Narrative: "The year is 1955. Two boys, on a hot summer day in Mississippi, decide to go fishing at the Tallahatchie River. Their lines snag something at the bottom. Something too heavy to reel in. What they found that day is widely considered to be the spark that ignited the Civil Rights Movement. They found the body of Emmett Till."
Human Rights are so often taken for granted in our part of the world. In the American South, particularly the area south of Dakota and east of Texas, the quality of life for African-Americans was horrifying. They weren't just denied the right to vote, they were persecuted and relegated to the poorest living conditions, and segregated at every level of society. (Primary source news coverage link at photo.)
Slide presentation Intro to key concepts: "Resistance!"
Step One: Those of you in the two rows nearest the wall, turn your desks to face the window. Those of you nearest the window, turn your desks to face the wall. We'll have a space going down the center of the room. If you're facing the window, you are North Jackson, Missisppi. Those of you facing the wall are South Jackson. The space down the center is the railway tracks. You'll soon find out what that means.
Step Two: You're on a mission to answer the question, "What the hell were they thinking?" You'll uncover characteristics of both sides of the tracks and compile a list of the assumptions and realities that perpetuated inequality in the Deep South. Suggestions of items to include are on the handout, as are helpful resource sites. Don't feel limited to these. "Assumptions Activity"
Step Two: You're on a mission to answer the question, "What the hell were they thinking?" You'll uncover characteristics of both sides of the tracks and compile a list of the assumptions and realities that perpetuated inequality in the Deep South. Suggestions of items to include are on the handout, as are helpful resource sites. Don't feel limited to these. "Assumptions Activity"
Wrap Up: Assumptions discussion. "What if?" scenarios. Resolve narrative about what the kids found while fishing in the Talahatchie River in 1955. Mission for Lesson Two.
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