took four cases that were similar to Brown’s case and combined the five together. This case was called Oliver Brown vs. the Board of Education of Topeka. The five cases were put together to show that segregation in public schools was a problem throughout the whole country, not just in local towns.

Thurgood Marshall was the lawyer who represented the African-American side in the case. He argued that segregation in public schools violated, or went against, the 14th Amendment. The 14th Amendment promised all Americans equal protection. Marshall also argued that segregating colored students from white students made the colored students feel like less important people. He even claimed that black students did not do as well in school because they felt this way. Landmark Decision

After a lot of back and forth, in 1954 the Supreme Court ruled that segregation in schools was unequal. They decided that races should not be separated in the public school

Word Count: 399

system. The Supreme Court knew the decision would make a lot of Southern states mad. Because of this, they did not say exactly when schools had to be desegregated. So, desegregation took a long time. Integration in southern schools finally happened in the late 1960s and 1970s.

The Brown vs. Board of Education decision changed America’s schools forever. It was also one of the most important events leading up to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.



In 1954, most public schools in America were still segregated, or separated, by skin color. The 1896 Plessy vs. Ferguson case, which decided that there could be different buildings for blacks and whites as long as the buildings themselves were equal, made this legal. In the early 1950s, five different groups of people went to court in order to try to get public schools desegregated. Oliver Brown

One of those five cases was the case that Oliver Brown filed against the Board of Education of the city of Topeka, Kansas. Brown, the parent of an African-American girl who was not allowed in Topeka’s white schools, argued that all of the schools in Topeka were not equal, and therefore the city was not adhering to the Constitution. Unfortunately, Brown lost his case because the local court said the segregated schools were equal enough. Brown appealed, or applied to get the case heard by a higher court, to the Supreme Court shortly after the initial ruling was issued. Off to the Supreme Court

In December 1952, the Supreme Court Brown’s case and four others that were similar to it and combined the five together in a case that is now known as Oliver Brown vs. the Board of Education of Topeka. The five cases were combined for two reasons. First, handling one case was much less of an administrative burden on the court than handling five separate cases. Second, combining the cases was a strategic way of showing that segregation in public schools was a problem throughout the whole country, not just in local towns.

Thurgood Marshall, the lawyer who represented the African-American side in the case, argued that segregation in public schools violated, or went against, the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. The 14th Amendment promised all Americans equal protection. Marshall also argued that segregating colored students from white students made the colored students feel like less important people, which he claimed is why black students did not do as well in school.

Word Count: 448

CIVIL RIGHTS

Landmark Decision After a lot of back and forth, the Supreme Court ruled that

segregation in public schools was unequal in 1954. They decided that races should not be separated in the public school system. The Supreme Court knew the decision would make a lot of Southern states mad, so they did not say exactly when schools had to be desegregated. Because of this, desegregation took a long time. Integration in southern schools finally happened in the late 1960s and 1970s.

The Brown vs. Board of Education decision changed America’s schools forever, and it was one of the most important events in the time period leading up to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.

Word Count: 600

CIVIL RIGHTS

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a nonviolent movement. He wanted to change people’s minds without violence. He learned from his Christian religion. He was also inspired by a man named Mahatma Gandhi. Dr. King’s movement helped bring peace to the world. He won the Novel Peace Prize for his work. Dr. King even had a holiday named for him. He is the only person who is not a president with a U.S. holiday. Every year, Americas celebrate him on January 15th. He is an important person in American history for many reasons!

Dr. King fought for social justice. Social justice is the idea that all people should be treated fairly. King started with the Montgomery Bus Boycott. A boycott is when a person or group stops using something. A boycott is a type of protest. A protest is a way to show that you disagree with something. On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested. She was an African American who would not give up her seat on a bus to a white man. Four days later, Dr. King helped start a boycott. It was called the Montgomery Bus Boycott. For one year, African Americans boycotted the buses. They stopped using buses at all. They walked everywhere to send a message. After 381 days, the Supreme Court listened. Buses were desegregated.

After the boycott, Dr. King wrote a book called “Stride Towards Freedom.” Many people read it. It inspired several college students to take action. They started a sit-in at Woolworth’s lunch counter. Woolworth’s did not serve African Americans. The students decided to “sit in” until they were served. Many people joined them. Many people were arrested. But, more and more people joined in to sit. After six months, Woolworth’s made a change. The lunch counter was desegregated on July 25, 1960. Other businesses changed after the sit-in, too. They started serving African Americans.

Another group of African Americans heard about Dr. King. This group wanted to take action, too. Thirteen people started to ride buses all over the South. They wanted to desegregate buses, trains, and airports. They started in Washington, D.C. and traveled through the South. Some riders were arrested. Others were beaten. In May of 1961, President Kennedy stepped in. He asked the Interstate Commerce Commission to force desegregation. In November of that year, they finally did.

On August 28, 1963, Dr. King helped start the “March on Washington.” It was a march for jobs and freedom. Over 200,000 people marched. When the group reached Washington, D.C., Dr. King made a speech. It was his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. The march got people’s attention. Congress passed the Civil Rights Act in 1964. Dr. King led another march in 1965. This march went from Selma to Montgomery in Alabama. The march got more attention. Congress soon passed the Voting Rights Act.

Dr. King continued to work hard for the next three years. He fought for all people to be equal. He also started to speak out about the Vietnam War. He said it was too much violence for no reason.


Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Nonviolent Movement

On April 4, 1968, Dr. King’s life ended. He was killed at a motel in Memphis, Tennessee. His death started fights in many cities. Forty-six people died in the fights. James Earl Ray was found guilty of the murder. The court decided he would spend 99 years in jail.

Dr. King’s life ended early, but he had already done so much. He led the

bus boycott. He spoke at the March on Washington. He won the Nobel Peace Prize. Dr. King lived an important life. The most important thing Dr. King did was making the Civil Rights Movement a nonviolent fight.



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Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a nonviolent movement. This means he tried to change people’s minds without using violence. He learned from his Christian religion and a man named Mahatma Gandhi. Dr. King was the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize. This prize is given once a year to the person that has done the most work to help bring peace to the world. He is the only person who is not a president with a U.S. holiday named after him. We celebrate his birthday on January 15th. For all of these reasons and more, Dr. King is a person to remember!

Dr. King fought for social justice, or the fair treatment of all people. He started when he was in

charge of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. A boycott is when a person or group stops using something. Their boycott was a protest, or a way of showing they did not agree with the way things were. On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested because she did not give up her seat on a bus for a white man. Four days later, Dr. King helped start the Montgomery Bus Boycott. For a year, African Americans boycotted the buses by walking everywhere. After 381 days, the Supreme Court desegregated public transportation.

After the Boycott ended, Dr. King wrote “Stride Towards Freedom.” This writing made college students in North Carolina want to do something! They started a sit-in at Woolworth’s lunch counter. This restaurant did not serve African Americans. The protesters decided to “sit in” until they were served food. A lot of other people joined them. A lot of people were arrested. After six months, Woolworth’s was desegregated on July 25, 1960. Other businesses started serving African Americans after this sit-in.

Another group of African Americans heard about Dr. King. This group wanted to help, too. This group of 13 people started riding buses around the South. They wanted to desegregate buses, trains, and airports. The group started the trip in Washington, D.C. They traveled south to test out all of the different bus stops in the South. Riders were arrested, beaten, and attacked. Finally, in May of 1961, President Kennedy told the Interstate Commerce Commission to do more to help desegregation. They did in November. Dr. King could not ride with the group because he had been arrested too many times. If he got arrested again, he would be put in jail. Some people were mad that he did not ride.

On August 28, 1963, Dr. King helped start the “March on Washington.” It was a march for jobs and freedom. More than 200,000 Americans marched. Dr. King made the famous “I Have a Dream” speech during this march. The march helped get Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act in 1964. In March 1965, Dr. King led another march from Selma, AL to Montgomery, AL. This march helped get Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act.

In the next three years, Dr. King worked hard to get better treatment for poor people. He also shared that he did not like the Vietnam War. He thought the war caused too much violence that was not necessary.

On April 4, 1968, Dr. King was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN. His death started fights in a lot of cities. Forty-six people died in the fights. James Earl Ray was found guilty of the murder. The court decided he would spend 99 years in jail.

Dr. King led the bus boycott, spoke at the March on Washington, and won the Nobel Peace Prize. He lived an important life. However, the most important thing Dr. King did was help make the Civil Rights Movement a nonviolent fight.

©Teaching is the Sweetest Thing 21 Word Count: 613

CIVIL RIGHTS

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a nonviolent movement, which means he tried to minds without using violence. He learned from his Christian religion and a man named Mahatma Gandhi. Dr. King was the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize. This prize is given once a year to the person that has done the most work to help bring peace to the world. He is the only person who is not a president with a U.S. holiday named after him. We celebrate his birthday as a nation on January 15th. For all of these reasons and more, Dr. King is worth being remembered.

Dr. King started fighting for social justice, or the fair treatment of all people, when he began speaking for the Montgomery Bus Boycott. A boycott is when a person or group stops using something to protest it, or show they do not agree with it. On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested because she did not give up her seat on a bus for a white man. Four days later, Dr. King helped organize the Montgomery Bus Boycott. For the next year, African Americans boycotted the buses by walking everywhere. After 381 days, the Supreme Court desegregated public transportation.

After the Boycott ended, Dr. King wrote “Stride Towards Freedom.” This writing made college students in North Carolina want to start a sit-in at the lunch counter at Woolworth’s. This restaurant did not serve African Americans. The protesters decided to “sit in” until they were served food. A lot of people joined the protest and were arrested. After six months, Woolworth’s was desegregated on July 25, 1960. A lot of other businesses started serving African Americans after this sit-in.

Another group heard about Dr. King and wanted to do something to help. A

group of 13 people started riding buses around the South. They hoped to desegregate buses, trains, and airports. The group started the trip in Washington, D.C. They traveled south to test out all the different bus stops in the South. Riders were arrested, beaten, attacked, and firebombed. Finally, in May 1961, President Kennedy told the Interstate Commerce Commission to do more to help desegregation. They did in November. Dr. King could not ride with the group because he had been arrested too many times. If he got arrested again, he would be put in jail. It still made some people mad that he did not ride.

On August 28, 1963, Dr. King helped get together the “March on Washington.” It was a march

for jobs and freedom. More than 200,000 Americans marched. Dr. King made the famous “I Have a Dream” speech during this march. The march was helpful in getting Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act in 1964. In March 1965, Dr. King led another march from Selma, AL to Montgomery, AL. This march led to the passing of the Voting Rights Act.

In the next three years, Dr. King worked really hard for better treatment for poor people. He also shared that he did not like the Vietnam War. He thought the war caused too much violence that did not need to happen.

On April 4, 1968, Dr. King was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN. His death started fights in a lot of cities. Forty-six people died in these fights. James Earl Ray was found guilty of Dr. King’s murder. He was sentenced to 99 years in jail.

From leading the bus boycott, to speaking at the March on Washington, to winning the Nobel Peace Prize, Dr. King lived an important life. However, the most important thing Dr. King did was help make the Civil Rights Movement a nonviolent fight.



Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a nonviolent movement during a time when others often used violence to get their messages heard. He was inspired by his Christian faith and the peaceful teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. At 35 years old, he became the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize. The Nobel Peace Prize is an award that is given once a year to the person or group who has done the most work to help bring peace to the world. Dr. King is the only person who is not a U.S. President who has a U.S. national holiday named in his honor. We celebrate his birthday as a nation on January 15th. For all of these reasons and more, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is certainly worthy of being remembered.

Dr. King started fighting for social justice, or the fair treatment of all people, when he became the spokesperson for the Montgomery Bus Boycott. A boycott is when a person or group stops using something to protest it, or show disapproval. On December 1, 1955, an African-American woman named Rosa Parks was arrested. She refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man. Four days later, Dr. King helped organize the Montgomery Bus Boycott. For a little over a year, African Americans boycotted the buses by walking everywhere. After 381 days of these boycotts, the Supreme Court finally ruled to desegregate public transportation.

Just after the Boycott ended, Dr. King wrote “Stride Towards Freedom.” This writing inspired college students in Greensboro, NC to start a sit-in at Woolworth’s lunch counter. Woolworth’s was a restaurant that had a policy of not serving African Americans. The protesters decided to “sit in” until they were fairly served. Despite the fact that many members of the community who joined the 6-month-long protest were arrested, their bravery eventually led to the desegregation of Woolworth’s on July 25, 1960. Many other businesses also changed their policies after this sit-in.

Inspired by King’s writing and the sit-ins, a group of thirteen civil rights activists started a string of bus trips

around the South in May of 1961. Their goal was to desegregate buses, trains, and airports. The group started the trip in Washington, D.C. and traveled south to test the facilities throughout the South. Riders were arrested, beaten, attacked, and firebombed. Finally, in May 1961, President Kennedy told the Interstate Commerce Commission to enforce desegregation more seriously. This took effect in November of 1961. Dr. King was criticized for only being a spokesperson for the rides and for not joining the rides himself. He argued that he was under probation and could not be arrested any more without being thrown in jail.

On August 28, 1963, Dr. King helped organize the “March on Washington” for jobs and freedom. This march involved more than 200,000 Americans. The “I Have a Dream” speech he gave during this march is one of the most famous speeches in American history. After the march, King and several other leaders met with President Kennedy and Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson. These events were helpful in getting Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act in 1964. In March 1965, Dr. King led a march from Selma, AL to Montgomery, AL. This march eventually resulted in the passing of the Voting Rights Act.

During the next three years, Dr. King focused most of his work on gaining equality for poor people. He also shared that he did not approve of the U.S.’s involvement in the Vietnam War. He believed the war led to a lot of unnecessary violence and deaths.

Dr. King’s short thirteen years of leadership ended on April 4, 1968 when he was assassinated at the

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CIVIL RIGHTS

Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN. His death started riots in many cities. These riots led to 46 deaths. In 1969, James Earl Ray was found guilty of King’s murder. He was sentenced to 99 years in prison. Ray later died in prison in 1998.

Dr. King lived a noteworthy life. He led the Montgomery Bus Boycott, spoke powerfully at the March on Washington, and won the Nobel Peace Prize at a very young age. However, the most important thing Dr. King did in his life was shape the Civil Rights Movement into a nonviolent fight.



During a time when others often used violence to get their messages heard, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a nonviolent movement. He was inspired by his Christian faith and the peaceful teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. At 35 years old, he became the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize, an award that is given once a year to the person or group who has done the most work to help bring peace to the world. Dr. King is the only person who is not a U.S. President who has a U.S. national holiday in his honor. We celebrate his birthday as a nation on January 15th. For all of these reasons and more, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is certainly worthy of being remembered.

Dr. King started fighting for social justice, or the fair treatment of all people, when he became the spokesperson for the Montgomery Bus Boycott. A boycott is when a person or group stops using something to protest it, or show disapproval. On December 1, 1955, an African-American woman named Rosa Parks was arrested because she refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man. Four days later, Dr. King helped organize the Montgomery Bus Boycott. For a little over a year, African Americans boycotted the buses by walking everywhere. After 381 days of these boycotts, the Supreme Court finally ruled to desegregate public transportation.

Just after the Boycott ended, Dr. King wrote “Stride Towards Freedom.” This writing inspired college students in Greensboro, NC to start a sit-in at Woolworth’s lunch counter. Woolworth’s was a restaurant that had a policy of not serving African Americans, so the protesters decided to “sit in” until they were fairly served. Despite the fact that many members of the community who joined the 6-month-long protest were arrested, their bravery eventually led to the desegregation of Woolworth’s on July 25, 1960. Many other businesses also changed their policies after this sit-in.

Inspired by King’s writing and the sit-ins, a group of thirteen civil rights activists started a string of bus trips around the South in May of 1961 in hopes of desegregating buses, trains, and airports. The group started the trip in Washington, D.C. and traveled south to test the facilities throughout the South. Riders were arrested, beaten, attacked, and firebombed. Finally, in May 1961, President Kennedy told the Interstate Commerce Commission to enforce desegregation more seriously. This took effect in November. Dr. King was criticized for only being a spokesperson for the rides and for not joining the rides himself, but he argued that he was under probation and could not be arrested any more without being thrown in jail.

On August 28, 1963, Dr. King helped organize the “March on Washington” for jobs and freedom, which involved more than 200,000 Americans. The “I Have a Dream” speech he gave during this march is one of the most famous speeches in American history. After the march, King and several other leaders met with President Kennedy and Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson. These events were helpful in getting Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act in 1964. In March 1965, Dr. King led a march from Selma, AL to Montgomery, AL which eventually resulted in the passing of the Voting Rights Act.

During the next three years, Dr. King focused most of his work on gaining equality for poor people. He also shared that he did not approve of the U.S.’s involvement in the Vietnam War because the war led to a lot of unnecessary violence and deaths.

Word Count: 704

CIVIL RIGHTS


Dr. King’s short thirteen years of leadership ended on April 4, 1968 when he was

assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN. His death started riots in many cities, which led to 46 deaths. In 1969, James Earl Ray was found guilty of King’s murder and was sentenced to 99 years in prison. Ray later died in prison in 1998.

From leading the bus boycott, to speaking powerfully at the March on Washington, to winning the Nobel Peace Prize at such a young age, Dr. King lived a noteworthy life. However, the most important thing Dr. King did in his life was shape the Civil Rights Movement into a nonviolent fight.

Word Count: 322

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Martin Luther King, Jr. Broadcast June 4, 1957

“Not to humiliate, but to win over.”

What does a nonviolent resister do? He does not embarrass the enemy. He does not beat the enemy. He tries to be the enemy’s friend. He tries to get his enemy to understand him.

We do not want to beat white people. We do not want to embarrass them. We want to be their friends. Fighting only makes things works. Nonviolent fighting is the answer. It fixes relationships. It adds love to a community. One boycott will not fix everything, though. It just makes the people who are treating us badly feel bad, too. But, at the end of a boycott comes a reunion. No one should leave hurt after a boycott.

The nonviolent resister tries to beat the whole system. The fight in the South is not between white and black people. It is between fair and unfair. It is between right and wrong. If we win, it’s not just for black people. We will win fairness for all people.

Nonviolent resistance works in people’s hearts. It is not physical. We do not want to use angry words. Humanity refers to all of the humans in the world. We can only fix humanity with love. People ask me how to love people who don’t love them. I tell them it takes a special kind of love.

There are three Greek words for love. Eros is a romantic love. A husband and a wife have eros love. Philia means a love between friends. The love I am talking about is not eros or philia love. It is agape love. Agape is an understanding love for all people. Agape is a healing love. It does not want anything back. Agape does not love people because they are good people. It does not love people because they do good things. Agape love means loving someone because God loves them. That is the goal. Agape love is what we want to bring to the South.


The Power of Nonviolence


The Power of Nonviolence Martin Luther King, Jr.

Broadcast June 4, 1957 “Not to humiliate, but to win over.”

We had to teach people that the nonviolent resister does not try to embarrass or

beat the enemy. Instead, the nonviolent resister tries to be his enemy’s friend. He tries to get his enemy to understand him. We do not want to beat the white people. We do not want to embarrass them. We want to win the friendship of all of the people. Fighting with violence only causes more bad feelings. Fighting with nonviolence fixes relationships and makes a loving community. A boycott will not fix everything. It just makes the people who are treating us badly feel bad, too. But, at the end of a boycott comes a reunion. No one is supposed to leave hurt after a boycott.

We also had to teach people that the nonviolent resister tries to beat the evil system as a whole. The fight in the South is not between white people and Negro people. The fight is between fair and unfair. The fight is between the right and wrong. And if we win, we are not winning just for 50,000 Negroes. We are winning fairness for everyone.

Another easy thing we had to learn is that nonviolent resistance happens inside the hearts of people. Nonviolent resistance is not physical violence. We do not want to use hurtful words to make people feel bad. We think the only way to fix humanity, all humans in the world, is to keep love at the center of our lives. People used to ask me what I meant by love. People used to ask me how to love the people who try to beat us and stand against us. How can you love these people? I had to make it clear that this love is a special kind of love.

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There are three Greek words for love. Eros means romantic love, like between a husband and wife. Philia means a love between good friends. When we talk about loving our enemies, we are not talking about eros or philia. Agape is understanding, healing love for all men. It is a love that does not want anything back. When you love like this, you do not love men because they are good people or because they do good things. You love them because God loves them. It is the love that stands at the heart of the goal. It is what we want to carry to the Southland—agape.




One thing that we had to learn was the fact that the nonviolent resister does not try

to humiliate or defeat the opponent. Instead, the nonviolent resister tries to win his enemy’s friendship and understanding. We always had to tell our people that our goal is not to defeat the white community, or to humiliate the white community. Our goal is to win the friendship of all people. Fighting with violence only causes bitterness. Fighting with nonviolence leads to reconciliation and the creation of a loving community. A boycott will not fix everything. It just creates a sense of shame for those doing wrong. But, at the end of a boycott comes a reunion.

We also had to make it clear that the nonviolent resister tries to attack the evil system as a whole, not just the people who happen to be part of the system. The struggle in the South is not all about the disagreement between white people and Negro people. The fight is between fairness and unfairness, between the forces of light and the forces of darkness. And, if there is a win, it will not be a win just for 50,000 Negroes. Rather, it will be a win for fairness, a win for good will, a win for democracy.

Another basic idea we had to get over is that nonviolent resistance happens internally, inside the hearts of people. Nonviolent resistance avoids physical violence and internal violence of spirit. So, the most important part of our belief is love. We believe the only way to change humanity, all humans in the world, and create the society that we want is to keep love at the center of our lives. People used to ask me what I meant by love. People used to ask me how to love the people who try to defeat us and those persons who stand against us; how can you love these people? And I had to make it clear that this love is a specific kind of love.

Word Count: 471

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The Greek language uses three words for love. It talks about eros. Eros is romantic love, like between a husband and wife. But when we talk about loving those who oppose us we are not talking about eros. Philia is a love between good friends. When we talk of loving those who oppose us, we are not talking about philia either. Agape is understanding, creative, healing love for all men. It is an overflowing love that does not ask for anything in return. And when you love on this level, you begin to love men not because they are likeable, not because they do things that attract you, but because God loves them. It is the type of love that stands at the heart of the movement that we are trying to carry on in the Southland—agape.




One thing that we had to realize was the fact that the nonviolent resister does not seek

to humiliate or defeat the opponent. The goal of the nonviolent resister is to win his opponent’s friendship and understanding. This was always a cry that we had to set before people. The cry is that our aim is not to defeat the white community or to humiliate the white community. Our aim is to win the friendship of all of the persons who had perpetrated this system in the past. The end of violence or the aftermath of violence is bitterness. The aftermath of nonviolence is reconciliation and the creation of a beloved community. A boycott is never an end in and of itself. Rather, it is merely a means to awaken a sense of shame within the oppressor. The end is reconciliation, the end is redemption.

We also had to make it clear that the nonviolent resister seeks to attack the evil system rather than individuals who happen to be caught up in the system. This is why I say from time to time that the struggle in the South is not so much the tension between white people and Negro people. The struggle is rather between justice and injustice. It is between the forces of light and the forces of darkness. And if there is a victory it will not be a victory merely for fifty thousand Negroes. But it will be a victory for justice, a victory for good will, a victory for democracy.

Another basic idea we had to overcome is that nonviolent resistance is solely an external matter. It not only avoids external violence or but it also avoids internal violence of the spirit. And so, at the center of our movement stood the philosophy of love. The attitude that the only way to change humanity, or all of humankind, and change the society that we all long for is to keep love at the center of our lives. People used to ask me what I meant by love and how it is that I thought I can tell them to love those persons who seek to defeat African Americans and those persons who stand against us. They would ask how I could love such persons. And I had to make it clear all along that love in its highest sense is not a sentimental sort of thing. It is not even an affectionate sort of thing.

Word Count: 570

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The Greek language uses three words for love. It talks about eros. Eros is romantic love. But when we speak of loving those who oppose us we are not talking about eros. Philia is a love between personal friends. When we talk of loving those who oppose you and those who seek to defeat you we are not talking about eros or philia. Agape is understanding, creative, redemptive good will for all men. It is an overflowing love which seeks nothing in return. And when you come to love on this level you begin to love men not because they are likeable, not because they do things that attract us, but because God loves them. Here we are to love the person who does the evil deed while hating the deed that the person does. It is the type of love that stands at the center of the movement that we are trying to carry on in the Southland—agape.




One thing that we had to realize was the fact that the nonviolent resister does not seek

to humiliate or defeat the opponent, but rather his or her goal is to win the opponent’s friendship and understanding. This was always a cry that we had to set before people - that our aim is not to defeat the white community or to humiliate the white community, but rather it is to win the friendship of all of the persons who had perpetrated this system in the past. The end of violence or the aftermath of violence is bitterness, and the aftermath of nonviolence is reconciliation and the creation of a beloved community. A boycott is never an end in and of itself. Rather, it is merely a means to awaken a sense of shame within the oppressor. The end is reconciliation, the end is redemption.

We also had to make it clear that the nonviolent resister seeks to attack the evil system rather than individuals who happen to be caught up in the system. This is why I say from time to time that the struggle in the South is not so much the tension between white people and Negro people, but the struggle is rather between justice and injustice, between the forces of light and the forces of darkness. And if there is a victory it will not be a victory merely for fifty thousand Negroes. But it will be a victory for justice, a victory for good will, a victory for democracy.

Another basic idea we had to overcome is that nonviolent resistance is solely an external matter. It not only avoids external violence, but it also avoids internal violence of the spirit. And so, at the center of our movement stood the philosophy of love. The attitude that the only way to change humanity, or the entirety of humankind, and change the society that we all long for is to keep love at the center of our lives. People used to ask me what I meant by love and how it is that I thought I can tell them to love those persons who seek to defeat African Americans and those persons who stand against us; how can you love such persons? And I had to make it clear all along that love in its highest sense is not a sentimental sort of thing, not even an affectionate sort of thing.

Word Count: 564

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The Greek language uses three words for love. It talks about eros, which is romantic love. But when we speak of loving those who oppose us we are not talking about eros. Philia is a love between personal friends. But when we talk of loving those who oppose you and those who seek to defeat you we are not talking about eros or philia. Agape is understanding, creative, redemptive good will for all men. It is an overflowing love which seeks nothing in return. And when you come to love on this level you begin to love men not because they are likeable, not because they do things that attract us, but because God loves them. Here we are to love the person who does the evil deed while hating the deed that the person does. It is the type of love that stands at the center of the movement that we are trying to carry on in the Southland—agape.

Word Count: 389

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“The best way to honor President Kennedy is to remember what he fought for. Let’s pass the civil rights bill he worked hard for,” said President Lyndon B. Johnson. He said this right after President Kennedy was killed. In 1964, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act. The act put a stop to discrimination and segregation. The act was important to the Civil Rights Movement.

President John F. Kennedy: Civil Rights Act Address Broadcast June 11, 1963, on television and radio

Good evening, my fellow citizens:

Today, we are fighting together. We are fighting to protect the rights of all people. American students should be able to go to any public school they want. Skin color should not matter. Students should not have to worry about getting hurt on the way to school. All Americans should be able to vote. They should not be scared to vote. Skin color should not matter. But, that is not how things are in America today.

African American children are half as likely to finish school as white children. They have one-third as much chance of getting a job. How would you feel if your kids had to go to bad schools? If you could not vote? If you did not have the same freedoms as everyone else? That is what African Americans have to deal with today. Do you want that life?

One hundred years ago, President Lincoln freed all slaves. Today, their grandchildren

are not totally free. Their lives are not fair. American is not free until everyone is free. We say freedom is important. But right now, we are telling people America is only free for white people.

I want Congress to sign a law. It will give all Americans the same freedoms. There are too many segregated schools. African American students need better schools. Without good educations, they can’t get good jobs.


Civil Rights Act of 1964

I also want Congress to fix other things. African Americans need to be

able to vote. They need protection to vote. Americans have to support these changes. Laws are only half the problem.

We owe African Americans and ourselves a better country. We all should have the same freedoms.

I need your help with this. These changes involve the whole country. Think of what our country stands for. I am asking for your support. Thank you very much.


Civil Rights Act of 1964 ”The best way to honor President Kennedy's memory is to pass one of the civil rights bills that

he fought so long for,” President Lyndon B. Johnson said after President Kennedy’s assassination. In 1964, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act. This act made discrimination in public places, segregation of public buildings, and employment discrimination illegal. This act was a big moment in the Civil Rights Movement.

President John F. Kennedy: Civil Rights Act Address Broadcast June 11, 1963, on national television and radio


Today, we are part of a fight to protect the rights of all people. American students of any color who want to go to any public school should be able to. They should not have to worry about getting attacked. Americans of any color should get equal service in public places. They should not have to worry about being sent out in the street. American citizens of any color should be able to vote in an election. They should not have to be scared. All Americans should be able to enjoy the rights of being American. Skin color should not matter. But this is not how things are in our country today.

The Negro baby born in America today has half as much chance of finishing high school as a white baby born in the same place on the same day. The Negro baby has one-third as much chance of finishing college. The Negro baby has one-third as much chance of getting a job. The Negro baby has twice as much chance of not having a job at all. How would you feel if you could not eat lunch in a public restaurant? If you were forced to send your kids to bad schools? If you could not vote? If you could not have the full freedom of America? That is life as a Negro is like today. Do you want that life?

One hundred years ago President Lincoln freed the slaves. Today, their grandsons are not totally free. They are not free from unfairness. America will not be totally free until all its citizens are free. We say freedom is important to America. But right now, we are telling the world that this is the land of the free unless you have dark skin.

I am asking Congress to sign a law that will give all Americans the right to be served in public places. Too many Negro children are sent to segregated schools. They have been set so

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far back in their education that they can never make it all up. Without a good education, the Negro does not have a chance to get a good job.

I am also asking for Congress to fix other things. Negros need more protection for the right to vote. Passing laws will not fix this problem alone. It has to be fixed in the homes of every American in every town across our country.

We cannot tell ten percent of the population that they cannot have any rights. I think we owe them and we owe ourselves a better country than that.

I need your help for us to move ahead and give African Americans the kind of equal treatment that we would want for ourselves. This is a matter that involves this country and what it stands for. To make this happen, I need the support of all of you. Thank you very much.


Civil Rights Act of 1964 ”There is no better way to honor President Kennedy's memory than to pass one of the civil

rights bills that he fought for,” President Lyndon B. Johnson said after President Kennedy’s assassination. In 1964, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act. This act made discrimination in public places, segregation of public schools and other buildings, and employment discrimination illegal. This act was a big moment in the Civil Rights Movement.



Today, we are part of a fight to protect the rights of all people who want to be free. American students of any color who want to attend any public school should be able to without worrying about getting attacked. Americans of any color should get equal service in public places, like hotels, restaurants, theaters, and stores, without being sent out in the street. American citizens of any color should be able to register and to vote in an election without being scared. All Americans should have the rights of being American. Every American should have the right to be treated as he wants to be treated. Skin color should not matter. But this is not the case in our country today.

The Negro baby born in America today has half as much chance of finishing high school as a white baby born in the same place on the same day. The Negro baby has one-third as much chance of finishing college. The Negro baby has one-third as much chance of getting a job. The Negro baby has twice as much chance of not having a job at all. How would you feel if you could not eat lunch in a public restaurant? If you were forced to send your kids to bad schools? If you could not vote? If you could not enjoy the full freedom of America? That is what the life of a Negro is like today. Would you want that life?

One hundred years ago President Lincoln freed the slaves. Today, their grandsons are not totally free. They are not free from unfairness. America will not be totally free until all its citizens are free. We say freedom is important to America. But right now, we are telling the world that this is the land of the free unless you have dark skin.

I am asking Congress to sign a law that will give all Americans the right to be served in public

places. Too many Negro children are sent to segregated schools. They have been set so far back in

Word Count: 588

CIVIL RIGHTS

their education that they can never recover. Without a good education, the Negro does not have a chance to get a good job.

I am also asking for Congress to fix other things. Negros need more protection for the right to vote. Passing laws will not fix this problem alone. It has to be fixed in the homes of every American in every town across our country.

We cannot tell ten percent of the population that they cannot have any rights. I

think we owe them and we owe ourselves a better country than that. I need your help for us to move ahead and give African Americans the kind of

equal treatment that we would want for ourselves. This is a matter that involves this country and what it stands for. To make this happen, I need the support of all of you. Thank you very much.


Civil Rights Act of 1964 "Nothing could be more perfect to honor President Kennedy's memory than quickly passing one

of the civil rights bills that he fought so long for.” These were the words that President Lyndon B. Johnson said shortly after President Kennedy’s assassination. In 1964, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act. This act made discrimination in public places, segregation of public schools and other buildings, and employment discrimination illegal. The act was a big moment in the Civil Rights Movement.

President John F. Kennedy: Civil Rights Act Address

Broadcast June 11, 1963, on national television and radio Good evening, my fellow citizens:

Today, we are part of a fight to protect the rights of all people who want to be free. American students of any color who want to attend any public school should be able to do so without worrying about getting attacked. Americans of any color should get equal service in public places, like hotels and restaurants and theaters and stores, without being sent out in the street. American citizens of any color should be able to register and vote in an election without being scared. All Americans should be able to enjoy the rights of being American. Every American should have the right to be treated as he wants to be treated. Skin color should not matter. Unfortunately, this is not the case in our country today.

The Negro baby born in America today has about half as much chance of finishing high school as a white baby born in the same place on the same day. He or she has one-third as much chance of finishing college, one-third as much chance of getting a job, and twice as much chance of not having a job at all. How would you like to not be able to eat lunch in a public restaurant? How would you like to be forced to send your kids to bad schools, not be able to vote, and not be able to enjoy the full freedom of America? That is what the life of a Negro is like today. Would you want that life?

One hundred years ago President Lincoln freed the slaves, but today their grandsons are not totally free. They are not yet freed from unfairness. This Nation will not be totally free until all of its citizens are free. We say freedom is important to America, but right now we are telling the world that this is the land of the free except for the Negroes.

I am asking Congress to sign legislation that will give all Americans the right to be served in facilities that are open to the public -- hotels, restaurants, theaters, schools, and more. Too many Negro children are entering segregated grade schools. They have been set so far back in their education that they can never make it all up. Without a good education, the Negro has no chance of getting a good job.

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CIVIL RIGHTS

I am also asking other things from Congress, like more protection for the right to vote.

Passing laws cannot fix this problem alone. It has to be fixed in the homes of every American in every town across our country.


I need your help in order for us to move ahead and give African Americans the kind of equal treatment that we would want for ourselves. This is a matter that involves this country and what it stands for. To make this happen, I need the support of all of you. Thank you very much.


Civil Rights Act of 1964 "Nothing could be more perfect to honor President Kennedy's memory than quickly passing one

of the civil rights bills that he fought so long for,” President Lyndon B. Johnson said shortly after President Kennedy’s shocking assassination. In 1964, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act, which made discrimination in public places, segregation of public schools and other buildings, and employment discrimination illegal. This act was an extremely significant moment in the Civil Rights Movement.



Today, we are part of a fight to protect the rights of all people who want to be free. American students of any color who want to attend any public school should be able to without worrying about getting attacked. Americans of any color should get equal service in public places, like hotels and restaurants and theaters and stores, without being sent out in the street. American citizens of any color should be able to register and vote in an election without being scared, and all Americans should be able to enjoy the rights of being American. Every American should have the right to be treated as he wants to be treated, and skin color should not matter. Unfortunately, this is not the case in our country today.

The Negro baby born in America today has about half as much chance of finishing high school as a white baby born in the same place on the same day, one-third as much chance of finishing college, one-third as much chance of getting a job, and twice as much chance of not having a job at all. How would you like to not be able to eat lunch in a public restaurant, be forced to send your kids to bad schools, not be able to vote, and not be able to enjoy the full freedom of America? That is what the life of a Negro is like today. Would you want that life?

One hundred years ago President Lincoln freed the slaves, but today their grandsons are not totally free. They are not yet freed from unfairness. This Nation will not be totally free until all of its citizens are free. We say freedom is important to America, but right now we are telling the world that this is the land of the free except for the Negroes.

I am asking Congress to sign legislation that will give all Americans the right to be served in facilities that are open to the public -- hotels, restaurants, theaters, schools, and more. Too many Negro children are entering segregated grade schools, which has set them so far back in their education that they can never make it all up. Without a good education, the Negro has no chance of getting a good job.

Word Count: 582

CIVIL RIGHTS

I am also asking other things from Congress, such as providing more protection for

the right to vote. Passing laws cannot fix this problem alone, but rather it has to be fixed in the homes of every American in every town across our country.


I need your help for us to move ahead and give African Americans the kind of equal treatment that we would want for ourselves. This is a matter that involves this country and what it stands for, and to make this happen, I need the support of all of you. Thank you very much.

Word Count: 642

CIVIL RIGHTS

When a group of people was killed on March 7, 1965, the whole country paid attention. The people were voting-rights activists. They were fighting for the right to vote. Peaceful marchers were walking from Selma to Montgomery in Alabama. Police tried to stop them. When the marchers did not stop, police used clubs and tear gas. Tear gas burns people’s eyes and is used to break up crowds. The activists who ran away were chased and beaten. The day was called “Bloody Sunday.” This was not the first attack on protesters, but this one got the most attention. The President had to do something. President Johnson started working right away on creating a law that would give blacks the right to vote. It later became called the Voting Rights Act.

President Lyndon B. Johnson: Voting Rights Act Address

Given on March 15, 1965 in Washington, D.C.

I speak tonight for all men. I speak for the future of democracy. Democracy is a government in which the people pick leaders by voting.

I want all Americans to listen. I want people of all religions to join me. I want people of all colors to join me.

Americans have been fighting for freedom since before the country began. There have been many important moments working towards freedom for all people. These moments are turning points that changed the country. One turning point was at Lexington and Concord. One was at Appomattox. Last week, a turning point happened in Selma.

African Americans do not have their own problem. The South does not have its own problem. The North does not have its own problem. There is only an American problem. We meet here as Americans to solve that problem.

America was the first country to be started with a purpose. All Americans know the purpose of the country. “All men are created equal!”

All Americans have the same right. Every person has the right to be treated equally. Every person should be able to vote. Every person should be able to send his or her kids to good schools. Every person should be allowed to take care of his family.

Many of the problems of civil rights are complex. They are hard to solve. But there is nothing hard about letting every person vote. There is no reason to keep people from voting.

It is sad that in many places in America black people are not allowed to vote. We all know that making laws won’t stop some people from breaking them. Even if we pass a law to let blacks vote, some people won’t listen. We all have to work together to make this happen.


Voting Rights Act of 1965

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CIVIL RIGHTS

We all have to know our duty. The Constitution says every person should be able to vote. Race or color should not change anything. We have all promised to stand by the Constitution. We have to keep that promise now. On Wednesday, I will send a law to Congress. This law will give blacks the right to vote.

Let everyone vote. Let men and women vote no matter what the color of their skin. Give every person the same rights. The Constitution is simple. It is wrong to stop any American from voting. I know I can count on your support.

Even if we pass this bill, the battle will not be over. What happened in Selma shows that we have a bigger problem. We need to join the fight for all people to be equal in America.

This great country can offer many things to all people. Black and white people. Northerners and Southerners. Sharecroppers and city livers. The Outcome

Americans listened to President Johnson’s speech. On August 6, 1965, he signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 into law. This law made it illegal to keep anyone from voting based on their skin color or literacy tests.


Voting Rights Act of 1965


Voting Rights Act of 1965 The nation paid attention when some voting-rights activists, people who work really

hard for the right to vote, were killed in 1965. On March 7, 1965, police tried to stop peaceful marchers that were on their way to Montgomery, AL. Police in Selma, AL attacked the crowd of peaceful protesters with clubs and tear gas, gas that causes eyes to burn and is used to break up crowds. Police riding horses chased marchers who were running away and kept beating them. This day was called “Bloody Sunday”. Beatings and attacks had happened before this, but the President could not ignore this one. So, President Johnson started working on a voting rights law that would give blacks the right to vote. This bill would later become known as the Voting Rights Act.

President Lyndon B. Johnson: Voting Rights Act Address Delivered March 15, 1965, Washington, D.C.

I speak tonight for all men and the future of democracy. Democracy is a type of

government in which people pick the leaders by voting.

I ask Americans of all religions and of all colors from every part of this country to join me. In our history, there have been turning points in our hunt for freedom. One turning point

was at Lexington and Concord. One was at Appomattox. Last week in Selma, Alabama was a turning point, too.

The Negros do not have their own problem. The South does not have its own problem. The North does not have its own problem. There is only an American problem. And we meet here as Americans to solve that problem.

This was the first nation in the world that began with a purpose. Americans know in their heart the purpose of our country: "All men are created equal.”

We all have the same right. This right is not in things we own. It is not in power or position. It is every man’s right to be treated equally. Every man should pick his leaders, educate his children, and take care of his family as well as he can.

Many of the problems of civil rights are very difficult to solve. But there is nothing hard about allowing every man the right to vote. There is no reason every many should not be able to vote. It is our duty to make sure everyone can vote. The sad truth is that in many places in this country men and women are kept from voting just because they are Negroes. History teaches us that the government cannot stop people who are determined to discriminate. No law that we have now can make sure everyone has the right to vote when local officials are determined to go against it.

We all have to know our duty. The Constitution says that no person can be kept from voting because of his race or his color. We have all promised before God to stand by that

Word Count: 625

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Voting Rights Act of 1965 Constitution. We have to keep that promise now. On Wednesday, I will send Congress a law that will give blacks the right to vote.

If you want to stay out of trouble with the government, let everyone vote. Let men and women register and vote no matter what the color of their skin. Give the rights of citizenship to every American. The Constitution is simple. It is wrong —deadly wrong— to stop any American from voting. There is no issue of States’ rights or National rights. There is only the fight for human rights. I know I can count on your support.

Even if we pass this bill, the battle will not be over. What happened in Selma is part of a much bigger problem than just voting rights. It is the hope of American Negroes to gain the full blessings of American life. We need to join their fight for the right to be full American citizens. It is not just Negroes but all of us who have to get over the horrible past of injustice in our country. We will overcome it!

This great country can offer opportunity and education and hope to all — all black and white, all North and South, all sharecropper and city liver. These are the enemies— poverty, ignorance, disease. They are our enemies. And these enemies, too, we will overcome. The Outcome

President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 into law on August 6, 1965. This law made it illegal to keep any American from voting based on skin color or literacy tests. It also included statements that focused on enforcing the act in areas of the country where Congress thought that discrimination happened most often.

Word Count: 625

CIVIL RIGHTS





I speak tonight for the pride of man and the future of democracy. Democracy is a type

of government in which people choose the leaders by voting.

I beg every person — Americans of all religions and of all colors — from every part of this country — to join me.

In our history, there have been turning points in our hunt for freedom. One turning point was at Lexington and Concord. One was at Appomattox. Last week in Selma, Alabama was a turning point, too.

The Negros do not have their own problem. The South does not have its own problem. The North does not have its own problem. There is only an American problem. And we meet here as Americans to solve that problem.

This was the first nation in the world to be founded with a purpose. Every American knows in their heart the purpose of our country: "All men are created equal" — "Government is run by the agreement of the people" — "Give me freedom or give me death...”.

We all share in the same pride of man. This pride cannot be found in things we own. It cannot be found in power or position. It is found in every man’s right to be treated equally. Every man should share in freedom, every man shall choose his leaders, educate his children, and take care of his family as best as he is able to.

Many of the problems of civil rights are very difficult to solve. But there is nothing hard about allowing every man the right to vote. There is no reason every many should not be able to vote. It is our duty to be sure everyone votes.

The sad truth is that in many places in this country men and women are kept from voting just because they are Negroes.

History teaches us that the government cannot stop people who are determined to

Word Count: 836

CIVIL RIGHTS


Voting Rights Act of 1965 discriminate. No law that we have now can make sure everyone has the right to vote when local officials are determined to go against it.

Our duty has to be clear to us all. The Constitution says that no person can be kept from voting because of his race or his color. We have all promised before God to support and to defend that Constitution. We have to follow through on that promise now. On Wednesday, I will send to Congress a law that will get rid of the illegal barriers to the right to vote.

To those who want to avoid trouble from the Government in their home towns, the answer is simple: open your polling places to all people. Allow men and women to register and vote regardless of the color of their skin. Give the rights of citizenship to every citizen of this land. The command of the Constitution is plain. It is wrong — deadly wrong — to take away any of your fellow American’s right to vote in this country. There is no issue of States’ rights or National rights. There is only the fight for human rights. I know I can count on your support.

Even if we pass this bill, the battle will not be over. What happened in Selma is part of a much bigger problem than just voting rights. It is the hope of American Negroes to gain the full blessings of American life. We need to join their fight for the right to be full American citizens. It is not just Negroes but really all of us who have to get over the horrible past of injustice in our country. We will overcome it!

This great, rich country can offer opportunity and education and hope to all — all black and white, all North and South, all sharecropper and city liver. These are the enemies — poverty, ignorance, disease. They are our enemies. And these enemies, too, we will overcome.

Word Count: 836

CIVIL RIGHTS

The Outcome President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 into law on

August 6, 1965. This law made it illegal to keep any American from voting based on skin color or literacy tests. It also included statements that focused on enforcing the act in areas of the country where Congress thought that discrimination happened most often.




President Lyndon B. Johnson: Voting Rights Act Address

Delivered March 15, 1965, Washington, D.C.

I speak tonight for the dignity of man and the destiny of democracy, a type of government in which people choose the leaders by voting.

I urge every member of both parties — Americans of all religions and of all colors — from every section of this country — to join me in that cause.

At times, history and fate meet at a single time in a single place to shape a turning point in man's unending search for freedom. So it was at Lexington and Concord. So it was a century ago at Appomattox. So it was last week in Selma, Alabama.

There is no Negro problem, nor is there a southern problem, nor is there a northern problem. There is only an American problem. And we meet here tonight as Americans — not as Democrats or Republicans — we meet here as Americans to solve that problem.

This was the first nation in the history of the world to be founded with a purpose. The great phrases of that purpose still sound in every American heart, north and south: "All men are created equal" — "Government by consent of the governed" — "Give me liberty or give me death...”.

Those words are a promise to every citizen that he shall share in the dignity of man. This dignity cannot be found in man's possessions. It cannot be found in his power or in his position. It really rests on his right to be treated as a man equal in opportunity to all others. It says that he shall share in freedom, he shall choose his leaders, educate his children, provide for his family according to his ability and his merits as a human being.

Many of the issues of civil rights are very complex and most difficult. But about this there can and should be no argument. Every American citizen must have an equal right to vote. There is no reason that can excuse the denial of that right. There is no duty which weighs more heavily on us than the duty we have to ensure that right.

Yet the harsh fact is that in many places in this country men and women are kept from

Word Count: 962

CIVIL RIGHTS


Voting Rights Act of 1965 voting simply because they are Negroes. Experience has clearly shown that the government cannot stop people who are determined to discriminate. No law that we now have on the books — and I have helped to put three of them there — can ensure the right to vote when local officials are determined to deny it.

In such a case, our duty must be clear to all of us. The Constitution says that no person shall be kept from voting because of his race or his color. We have all sworn an oath before God to support and to defend that Constitution. We must now act in obedience to that oath. On Wednesday, I will send Congress a law designed to eliminate illegal barriers to the right to vote.

To those who seek to avoid action by their National Government in their home communities — who want to and who seek to maintain purely local control over elections — the answer is simple: open your polling places to all people. Allow men and women to register and vote regardless of the color of their skin. Extend the rights of citizenship to every citizen of this land. There is no constitutional issue here. The command of the Constitution is plain. There is no moral issue. It is wrong — deadly wrong — to deny any of your fellow Americans the right to vote in this country. There is no issue of States’ rights or National rights. There is only the struggle for human rights. I have not the slightest doubt what your answer will be.

But even if we pass this bill, the battle will not be over. What happened in Selma is part of a much larger movement that reaches into every section and state of America. It is the effort of American Negroes to secure for themselves the full blessings of American life. Their cause must be our cause too, because it is not just Negroes, but really it is all of us, who must overcome the crippling legacy of bigotry and injustice. And we shall overcome.

This great, rich, restless country can offer opportunity and education and hope to all—all black and white, all North and South, all sharecropper and city dweller. These are the enemies — poverty, ignorance, disease. They are our enemies, not our fellow man, not our neighbor. And these enemies too—poverty, disease, and ignorance — we shall overcome. The Outcome

Word Count: 933

CIVIL RIGHTS

President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 into law on August 6, 1965. This law prohibited the denial of the right to vote based on skin color or literacy tests. It also outlined special policies that focused on enforcing the act in areas of the country where Congress believed discrimination to be the greatest.


Voting Rights Act of 1965 Despite many people’s efforts to ignore the movement that was beginning to take

shape in the South at the beginning of the 1960s, the nation couldn’t help but pay attention when a group of voting-rights activists, or people who work really hard in order to gain the right to vote, were killed in 1965. On March 7, 1965, policemen tried to stop a group of peaceful marchers who were on their way to Montgomery, AL. Police in Selma, AL attacked the crowd of peaceful protesters with clubs and tear gas, a special type of gas that causes eyes to burn and is commonly used to break up crowds. Police riding horses chased marchers who were running away, beating them with every step they took. Beatings and attacks had happened before this day, which is now known as “Bloody Sunday”, but the President could not ignore this horrific event. So, President Johnson started working on a voting rights bill that would give blacks the right to vote, a bill that would later become known as the Voting Rights Act.


I speak tonight for the dignity of man and the destiny of democracy, a certain type of

government in which the people choose their leaders by voting.

I urge every member of both parties — Americans of all religions and of all colors — from every section of this country — to join me in that cause.

At times, history and fate meet at a single time in a single place to shape a turning point in man's unending search for freedom. So it was at Lexington and Concord, so it was a century ago at Appomattox, and so it was last week in Selma, Alabama.

There is no Negro problem, nor is there a southern problem, nor is there a northern problem. There is only an American problem. And we meet here tonight as Americans — not as Democrats or Republicans — we meet here as Americans to solve that problem.

This was the first nation in the history of the world to be founded with a purpose. The great phrases of that purpose still sound in every American heart, north and south: "All men are created equal" — "Government by consent of the governed" — "Give me liberty or give me death...”.

Those words are a promise to every citizen that he shall share in the dignity of man. This dignity cannot be found in man's possessions, nor can it be found in his power or in his position. It really rests on his right to be treated as a man equal in opportunity to all others. It says that he shall share in freedom, he shall choose his leaders, educate his children, and provide for his family according to his ability and his merits as a human being.

Many of the issues of civil rights are very complex and most difficult, but this is an issue about which there should be no argument. Every American citizen must have an equal right to vote. There is no reason that can excuse the denial of that right, and there is no duty which

Word Count: 1024

CIVIL RIGHTS


Voting Rights Act of 1965 weighs more heavily on us than the duty we have to ensure that right.

Yet the harsh fact is that in many places in this country men and women are kept from voting simply because they are Negroes. Experience has clearly shown that the government cannot stop people who are determined to discriminate. No law that we now have on the books — and I have helped to put three of them there — can ensure the right to vote when local officials are determined to deny it.

In such a case, our duty must be clear to all of us. The Constitution says that no person shall be kept from voting because of his race or his color. We have all sworn an oath before God to support and to defend that Constitution. We must now act in obedience to that oath. On Wednesday, I will send Congress a law designed to eliminate illegal barriers to the right to vote.

To those who seek to avoid action by their National Government in their home communities — who want to and who seek to maintain purely local control over elections — the answer is simple: open your polling places to all people. Allow men and women to register and vote regardless of the color of their skin. Extend the rights of citizenship to every citizen of this land. There is no constitutional issue here. The command of the Constitution is plain. There is no moral issue. It is wrong — deadly wrong — to deny any of your fellow Americans the right to vote in this country. There is no issue of States’ rights or National rights, there is only the struggle for human rights. I have not the slightest doubt what your answer will be.

But even if we pass this bill, the battle will not be over. What happened in Selma is part of a much larger movement that reaches into every section and state of America. It is the effort of American Negroes to secure for themselves the full blessings of American life. Their cause must be our cause too, because it is not just Negroes, but really it is all of us, who must overcome the crippling legacy of bigotry and injustice. And we shall overcome this undesirable legacy.

Word Count: 1024

CIVIL RIGHTS

This great, rich, restless country can offer opportunity and education and hope to all—all black and white, all North and South, all sharecropper and city dweller. These are the enemies — poverty, ignorance, disease. They are our enemies, not our fellow man, not our neighbor. And these enemies too—poverty, disease, and ignorance — we shall overcome. The Outcome

President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 into law on August 6, 1965. This law prohibited the denial of the right to vote based on skin color or literacy tests, and it also outlined special policies that focused on enforcing the act in areas of the country where Congress believed discrimination to be the greatest.

Word Count: 462

CIVIL RIGHTS

When people talk about the Civil Rights Movement, they talk about Martin Luther King, Jr. They talk about Rosa Parks. They talk about the sit-ins. They talk about the Freedom Riders. Then, they talk about a man named Malcolm X. Young Malcolm

Malcolm Little was born the son of a Baptist minister named Earl. Earl fought for black rights. He had many white enemies. One group threatened to kill him. They wanted him to stop fighting for black rights. In 1929, Earl’s white enemies burned his family’s home down. Two years later, Earl was killed. Malcolm was angry. He started to hate white Americans. He blamed them for killing his father.

Losing his dad was not easy on Malcolm. He dropped out of school and went to New York. He started gambling. He did drugs. He stole. In 1946, he and a friend were caught stealing. He had to go to jail for ten years. While he was in prison, his brother Reginald visited him. Reginald told Malcolm that he had become a Muslim. A Muslim is a follower of the Islam religion. Malcolm studied the religion. By the time he was let out of jail, he had become a Muslim as well. He changed his name to Malcolm X. He thought "Little" was a slave name. Malcolm’s Faith

Malcolm quickly became a leader of Islam. He helped open new mosques. A mosque is a place where Muslims worship. He helped get almost 10,000 new followers for Islam. Many people loved him. There were also a lot of people who did not like him. They thought he was negative and harsh. Malcolm said that whites were the "enemy." He thought African Americans should make their own black state. Turning Point

When he became really famous, Malcolm started to struggle. He left his Muslim faith. He went on a trip and came back with a new idea. He realized hate was the enemy, not whites. He was starting to change his ways. Just as he started to change, he was killed. He was speaking in Manhattan when it happened. Three men shot him to death on February 21, 1965. In Comparison

Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were both important during the Civil Rights Movement. However, they had very different ideas. Malcolm was a Muslim. Dr. King was a Christian. Malcolm wanted people to fight segregation however they needed to. He thought violence was okay to use. Dr. King did not like violence. For most of his life, Malcolm X called Dr. King a "fool." Malcolm said Dr. King was teaching "Negroes to be weak." However, just before Malcolm was killed, his opinion changed. He started to understand Dr. King’s idea. Malcolm started to believe that the nonviolent approach might work.


Who was Malcolm X?


Who was Malcolm X? When people talk about the Civil Rights Movement, they talk about Martin Luther King,

Jr., Rosa Parks, the sit-ins, and the Freedom Riders. Then, they talk about a man named Malcolm X. Young Malcolm

Malcolm Little was born the son of a Baptist minister named Earl. Earl was a strong fighter for black rights. A racist white group sent lots of death threats to Malcolm’s father. They wanted him to stop fighting for black rights. In 1929, the Little's home was burned to the ground. Two years later, Earl was killed. Malcolm began to hate white Americans because of how they treated his father.

Malcolm’s childhood was hard on him. He dropped out of school and went to New York. He started gambling, doing drugs, and stealing. In 1946, he and a friend were caught stealing. He had to go to jail for ten years. While he was in prison, his brother Reginald visited. Reginald told Malcolm that he had recently become a Muslim. A Muslim is a follower of the Islam religion. Malcolm studied the religion. By the time he was let out of jail, he had become Muslim. He changed his name to Malcolm X. He thought "Little" was a slave name. Malcolm’s Faith

Malcolm quickly became a leader of the Nation of Islam. He helped open a lot of new mosques. A mosque is a place for Muslims to worship. He helped get almost 10,000 new followers for Islam. He was very popular with many people. But, a lot of people did not like him because he was negative and harsh. He said that whites were the "enemy." He thought African Americans should make their own black state. Turning Point

When he became really famous, Malcolm had some personal troubles. He left his Muslim beliefs. He went on a trip and came back with a new idea. He realized hate was the enemy, not whites. Just when he started to be more open to the equality of all people - not just African Americans, he was killed. He was speaking in Manhattan when three men shot him to death on February 21, 1965. In Comparison

Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were both important figures during the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. However, they had very different ideas. For one thing, Malcolm was a Muslim, and Dr. King was a Christian. Malcolm wanted people to fight segregation however they needed to - including violence. For most of his life, Malcolm X called Dr. King a "fool." Malcolm said Dr. King was teaching "Negroes to be weak." However, just before Malcolm was killed, he had started to see that nonviolent approaches to beating racism might work.

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CIVIL RIGHTS


Who was Malcolm X? When people talk about the Civil Rights Movement, they talk about Martin Luther King,

Jr., Rosa Parks, the sit-ins, and the Freedom Riders. Then, they talk about a man named Malcolm X. Young Malcolm

Malcolm Little was born the son of a Baptist minister named Earl. Earl was a passionate fighter for black rights. A racist white group, Black Legion, sent lots of death threats to Malcolm’s father to try to stop him from fighting for black rights. In 1929, the Little's home was burned to the ground. Two years later, Earl was murdered. Malcolm began to hate white Americans because his family was sure the Black Legion had killed Earl and burned down the house.

Malcolm was affected by his hard childhood. He dropped out of school and went to New York. He started gambling, doing drugs, and stealing. In 1946, he and a friend were caught stealing and given to ten years in jail. During his time in prison, his brother Reginald visited. Reginald told Malcolm that he had recently become a Muslim, a follower of the Islam religion. Malcolm studied the religion. By the time he was let out of jail, he had become Muslim. He changed his name to Malcolm X because he thought "Little" was a slave name. Malcolm’s Faith

Malcolm quickly became a leader of the Nation of Islam. He helped open a lot of new mosques, Islamic houses of worship. He helped get almost 10,000 new followers for Islam. He was very popular, but he was also criticized for his negativity and harsh approach to civil rights. He said that whites were the "enemy" and that African Americans should make their own black state. Turning Point

When he became famous, Malcolm had some personal troubles. He separated from the Nation of Islam. He went on a trip and came back with a new attitude. He realized hatred was the enemy, not whites. Just as he started to think more openly about the justice of all people - not just African Americans, he was killed. He was speaking in Manhattan when three men shot him to death on February 21, 1965. In Comparison

Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were both important figures during the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. However, Malcolm had very different ideas. For one thing, Malcolm was a Muslim, and Dr. King was a Christian. Malcolm wanted people to fight racism and segregation however they needed to - including violence. For most of his life, Malcolm X called Dr. King a "fool." Malcolm said Dr. King was teaching "Negroes to be weak." However, just before Malcolm was killed, he had started to see that nonviolent approaches to beating racism just might work.

Word Count: 449

CIVIL RIGHTS


Who was Malcolm X? When historians discuss the Civil Rights Movement, they talk about Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa

Parks, the sit-ins, and the Freedom Riders. Historians also talk about a man known as Malcolm X. Young Malcolm

Malcolm Little was born the son of an outspoken Baptist minister and passionate activist of black rights named Earl. The Black Legion, a racist all-white organization, sent numerous death threats to Malcolm's father during the 1920s in an effort to stop him from speaking out about black rights. In 1929, the Little's home was burned to the ground. Two years later, Earl was murdered. Malcolm was left with a strong hatred for white Americans. The Little's were sure the Black Legion had killed Earl and burned down their house.

Malcolm was affected by his difficult childhood. He dropped out of school and traveled to New York. He became involved in gambling, drugs, and theft. In 1946, he and a friend were caught stealing. Malcolm was sentenced to ten years in jail. During his time in prison, Malcolm’s brother Reginald visited him to tell him about his recent conversion to Islam. Malcolm began to study the religion. By the time he was released from jail, Malcolm was a devoted Muslim. Muslims are followers of the religion of Islam. He changed his name to Malcolm X because he thought "Little" sounded like a slave name. Malcolm’s Faith

Malcolm quickly became a leader of the Nation of Islam. He was appointed as the national spokesman for the group. He helped open many new mosques, or Islamic houses of worship, and he also used newspaper and radio communication to gain almost 10,000 new followers. He was very popular, but he was also widely criticized for his negativity and harsh approach to civil rights. He openly referred to whites as the "enemy" and argued that African Americans should make their own black state. Turning Point

Shortly after he became really famous, Malcolm X went through some personal troubles. This led him to separate from the Nation of Islam. He went on a trip and came back with a new attitude and a new hope. He realized hatred itself was the enemy, not the white race in general. Just as he began to think more openly about the justice of all people - not just African Americans - he was assassinated. Three gunmen shot Malcolm to death on February 21, 1965 while he was speaking in Manhattan, NY. In Comparison

Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were both important figures during the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. However, the two men took very different approaches towards achieving social change. For one thing, Malcolm X was a Muslim who primarily worked for the Nation of Islam. Dr. King, on the other hand, was a Christian who worked for the Christian Leadership Conference. Malcolm pushed his followers to defend themselves against racism and segregation "by any means necessary," even if this involved violence. For most of his life, Malcolm X called Dr. King a "fool." He thought King was teaching "Negroes to be defenseless." Malcolm's risky approach made Dr. King's safe approach seem much more tolerable to the country’s leaders in Washington D.C. However, as Malcolm X got older, he moved further away from the Nation of Islam. He also became less opposed to Dr. King's approach. Just before he was assassinated, Malcolm X started to see that nonviolent approaches to beating racism might actually work.

Word Count: 571

CIVIL RIGHTS


Who was Malcolm X? When historians discuss the Civil Rights Movement, they talk about Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa

Parks, the sit-ins, and the Freedom Riders. Historians also talk about a man known as Malcolm X. Young Malcolm

Malcolm Little was born the son of an outspoken Baptist minister and passionate activist of black rights named Earl. The Black Legion, a racist all-white organization, sent numerous death threats to Malcolm's father in an effort to prevent him from speaking out about black rights. In 1929, the Little's home was burned to the ground, and Earl was murdered just two years later. Malcolm was left with a strong hatred for white Americans because he was sure the Black Legion had killed Earl and burned down his family’s house.

Malcolm’s difficult childhood had a deep impact on him during his adolescent years. He dropped out of school and traveled to New York where he became involved in gambling, drugs, and theft. In 1946, he and a friend were caught stealing, and Malcolm was sentenced to ten years in jail. During his time in prison, Malcolm’s brother Reginald visited him to tell him about his recent conversion to Islam. Malcolm began to study the religion, and by the time he was released from jail, Malcolm was a devoted Muslim. Muslims are followers of the religion of Islam. He changed his name to Malcolm X because he thought "Little" sounded like a slave name. Malcolm’s Faith

Malcolm quickly became a leader of the Nation of Islam, and he was appointed as the national spokesman for the group. He helped open many new mosques, or Islamic houses of worship, and he used newspaper and radio communication to gain almost 10,000 new followers. He was very popular, but he was also widely criticized for his negativity and harsh approach to civil rights. He openly referred to whites as the "enemy" and argued that African Americans should make their own black state. Turning Point

Shortly after he became really famous, Malcolm X went through some personal troubles. This led him to separate from the Nation of Islam. He went on a trip and came back with a new attitude and a new hope. He realized hatred itself was the enemy, not the white race in general. Just as he began to think more openly about the justice of all people - not just African Americans - he was assassinated. Three gunmen shot Malcolm to death while he was speaking in Manhattan, NY on February 21, 1965. In Comparison

Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were both important figures during the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. However, the two men took very different approaches towards achieving social change. Malcolm X was a Muslim who primarily worked for the Nation of Islam, while Dr. King was a Christian who worked for the Christian Leadership Conference. Malcolm pushed his followers to defend themselves against racism and segregation "by any means necessary," even if this involved violence. For most of his life, Malcolm X called Dr. King a "fool" and said he was teaching "Negroes to be defenseless." Malcolm's risky approach made Dr. King's safe approach seem much more tolerable to the country’s leaders in Washington D.C. However, as Malcolm X got older and he moved further away from the Nation of Islam, he became less opposed to Dr. King's approach. Just before he was assassinated, he started to see that nonviolent approaches to beating racism might actually work.

Word Count: 573

CIVIL RIGHTS

Word Count: 404

CIVIL RIGHTS

Peaceful protests do not use violence. They send a message without anyone getting hurt. Boycotts, speeches, sit-ins, and marches are peaceful protests. There were many peaceful protests during the Civil Rights Movement. One important protest was the March on Washington.

The March on Washington was planned for two reasons. It was supposed to protest discrimination. It was also supposed to fight for job fairness. Many people planned to join the march. It took a lot of work to get ready for the march. Several leaders were in charge of planning. They were called the Big Six: Martin Luther King, Jr., Roy Wilkins, James Farmer, Whitney Young, Philip Randolph, and John Lewis. President John F. Kennedy helped, too.

The march took place on August 28, 1963. The group of marchers was the biggest group ever in Washington, D.C. About 250,000 people joined in. They traveled by plane, train, and bus to get to D.C. They filled the streets of the National Mall. Most of the march took place between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.

There were many events during the march. Important leaders gave speeches. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave one famous speech. It was called the “I Have a Dream” speech. He talked about his dreams for his children. King dreamed that they would not see discrimination or segregation.

FAST FACT: Dr. King wrote his speech a few hours before he spoke.

The protest worked! It kept the peace. It also made a powerful statement for the whole country to hear. Over 5,000 police officers were at the event, but no one was arrested. No one was hurt. After the march, the Civil Rights Movement gained more energy.

The leaders of the march had asked for several things during the march. They asked for a $2 per hour minimum wage. They asked for a law against job discrimination. They also asked for a law against school segregation. The leaders of the march met with President John F. Kennedy and other important government officers. The groups talked about how to move forward with gaining equal rights for all. Change did not happen right away, but the march pushed the fight for equality forward. FAST FACT: The Civil Rights Act was passed the year after the March on Washington. The Voting Rights Acts was passed the following year. These acts made segregation in public places illegal. They also made voting and job discrimination illegal.


March on Washington


March on Washington People involved with the Civil Rights Movement fought their battle with peaceful protests.

Peaceful protesting means showing disapproval without using violence. Civil rights activists used peaceful protests like boycotts, speeches, sit-ins, and marches. These actions and words fought for civil rights without violence. One of the most powerful protests was the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

The purpose of the March on Washington was to protest discrimination. The march was also meant to fight for equality in jobs. Many people planned to join the march. A lot of planning was needed to get ready for the big event. A group of leaders nicknamed the Big Six were in charge of planning: Martin Luther King, Jr., Roy Wilkins, James Farmer, Whitney Young, Philip Randolph, and John Lewis. Even President John F. Kennedy helped with the planning.

The march took place on August 28, 1963. The group of people that gathered for the march was the largest that Washington, D.C. had ever seen. Between 200,000 and 250,000 people joined in. They traveled by plane, train, and bus to get to D.C. They filled the streets of the National Mall. Most of the march took place between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.

Many events took place during the march. Several important leaders gave speeches in front of the Lincoln Memorial. One of the most famous speeches given was by Martin Luther King, Jr. His speech is remembered as the “I Have a Dream” speech. He talked about his vision for his future children. King dreamed that one day they would not face discrimination or segregation.

FAST FACT: Some sources say Dr. King’s famous speech was written only a few hours before he spoke.

The protest was a success in two ways. It kept the peace. It also made a powerful statement for the whole country to hear. Over 5,000 police officers were at the event, but no one was arrested. There was no violence. After the march, the Civil Rights Movement gained more energy.

The leaders of the march had asked for several things during the march. They asked for a $2 per hour minimum wage. They asked for a law against job discrimination. They also asked for a law against school segregation. The leaders of the march met with President John F. Kennedy and other important government officers. The groups discussed how to move forward with gaining equal rights for all. Change did not happen right away, but the march pushed the fight for equality forward. FAST FACT: The Civil Rights Act was passed the year after the March on Washington. The Voting Rights Acts was passed the following year. These acts made segregation in public places illegal. They also made voting and job discrimination illegal.

Word Count: 458

CIVIL RIGHTS


March on Washington Activists of the Civil Rights Movement fought their battle with peaceful protests. Peaceful

protesting means showing disapproval without violence. Civil rights activists used peaceful protests like boycotts, speeches, sit-ins, and marches to fight for civil rights without violence. One of the most powerful protests was the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

The purpose of the March on Washington was to peacefully protest discrimination and to take a stand for equality in jobs. Many people were planning to join the march, so a lot of planning was needed to prepare for the big event. A group of leaders nicknamed the Big Six were in charge of planning: Martin Luther King, Jr., Roy Wilkins, James Farmer, Whitney Young, Philip Randolph, and John Lewis. Even President John F. Kennedy was also involved in the planning. The event was scheduled to take place on August 28, 1963.

The group of people that gathered for the march was the largest that Washington, D.C. had ever seen. Between 200,000 and 250,000 people traveled to D.C to join the march. They traveled by plane, train, and bus. They filled the streets of the National Mall between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.

Many events were planned to take place during the march. Several important leaders gave speeches. A podium was set up in front of the Lincoln Memorial. One of the most famous speeches given was by Martin Luther King, Jr. His speech is remembered as the “I Have a Dream” speech. He talked about his vision for his future children. King dreamed that one day they would not face discrimination or segregation.

FAST FACT: Some sources say Dr. King’s famous speech was written only a few hours before he spoke.

The protest was a success in two ways. It kept the peace, and it made a powerful statement for the whole country to hear. Over 5,000 police officers were at the event. However, no marchers were arrested. No violence took place. After the march, the Civil Rights Movement gained more energy.

The leaders of the march had demanded several things during the march. They asked for a $2 per hour minimum wage. They asked for a law against job discrimination. They also asked for a law against school segregation. The leaders of the march met with President John F. Kennedy and other important government officers. The groups discussed how to move forward with gaining equal rights for all. Change did not happen right away, but the march pushed the fight for equality forward. FAST FACT: The Civil Rights Act was passed the year after the March on Washington took place in 1964. The Voting Rights Acts was passed the following year in 1965. These acts outlawed segregation in public places. They also outlawed discrimination related to voting and employment.

Word Count: 466

CIVIL RIGHTS


March on Washington Peaceful protesting was the weapon of choice for the people who worked hard to gain the

equality of all people during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Peaceful protesting means to express disapproval through words or actions without the use of violence. The people who were involved in the movement had a wide variety of peaceful protest options to use. Some boycotted, some gave speeches, some participated in sit-ins, and some joined in marches. One of the most powerful and well-known peaceful protests from the whole movement was the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

The entire purpose of the March on Washington was to peacefully protest the discrimination that African Americans faced in the United States at the time. It was also focused on taking a stand for equality in jobs. There was a great deal of planning that went into organizing the march because so many people were involved. A group of leaders nicknamed the Big Six were in charge of the logistics of the protest. The Big Six included Martin Luther King, Jr., Roy Wilkins, James Farmer, Whitney Young, Philip Randolph, and John Lewis. Even President John F. Kennedy was involved in the planning of the event. The march was scheduled to take place on August 28, 1963.

The gathering of people that participated in the march was the largest that Washington, D.C. had ever seen. Between 200,000 and 250,000 people traveled by plane, train, and bus from all over the country to participate in the march. The marchers filled the streets of Washington D.C. Most of the people gathered on the stretch between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial in the National Mall.

Some of the most memorable parts of the march were the speeches that were given. A podium was set up right in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Most famously, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. It was in this speech that Dr. King talked about his vision for the future when his children would one day face no discrimination or segregation.

FAST FACT: According to some sources, Dr. King’s famous speech was written only a few hours before he delivered it.

The protest made a powerful statement while also keeping the peace in the country. Over 5,000 police officers were present at the event. No marchers were arrested and no violence took place, though. After the march, the Civil Rights Movement gained more and more momentum. The leaders of the march demanded a $2 per house minimum wage. They also asked for a law against job discrimination and the elimination of school segregation. The leaders of the march met with President John F. Kennedy and other significant government officials to discuss how to move forward with gaining equal rights for all. Change did not happen right away, but the march certainly helped the fight for equality for all people progress. FAST FACT: The Civil Rights Act was passed the year after the March on Washington took place in 1964. The Voting Rights Act was passed the following year in 1965. These acts outlawed segregation and discrimination related to voting, employment, and in public places.

Word Count: 529

CIVIL RIGHTS


March on Washington Peaceful protesting was the weapon of choice for the civil rights activists who worked hard to

gain the equality of all people during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Peaceful protesting means to express disapproval through words or actions without the use of violence. The people who were involved in the movement had a wide variety of peaceful protest options to use. Some boycotted, some gave speeches, some participated in sit-ins, and some joined in marches. One of the most powerful and well-known peaceful protests from the whole movement was the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

The entire purpose of the March on Washington was to peacefully protest the discrimination that African Americans faced in the United States at the time and to take a stand for equality in jobs. There was a great deal of planning that went into organizing the march because so many people were involved. A group of leaders nicknamed the Big Six were in charge of the logistics of the protest. The Big Six included Martin Luther King, Jr., Roy Wilkins, James Farmer, Whitney Young, Philip Randolph, and John Lewis. Even President John F. Kennedy was involved in the planning of the event, which was scheduled to take place on August 28, 1963.

The gathering of people that participated in the march was the largest that Washington, D.C. had ever seen. Between 200,000 and 250,000 people traveled by plane, train, and bus from all over the country to participate in the march in D.C. The marchers filled the streets and gathered on the stretch between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial in the National Mall.

Some of the most memorable parts of the march were the speeches that were given from a podium that had been set up in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Most famously, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech, in which he talked about his vision for the future when his children would one day face no discrimination or segregation.

FAST FACT: According to some sources, Dr. King’s famous speech was written only a few hours before he delivered it.

The protest was successful in keeping the peace while also making a powerful statement that was heard by the entire country. Over 5,000 police officers were present at the event, but no marchers were arrested nor did any violence take place. After the march, the Civil Rights Movement gained more and more momentum. The leaders of the march had demanded a $2 per house minimum wage, a law against job discrimination, and the elimination of school segregation. The leaders of the march met with President John F. Kennedy and other significant government officials to further discuss how to move forward with gaining equal rights for all. Change did not happen right away, but the march certainly helped the fight for equality for all people progress and continue to move forward. FAST FACT: The Civil Rights Act was passed the year after the March on Washington took place in 1964, and the Voting Rights Act was passed the following year in 1965. These acts outlawed segregation and discrimination related to voting, employment, and in public places.

Word Count: 532

CIVIL RIGHTS

Directions: Answer these questions after you read the passage. Remember to begin your answer by restating part of the question, use direct evidence from the text, and explain your thinking.

KEY IDEAS & DETAILS 1.  Explain the impact of Plessy v. Ferguson. Cite evidence from the text. RI.1 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Explain how the Supreme Court sent a message about the importance of the segregation issue. RI.3 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Explain the case that Thurgood Marshall made. RI.3 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Explain why integration was a slow process after the Brown v. Board of Education ruling. RI.3 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Summarize the main idea of the section “Landmark Decision” in one sentence. RI.2 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ ©Teaching is the Sweetest Thing 54

Name __________________________________


TEXT-BASED EVIDENCE QUESTIONS


CRAFT & STRUCTURE 6. How does the text define the 14th Amendment? RI.4 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. How is the passage organized? (Chronological, cause/effect, comparison/contrast, description, problem/solution). Use evidence from the text to explain your answer. RI.5 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE & IDEAS 8. What is the author’s overall message of the text? What evidence did the author use in the passage to support her thinking? RI.8 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________


Name __________________________________




KEY IDEAS & DETAILS 1.  What does the passage list as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s inspiration? Cite specific things

and people from the text. RI.1 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Explain how Dr. King helped accomplish desegregation of buses. RI.3 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Explain how a nonviolent movement differs from other movements. RI.3 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Explain how Dr. King’s work changed after the March on Washington. RI.3 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. In one sentence, summarize Dr. King’s accomplishments that are listed in the article. RI.2 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________


Name __________________________________




CRAFT & STRUCTURE 6. Based on the context clues, explain the Bus Boycott as it relates to the term social justice. RI.4 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. How is the passage organized? (Chronological, cause/effect, comparison/contrast, description, problem/solution). Use evidence from the text to explain your answer. RI.5 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE & IDEAS 8. What is the author’s overall message of the text? What evidence did the author use in the passage to support her thinking? RI.8 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________


Name __________________________________




KEY IDEAS & DETAILS 1.  How does Dr. King describe a nonviolent fighter? Cite from the text. RI.1 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Explain what Dr. King believes to be the effects of violent fighting. RI.3 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Explain who the nonviolent fighter is battling according to Dr. King. RI.3 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Explain how Dr. King loves people who try to tear him down. RI.3 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Summarize the main idea of the speech in one sentence. RI.2 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________


Name __________________________________




CRAFT & STRUCTURE 6. Based on the context clues, what is the meaning of the speech subtitle, “Not to humiliate, but to win over?” RI.4 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. How is the passage organized? (Chronological, cause/effect, comparison/contrast, description, problem/solution). Use evidence from the text to explain your answer. RI.5 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE & IDEAS 8. What is the author’s overall message of the text? What evidence did the author use in the passage to support his thinking? RI.8 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________


Name __________________________________




KEY IDEAS & DETAILS 1. What rights does Kennedy list repeatedly that African Americans have been denied? Cite from the text. RI.1 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Explain the significance of President Kennedy’s reference to President Lincoln. RI.3 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Explain what Kennedy says he hopes to accomplish with Congress. RI.3 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Explain the meaning of fixing the “problem in the homes of every American”. RI.3 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. In one sentence, summarize the main idea of introduction to the article that discusses how this act honors President Kennedy. RI.2 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________


Name __________________________________




CRAFT & STRUCTURE 6. Explain why Kennedy asked so many questions in the second paragraph, concluding with “Do you want that life?” RI.4 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. How is the passage organized? (Chronological, cause/effect, comparison/contrast, description, problem/solution). Use evidence from the text to explain your answer. RI.5 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE & IDEAS 8. What is the author’s overall message of the text? What evidence did the author use in the passage to support his thinking? RI.8 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________


Name __________________________________




KEY IDEAS & DETAILS 1. According to the article, what event sparked this speech from President Johnson? Cite from the text. RI.1 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Describe President Johnson’s idea of the rights that every man should have. RI.3 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Explain what President Johnson means by a turning point in history. RI.3 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Explain what President Johnson thinks will happen even if the bill is passed. RI.3 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Summarize the main idea of the section “The Outcome” in one sentence. RI.2 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________


Name __________________________________

Voting Rights of 1965



CRAFT & STRUCTURE 6. Based on the context, explain why President Johnson mentions democracy. RI.4 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. How is the passage organized? (Chronological, cause/effect, comparison/contrast, description, problem/solution). Use evidence from the text to explain your answer. RI.5 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE & IDEAS 8. What is the author’s overall message of the text? What evidence did the author use in the passage to support his thinking? RI.8 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________


Name __________________________________




KEY IDEAS & DETAILS 1.  Explain the impact of Malcolm X’s childhood on his beliefs. RI.3 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Explain how Malcolm X became a Muslim. RI.3 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Summarize the main idea of the section “Turning Point” in one sentence. RI.2 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Explain the relationship between Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. RI.3 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. List the three most defining moments in Malcolm X’s life. Explain why each moment was important. __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________


Name __________________________________

Who was Malcolm X?



CRAFT & STRUCTURE 6. Based on the text, how is a mosque related to the Nation of Islam? RI.4 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. How is the passage organized? (Chronological, cause/effect, comparison/contrast, description, problem/solution). Use evidence from the text to explain your answer. RI.5 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE & IDEAS 8. Analyze Malcolm X as a person based on the evidence given in this text. RI.8 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________


Name __________________________________

Who was Malcolm X?



KEY IDEAS & DETAILS 1. According to the first paragraph of the text, what are some examples of peaceful protests? RI.1 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Explain the purpose and goal of the March on Washington. RI.3 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Describe the march. RI.3 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Explain the ways in which the march was successful. RI.3 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. List the leaders who were in charge of planning the march. RI.2 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________


Name __________________________________

March on Washington



CRAFT & STRUCTURE 6. Explain the meaning of the term “peaceful protest." RI.4 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. How is the passage organized? (Chronological, cause/effect, comparison/contrast, description, problem/solution). Use evidence from the text to explain your answer. RI.5 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE & IDEAS 8. What is the author’s overall message of the text? What evidence did the author use in the passage to support his thinking? RI.8 __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________


Name __________________________________

March on Washington



KEY IDEAS & DETAILS 1.  Explain the impact of Plessy v. Ferguson. Cite evidence from the text. RI.1 In 1954, most schools in America were still segregated, or separated, by skin color. The 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson case made this legal. 2. Explain how the Supreme Court sent a message about the importance of the segregation issue. RI.3 In December 1952, the Supreme Court put five court cases together. The five cases were put together to show that segregation in public schools was a problem in the whole country – not just in local towns. 3. Explain the case that Thurgood Marshall made. RI.3 Thurgood Marshall was the lawyer for the African-Americans. He argued that segregation in public schools violated, or went against, the 14th Amendment. The 14th Amendment said that all Americans had equal protection. Marshall also said that separating colored students from white made the colored students feel less important. The black students did not care about school as much because they felt less important 4. Explain why integration was a slow process after the Brown v. Board of Education ruling. RI.3 The Supreme Court knew the southern states would be mad about the Brown v. Board of Education ruling. So, there was not a set time for schools to be desegregated. This caused desegregation to take a long time. Full integration in southern schools finally happened in the late 1960s and 1970s. 5. Summarize the main idea of the section “Landmark Decision” in one sentence. RI.2 The Supreme Court made an important ruling that segregated schools were not equal, but full integration in southern schools did not happen until the late 1960s and 1970s.


Name __________________________________


KEY: TEXT-BASED EVIDENCE QUESTIONS


CRAFT & STRUCTURE 6. How does the text define the 14th Amendment? RI.4 The 14th Amendment said that all Americans had equal protection. 7. How is the passage organized? (Chronological, cause/effect, comparison/contrast, description, problem/solution). Use evidence from the text to explain your answer. RI.5 The text is organized chronologically. The text describes how the Plessy v. Ferguson case legalized the segregation of schools as background information. Then, the text explains how Oliver Brown’s case made it to the Supreme Court and how that later impacted the Civil Rights Movement that was brewing. INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE & IDEAS 8. What is the author’s overall message of the text? What evidence did the author use in the passage to support her thinking? RI.8 The Brown v. Board of Education decision changed America’s schools. It was also one of the most important events leading up to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. The author explained how the Brown v. Board of Education decision led to the desegregation of schools, something that African Americans had been fighting for in court since 1896.


Name __________________________________




KEY IDEAS & DETAILS 1.  What does the passage list as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s inspiration? Cite specific things and people from the text. RI.1 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a nonviolent movement. He learned from his Christian religion and a man named Mahatma Gandhi. 2. Explain how Dr. King helped accomplish desegregation of buses. RI.3 Dr. King was in charge of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. For a year, African Americans boycotted the buses by walking everywhere. After 381 days, the Supreme Court desegregated public transportation. 3. Explain how a nonviolent movement differs from other movements. RI.3 A nonviolent movement is a movement that tries to change people’s minds without using violence, riots, or cause any physical harm or damage. A nonviolent movement makes use of things like boycotts and protests. 4. Explain how Dr. King’s work changed after the March on Washington. RI.3 After the March on Washington, Dr. King worked hard to get better treatment for poor people. He focused on world politics, such as the fact that he did not like the Vietnam War. He thought the war caused too much violence that was not necessary. 5. In one sentence, summarize Dr. King’s accomplishments that are listed in the article. RI.2 Dr. King led the bus boycott, spoke at the March on Washington, and won the Nobel Peace Prize. He lived an important life. However, the most important thing Dr. King did was help make the Civil Rights Movement a nonviolent fight.


Name __________________________________




CRAFT & STRUCTURE 6. Based on the context clues, explain the Bus Boycott as it relates to the term social justice. RI.4 Social justice means the fair treatment of all people. During the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a group of African Americans stopped using the buses for transportation. Their boycott was a way of showing they did not agree with the way things were. They were fighting for fair treatment for all people within the transportation system. 7. How is the passage organized? (Chronological, cause/effect, comparison/contrast, description, problem/solution). Use evidence from the text to explain your answer. RI.5 The text is organized chronologically. The text describes how Dr. King first became involved in the Civil Rights Movement through the Montgomery Bus Boycott. The text describes other things Dr. King did or inspired others to do during the movement. The text ends with explaining how Dr. King died and the legacy he left behind. INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE & IDEAS 8. What is the author’s overall message of the text? What evidence did the author use in the passage to support her thinking? RI.8 Dr. King lived an important life. The most important thing Dr. King did was help make the Civil Rights Movement a nonviolent fight. The text describes some of Dr. King’s nonviolent methods and the impact that his actions had. One example is the Montgomery Bus Boycott that led to fair treatment for all people within the transportation system.


Name __________________________________




KEY IDEAS & DETAILS 1.  How does Dr. King describe a nonviolent fighter? Cite from the text. RI.1 Dr. King says that the nonviolent resister tries to be his enemy’s friend. He tries to get his enemy to understand him. We do not want to beat the white people. We do not want to embarrass them. We want to win the friendship of all of the people. 2. Explain what Dr. King believes to be the effects of violent fighting. RI.3 Fighting with violence only causes more bad feelings. Fighting with nonviolence fixes relationships and makes a loving community. 3. Explain who the nonviolent fighter is battling according to Dr. King. RI.3 The nonviolent fighter is fighting the unfair. The fight is between the right and wrong. And if the nonviolent fighter wins, they are winning fairness for everyone 4. Explain how Dr. King loves people who try to tear him down. RI.3 Dr. King loves his adversaries with agape love. Agape is understanding, healing love for all men. It is a love that does not want anything back. When you love like this, you do not love men because they are good people or because they do good things. You love them because God loves them. It is the love that stands at the heart of the goal. It is what Dr. King wants to carry to the Southland. 5. Summarize the main idea of the speech in one sentence. RI.2 Dr. King believes that the nonviolent fighter wants to win the friendship of all people, fix relationships, and make a loving community by loving all with agape love


Name __________________________________




CRAFT & STRUCTURE 6. Based on the context clues, what is the meaning of the speech subtitle, “Not to humiliate, but to win over?” RI.4 Dr. King does not aim to beat the white people or embarrass them. He wants to win the friendship of all of the people. Fighting with violence only causes more bad feelings. 7. How is the passage organized? (Chronological, cause/effect, comparison/contrast, description, problem/solution). Use evidence from the text to explain your answer. RI.5 The text is organized in a cause/effect structure. Dr. King describes what it means to be a nonviolent resister. He describes the impact or effect that a nonviolent resister can have on his adversaries. INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE & IDEAS 8. What is the author’s overall message of the text? What evidence did the author use in the passage to support his thinking? RI.8 Dr. King’s speech is a persuasive one that seems to be aimed at an audience of African Americans. He wants to convince them that they should be nonviolent fighters. He explains that the nonviolent fighter wants to win the friendship of all people, fix relationships, and make a loving community by loving all with agape love.


Name __________________________________




KEY IDEAS & DETAILS 1. What rights does Kennedy list repeatedly that African Americans have been denied? Cite from the text. RI.1 Americans should be able to attend any public school, not have to worry about getting attacked, get equal service in public places, not have to worry about being sent out in the street, vote in an election, and enjoy the rights of being American. 2. Explain the significance of President Kennedy’s reference to President Lincoln. RI.3 One hundred years ago President Lincoln freed the slaves. Today, their grandsons are not totally free. American is founded on valuing freedom, but right now, we are telling the world that this is the land of the free unless you have dark skin. It goes against everything Lincoln fought for. 3. Explain what Kennedy says he hopes to accomplish with Congress. RI.3 He is asking Congress to sign a law that will give all Americans the right to be served in public places. He is also asking for Congress to further protect African Americans’ right to vote. 4. Explain the meaning of fixing the “problem in the homes of every American”. RI.3 He is asking Congress to sign a law that will give all Americans the right to be served in public places. He is also asking for Congress to further protect African Americans’ right to vote. 5. In one sentence, summarize the main idea of introduction to the article that discusses how this act honors President Kennedy. RI.2 The best way to honor President Kennedy's memory is to pass the Civil Rights Act, which outlawed segregation, that Kennedy fought so long for.


Name __________________________________




CRAFT & STRUCTURE 6. Explain why Kennedy asked so many questions in the second paragraph, concluding with “Do you want that life?” RI.4 President Kennedy asks questions like this to appeal to his audience and to get them to empathize with (or step in the shoes of) African Americans. The questions he asked were ones that he knew no reasonable person would answer yes to. 7. How is the passage organized? (Chronological, cause/effect, comparison/contrast, description, problem/solution). Use evidence from the text to explain your answer. RI.5 The text is organized in a problem/solution structure. President Kennedy describes the current quality of life for many African Americans. He then proposes that the solution to this problem is for Congress to pass several laws regarding fair treatment, but more importantly for Americans to change their hearts. INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE & IDEAS 8. What is the author’s overall message of the text? What evidence did the author use in the passage to support his thinking? RI.8 President Kennedy is pleading for the help of all Americans to move the United States ahead and give African Americans the kind of equal treatment that all Americans would want for themselves. He gives evidence of the current quality of life for African Americans to encourage empathy and understanding from Americans. He references what President Lincoln fought for to show that it is a matter that involves this country and what it stands for.


Name __________________________________




KEY IDEAS & DETAILS 1. According to the article, what event sparked this speech from President Johnson? Cite from the text. RI.1 On March 7, 1965, police tried to stop peaceful marchers in Selma, AL by attacking them with clubs and tear gas. This day was called “Bloody Sunday”. Beatings and attacks had happened before this, but the President could not ignore this one. 2. Describe President Johnson’s idea of the rights that every man should have. RI.3 President Johnson believes that every man should pick his leaders, educate his children, and take care of his family as well as he can. 3. Explain what President Johnson means by a turning point in history. RI.3 President Johnson referenced major turning points in American history in the hunt for freedom. Lexington and Concord freed Americans from the British. Appomattox was one of the last battles of the Civil War that freed all slaves. The American Revolution and the Civil War were two of the most significant moments in American history that forever changed the nation. Including Selma, AL as one of the nation's turning points is a way of saying that the country needs drastic change. 4. Explain what President Johnson thinks will happen even if the bill is passed. RI.3 Even if we pass this bill, the battle will not be over. What happened in Selma is part of a much bigger problem than just voting rights. Negroes need to gain the full blessings of American life. We need to join their fight for the right to be full American citizens. 5. Summarize the main idea of the section “The Outcome” in one sentence. RI.2 President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which made it illegal to keep any American from voting based on skin color or literacy.


Name __________________________________




CRAFT & STRUCTURE 6. Based on the context, explain why President Johnson mentions democracy. RI.4 President Johnson references democracy because it is the type of government in which people pick the leaders by voting. The United States government is a democracy, therefore, it is essential that all citizens of the country have the right to vote. By definition, America can’t be a democracy if every citizen can’t vote. 7. How is the passage organized? (Chronological, cause/effect, comparison/contrast, description, problem/solution). Use evidence from the text to explain your answer. RI.5 The text is organized in a problem/solution structure. President Johnson describes the rights that African Americans are denied. He then proposes that the solution to this problem is for Congress to pass a law to protect the African Americans’ right to vote, but more importantly for Americans to help protect that right for all to vote, based on the principles of democracy. INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE & IDEAS 8. What is the author’s overall message of the text? What evidence did the author use in the passage to support his thinking? RI.8 President Johnson argues that America should offer opportunity and education and hope to all. He points out that the Constitution is simple. It is wrong —deadly wrong— to stop any American from voting. It is an issue of human rights. He demands the support of Americans.


Name __________________________________




KEY IDEAS & DETAILS 1.  Explain the impact of Malcolm X’s childhood on his beliefs. RI.3 Malcolm Little’s dad was a Baptist minister who fought for black rights. A racist white group sent lots of death threats to Malcolm’s father. In 1929, the Little's home was burned to the ground, and two years later, Earl was killed. Malcolm began to hate white Americans because of how they treated his father. 2. Explain how Malcolm X became a Muslim. RI.3 While Malcolm was in prison as a young man, his brother Reginald visited. Reginald had recently become a Muslim. Malcolm studied the religion. By the time he was let out of jail, he had become Muslim. 3. Summarize the main idea of the section “Turning Point” in one sentence. RI.2 When he became really famous, Malcolm had some personal troubles, left his Muslim beliefs, and changed his way of thinking. He became more open to the equality of all people - not just African Americans. 4. Explain the relationship between Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. RI.3 Malcolm X’s goal has always been the same as Dr. Martin Luther King's even though they approach accomplishing it differently, and in the racial climate of the country during that time, there is not telling which approach will deliver the solution. 5. List the three most defining moments in Malcolm X’s life. Explain why each moment was important. 1 - Starting when he was young, Malcolm began to hate white Americans because of how they treated his father and how difficult they made his childhood. 2 - While he was in prison, his brother Reginald visited, which ultimately led Malcolm to become Muslim. 3 - When he became really famous, Malcolm had some personal troubles, left his Muslim beliefs, and returned with more of an open idea about how to fight for civil rights.


Name __________________________________

Who was Malcolm X?



CRAFT & STRUCTURE 6. Based on the text, how is a mosque related to the Nation of Islam? RI.4 A mosque is a place for Muslims, who are members of the Nation of Islam, to worship. 7. How is the passage organized? (Chronological, cause/effect, comparison/contrast, description, problem/solution). Use evidence from the text to explain your answer. RI.5 The text is organized chronologically. The text describes Malcolm X’s childhood, his conversion to the Nation of Islam, his political involvement, and then his death in the order in which these events occurred. INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE & IDEAS 8. Analyze Malcolm X as a person based on the evidence given in this text. RI.8 Malcolm was a passionate person who fought hard for what he believed in. He devoted his life to fight for the equality of African Americans. He was a strong leader. He quickly became involved in the Nation of Islam and was appointed as the national spokesman. He was also a good public speaker. In his younger years, Malcolm was harsh and believed in violence, as he told any who would listen. As he grew older and had more life experience, his heart softened, and he stopped advocating for violence.


Name __________________________________

Who was Malcolm X?



KEY IDEAS & DETAILS 1. According to the first paragraph of the text, what are some examples of peaceful protests? RI.1 Civil rights activists used peaceful protests like boycotts, speeches, sit-ins, and marches. 2. Explain the purpose and goal of the March on Washington. RI.3 The purpose of the March on Washington was to protest discrimination. The march was also meant to fight for equality in jobs. 3. Describe the march. RI.3 The march took place on August 28, 1963. Between 200,000 and 250,000 people joined in. They filled the streets of the National Mall. Most of the march took place between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. Many events took place during the march. Several important leaders gave speeches in front of the Lincoln Memorial. 4. Explain the ways in which the march was successful. RI.3 The protest was a success in two ways. It kept the peace. It also made a powerful statement for the whole country to hear. Over 5,000 police officers were at the event, but no one was arrested. There was no violence. After the march, the Civil Rights Movement gained more energy. Change did not happen right away, but the march pushed the fight for equality forward. 5. List the leaders who were in charge of planning the march. RI.2 A group of leaders nicknamed the Big Six were in charge of planning: Martin Luther King, Jr., Roy Wilkins, James Farmer, Whitney Young, Philip Randolph, and John Lewis. Even President John F. Kennedy helped with the planning.


Name __________________________________

March on Washington



CRAFT & STRUCTURE 6. Explain the meaning of the term “peaceful protest." RI.4 Peaceful protesting means showing disapproval without using violence. 7. How is the passage organized? (Chronological, cause/effect, comparison/contrast, description, problem/solution). Use evidence from the text to explain your answer. RI.5 The passage is organized in a chronological structure. The passage describes the purpose for planning the march, the events that took place during the march, and the outcome of the march. INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE & IDEAS 8. What is the author’s overall message of the text? What evidence did the author use in the passage to support his thinking? RI.8 People involved with the Civil Rights Movement fought their battle with peaceful protests. One of the most powerful protests was the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The leaders of the march had asked for several things during the march. After the march was over, the civil rights leaders met with President John F. Kennedy and other important government officers. The groups discussed how to move forward with gaining equal rights for all. Change did not happen right away, but the march pushed the fight for equality forward.


Name __________________________________

March on Washington


1.  About the Text:

1.  How long did it take for the Brown v. Board of Education case to reach

a decision?

2.  This passage included legal terms and phrases. Find and define the following terms: appeal, file a case, represent, decision.

2.  Beyond the Text:

1.  The Brown v. Board of Education ruling made a huge difference in the public school system. It also helped pave the way for future desegregation, not just in schools. Explain how this court ruling could lead to further decisions in favor of equal treatment for African Americans.



TEACHER’S GUIDE: WHOLE GROUP DISCUSSION


1.  What were some of the major cities that Dr. King worked in? What do

these locations have in common? What does this tell you about the United States during this time period?

2.  List the major events of the Civil Rights Movement that Dr. King was involved in.

3.  List examples of major legislation that Dr. King helped bring about.


1.  Dr. King had a significant impact on the Civil Rights Movement. His most significant impact came from his commitment to fighting through nonviolence. Use details from the text to explain how he accomplished this.

2.  The actions of the people involved in the riots on the day of Dr. King’s death went against everything Dr. King stood for. Use details from the text to support this.





1.  What are the three different types of love that Dr. King defines? What

“context” are they used in?

2.  What are the different things that Dr. King mentions the African Americans had to “get over” or “overcome” when demonstrating nonviolent resistance?


1.  Dr. King has strong reasoning behind his push for nonviolent resistance. Use evidence from the speech excerpt to explain his reasons for nonviolence.





1.  What are the three main things President Kennedy is hoping that this

legislation will accomplish?

2.  President Kennedy includes many statistics about the oppression of the African Americans. Share one or two that stood out as most shocking to you.

3.  Did President Kennedy live to see the Act passed?


1.  President Kennedy continually reinforced the importance of a good education for African Americans. Using details from the text, explain what Kennedy sees as the negative impact of a bad education.





1.  What happened on Bloody Sunday? Was it the first time something like

this (smaller in scale) had happened?


1.  Why would President Johnson argue that the right to vote is so important?

2.  President Johnson mentions three enemies to overcome: poverty, disease, and ignorance. Which of these obstacles does the Voting Rights Act of 1965 try to overcome? Explain your answer using details from Johnson’s speech.

3.  Do a little research to remind yourself of the significance of what happened at Lexington and Concord, as well as what happened at Appomattox. Explain why President Johnson made these references when explaining the significance of what happened at Selma.





1.  What was the key difference between Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther

King, Jr.?

2.  How did Malcolm’s childhood affect his beliefs?

3.  What led Malcolm to a turning point? How did he change his opinions?


1.  Some historians claim that Malcolm’s harsh approach made Dr. King’s

approach seem more acceptable in Washington. Explain how this could be possible using evidence from the text and your knowledge of Dr. King’s movement.


Who was Malcolm X?



1.  What were the different methods that civil rights leaders used in order

to send a message about fairness and equality?

2.  Why do you think the article mentions that 5,000 police officers were present, but no arrests were made? Why is this significant?

3.  What types of “demands” did the leaders of the march make?


1.  The March on Washington was one of the most important events of the

Civil Rights Movement. Using evidence from the text, explain why the march was so impactful and important.


March on Washington


On the following page, you will find a copy of the order for the “Desegregation of the Armed Forces.” It is a very difficult text, so read through it was a class or in a small group. Use the following questions to lead a discussion after the reading. 1.  About the Text:

1.  Which presidential role gives President Truman the power to make an

executive order such as this?

2.  President Truman goes beyond declaring the desegregation of the armed forces. What else did he do to ensure fair treatment in the armed forces?


1.  President Roosevelt originally issued Executive Order 8802 in 1941 to prohibit racial discrimination in the armed forces. Use details from the text to explain how President Truman’s Executive Order expanded on President Roosevelt’s.


Desegregation of Armed Forces



Desegregation of Armed Forces Executive Order 9981

Establishing the President’s Committee on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity In the Armed Forces.

It is important in the United States Armed Services that everyone who serves the country is treated equally and given equal opportunities: As President of the United States and as Commander in Chief of the Armed Services, I order the following: 1. There will be equal treatment and opportunity for everyone in the armed services. All races, colors, religions and national origins will be treated equally. This policy will begin as soon as possible. It is understood that it takes time to make changes. 2. There will be a new committee. It will be called the President's Committee on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Services. The President will pick seven members. 3. The Committee has permission to look closely at the rules, procedures and actions of the armed services. The Committee will decide which rules, procedures, and actions need to be changed or improved. The Committee will meet with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of the Navy, and the Secretary of the Air Force. The Committee helps these leaders protect the equality of everyone. 4. Everyone who works in the government must work with the Committee. The Committee can ask for help with any information or services they may need. 5. When the Committee asks something, people in the armed services or government workers have to answer the Committee honestly and give the Committee any information needed. 6. The Committee will continue to work until the President decides it is not needed anymore.

Harry Truman The White House

July 26, 1948

Word Count: 262

CIVIL RIGHTS


Name __________________________________

Content-Specific Vocabulary

TEXT-BASED EVIDENCE TASK

Directions: Use the following table to record new vocabulary you learn through reading passages about the Civil Rights. Write the word, then a definition based on the context.

Word Meaning

Directions: Use the following table to record new vocabulary you learn through reading passages about the Civil Rights. Write the word, then a definition based on the context. Then, write an example sentence using the vocabulary word. Underline the word in the sentence.


Name __________________________________



Word Meaning Sentence

Directions: For each vocabulary word, create an illustration and write a meaningful definition based on the context of the sentence.


Name __________________________________



_________________

_________________ _________________ _________________ _________________

_________________

_________________ _________________ _________________ _________________

_________________

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_________________

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_________________

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_________________

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_________________

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KEY: TEXT-BASED EVIDENCE TASK

Word Meaning

Appeal To apply to get a case heard by a higher court (like the Supreme Court)

Segregate To separate or divide

Violate To go against a rule or agreement

Nonviolent movement Fighting for civil goals without violence, instead using methods like boycotts and sit-ins

Social justice Fair treatment for all people

Boycott To stop using something to show disapproval

Protest To show disapproval of something

Humanity The human race

Eros Greek word meaning a romantic love, like between a husband and wife

Philia Greek word meaning a love between good friends

Agape Greek word meaning an understanding, creative, healing love for all men that doesn’t ask for anything in return

Democracy A type of government in which people choose the leaders by voting

Muslim Follower of the Islamic faith

Mosque Place of worship for Muslims

Directions: Use the following table to record new vocabulary you learn through reading passages about the Civil Rights. Write the word, then a definition based on the context.

Directions: Use what you have learned so far in Social Studies to chart the key events in the battle for Civil Rights in the United States. Begin with the Civil War.


Name __________________________________

Timeline of Events


1860

1870

1880

1890

1900

1910

1920

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

Directions: Use what you have learned so far in Social Studies to chart the key events in the battle for Civil Rights in the United States. Begin with the Civil War.


Name __________________________________

Timeline of Events

KEY: TEXT-BASED EVIDENCE TASK

1860

1870

1880

1890

1900

1910

1920

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1896 Plessy v. Ferguson

establishes “separate, but

equal”

1865 13th Amendment abolishes slavery

1868 14th Amendment grants blacks due

process 1870 15th Amendment

grants blacks the right to vote

1863 Lincoln writes the

Emancipation Proclamation to free slaves from

rebel states

1964 Civil Rights Act

makes discrimination and segregation illegal

1965 Voting Rights Act gives all citizens equal right to

vote

1948 President Truman

orders desegregation of the

army

Mo

de

rn C

ivil

Rig

hts

M

ove

me

nt

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Documents

Paperless Versions - Miss Becker's Fifth Grade Class