Digital History
Digital History: To the Heart of Dixie
In the early 1960s civil rights activists put the ban on segregation to the test. In 1961, "Freedom riders," boarded buses headed south to test the federal ban on segregated travel. And in 1962, the University of Mississippi was ordered...
Curated OER
National Park Service: The Chicano Movement
Site provides information on the major concepts that fueled the Chicano Movement: focus on politics, economic change, education reform, challenging the Catholic Church, cultural renaissance, and Chicano expression.
Other
Letter From Birminghham Jail [Pdf]
This letter shares Martin Luther King's reflections about his involvement in peaceful demonstrations. The letter provides historical information about the plight of African Americans throughout history and why he and others are so...
NBC
Nbc Learn: Finishing the Dream: 1962 1963: Standoffs
A collection of archival video clips highlighting the efforts of African Americans to fight racial segregation in education. Looks at the struggle of James H. Meredith to attend the University of Mississippi in 1962, and the resulting...
CommonLit
Common Lit: "Emmett Till" by Jessica Mc Birney
CommonLit.org is a wonderful resource to use in a Language Arts classroom. Each story or article is accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. In addition, students can click on words to see...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Constitutional Rights Foundation: Race and Voting in the Segregated South
Article and activity in which students read and analyze the historic challenges faced by African Americans as they sought to gain an unimpeded right to vote in the segregated South followed by activity asking students to evaluate current...
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Asking, Making of African American Identity: V. 3
Attempts by African Americans to petition for their civil rights are described within this resource. This include attempts by the black citizens of Charleston to ask for civil rights by petition rather than demand them with protest.
Other
Key People in Labor History: Asa Philip Randolph (1889 1979)
Biographical essay on A. Philip Randolph, one of the organizers of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. He was also very active in civil rights and the movement to end discrimination in the military and defense industries.
PBS
Pbs: This Far by Faith: The Black Arts Movement
From PBS this is "The Black Arts Movement" as part of the series "This Far by Faith", which examines the role of faith in the civil rights cultural movement from the 1940s through 1960s in the U.S..
CommonLit
Common Lit: "The Sit in Movement" by Us history.org
A learning module that begins with "The Sit-in Movement" by USHistory.org, accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as a PDF or assigned online through free teacher...
PBS
Pbs: Negroes With Guns: Rob Williams & Black Power
Tells the story of civil rights activist Rob Williams and his belief that Black Americans needed to draw guns on violent racists.
Curated OER
National Park Service: Dr. King's Leadership and Character [Pdf]
This lesson plans looks at the leadership and character of Dr. King, and encourages students to draw connections to their lives. More lesson plans from the national parks service on civil rights and Dr. King can be found here:...
PBS
Pbs American Masters: Ralph Ellison
A cross-curricular lesson plan from PBS on Ralph Ellison's novel, "The Invisible Man." Ties a U.S. History study of the struggle for equality and civil rights with an analysis of the novel.
Alabama Humanities Foundation
Encyclopedia of Alabama: Selma to Montgomery March
One of the most famous events in Civil Rights history, this report covers the Selma to Montgomery March for voting rights.
Other
American Rhetoric: Malcolm X: The Ballot or the Bullet
This is the text of the speech "The Ballot or the Bullet" delivered by Malcolm X on April 3, 1964, in Cleveland, Ohio. He focuses on Civil Rights.
Other
Aclu: Women's Rights
This resource contains a summary of the role of the ACLU in gaining women's rights in a variety of areas. Informative timeline is available.
iCivics
I Civics: Breaking Barriers: Constance Baker Motley
Meet a woman who broke all the barriers to become a champion for civil rights: Constance Baker Motley lawyer, state senator, and federal judge. [1:52]
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Voting: Making of African American Identity: V. 3
The efforts to secure African American voting rights in Mississippi are described within this resource. Anne Moody's, "Coming of Age in Mississippi", a four-part memoir recounts her childhood and young adulthood in racist rural Mississippi.
Ducksters
Ducksters: Civil Rights for Kids: Timeline
Kids learn about the timeline of the history Civil Rights in the United States including major milestones in the African-American, disabled, Native American, and women's suffrage movements.
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Source: Civil Rights
The Smithsonian offers a variety of teaching supplements to be used in lessons on civil rights such as documents, teaching strategies, and historic photographs. Civil rights for other minorities are also discussed.
Black Past
Black Past: Baker, Ella
This encyclopedia article tells about Ella Baker, one of the most influential women in the civil rights movement.
Black Past
Black Past: Adams, Victoria Jackson Gray
This brief encyclopedia article tells about Victoria Gray Adams, a leading member of the civil rights movement in Mississippi. It includes links to websites containing her collection of papers.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Us History: 1945 1980: Liberation Movements of the 1970s
Learn about the emergence of the American Indian Movement, the gay rights movement, and second-wave feminism.
Other
Student Historical Journal 1984 1985: Women's Rights Before the Civil War [Pdf]
Read an overview of the pre-Civil War women's rights movement in a student essay in an historical journal from Loyola University. Find out about specific activists prominent during this time period and learn about their attempts to...