Many students have a hard time wrapping their heads around why men and women let themselves be treated in such a oppressed way. Hopefully, what you have learned thus far helps put this into perspective. There is probably no other story that illustrates the power of the color line as the lynching of Emmett Till. In the summer of 1955, Till, who was only 15 years old, was taken out of his uncle's home and lynched because he supposedly whistled at a white woman. His lynching, along with the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision helped launch the modern day civil rights movement.

Up to this point in history, we have read about the formation of black organizations, the strength of the black church and black presses. It is evident that the black community had strong social institutions in place, so when Till was lynched and schools were ordered to desegregate, the community was willing and able to jump into action. A photo of Till's lynched body was published in Jet Magazine. This photo angered, saddened and helped propel many in the black community into action.

With the past 5 weeks under your belt, you should have a solid understanding of what African Americans were fighting for, what philosophies and ideologies they used, who the national leaders were, the role of African American women, the role of White America and how the United States changed after the movement concluded.

In addition, you will learn how the civil rights movement helped unleash Black Power, what Malcolm X was really about, and how African Americans tried to gain more cultural power through the Black Arts Movement.

Course Objectives:

Identify the various methods and philosophies used to campaign for advancements in civil rights by the African American community.

Understand the significance of past historical events on issues surrounding the African American community today

Weekly Objectives:

Understand how the theory of civil disobedience impacted the southern protest strategy

Identify the various key leaders and organizations during the civil rights and black power movements

Identify how the U.S. government helped and hindered the civil rights movement

Understand the goals of the civil rights movement and how these goals differed depending on geography.

Examine stereotypes concerning the civil rights movement and why they exist

In this lesson, we will discuss:

The significance of Brown v. Board of Education and how white supremacy challenged the Supreme Court's ruling.

The leaders, tactics and philosophy of the modern civil rights movement.

The role of Federal Government as ally, and opponent, to the movement.

The role of the youth and students within the movement.

The rise of Black Power and why African Americans became more angry during the 1960s.

Malcolm X and the ideology of the Nation of Islam and other separatist groups of the era.

African American protests to the Vietnam War and the role of the African American soldier in Vietnam.

 Chapter 21: The Freedom Movement

Why is Brown v Board of Education one of the most important Supreme Court decisions of the 20th Century?

How did white southerners'strategy of massive resistance affect the modern civil rights movement?

How did black women and children challenge segregation and discrimination in their communities?

Who were the leaders of the modern civil rights movement?

How did the federal government support and at times thwart the freedom movement?

What role did "ordinary" or local people play in the civil rights movement? How did children contribute to the struggle for social Why did the federal government intervene in the civil rights movement? What were the major pieces of legislation enacted, and how did they dismantle legalized segregation?

What were the ideologies, objectives, and tactics of the major civil rights organizations and their leaders?

Who were some of the people who lost their lives in the struggle?

What were the major successes and failures of the freedom movement? What intergenerational tensions plagued the movement? How did the movement transform American politics and society?
 
Chapter 22: Black Nationalism, Black Power, Black Arts

Why did African Americans in Watts, Newark, and Detroit rebel in 1965-1967? What did these rebellions suggest about the value of the civil rights movement victories?

How did the visions and ideals, successes and failures of Martin Luther King Jr. compare with those of Lyndon Johnson? Why were these men at odds with each other?

What role did African Americans play in the Vietnam War?

In what ways can the presidency of Richard Nixon be considered progressive? Which reforms initiated by President Johnson did Nixon advance once he took office? What was "the southern strategy"?

How did the black power movement stimulate black culture?

What were the major ideological concerns of the artists of the black arts movement? To what extent did James Baldwin and Amiri Baraka have similar views about art consciousness, aesthetics, and politics?

Why did African Americans not form a third political party? Why was the rise of black elected officials so significant?

Why were African Americans disappointed with the presidency of Jimmy Carter?