ACent ur y of Civ il Right s
1
Looking for new workers in our factories Ford proudly employs people of all color!
2
Ev ery l unch combo sol d gi v es 5 dol l ars to th e A meri can Eq ual Ri gh ts A ssoci ati on
On t his school bus, you can sit wher e ever you want ! 3
Ta bl e o f Co n t en t s New s Ci vi l Ri ghts Ti mel i ne: 1900-2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 8 Bl oody Sunday: The M arch that Changed Everythi ng. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 10 By: M addie M orrison The Battl e to I ntegrate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 12 By: Eliza Favrot Japanese I nternment.: The Truth Behi nd the Cover up Story . . . . . . . . . . . . page 14 By: Lynton Cook Solvi ng the M ystery of M al com X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 16 By: John Carter Scott Presi denti al Candi dates Battl e Over Ci vi l Ri ghts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 18 By: M atthew Busenlener The A f fect of Boycotts on the Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 20 By: Olivia Francis Carolyn Bryant Speak s the Truth A bout Emmett Ti l l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 22 By: Brooke Reiss
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Ta bl e o f Co n t en t s A rts Turni ng the Pages of Turni ng 15 on the Road to Freedom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 26 By M addie M orrison Flyi ng Through the Pages of Flygi rl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 30 By Eliza Favrot Nati on H orri f i ed af ter Chi cago Teenager i s K i dnapped and K i l l ed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 34 By Lynton Cook The M arch f or Freedom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 38 By John Carter Scott K i l l i ng A M ock i ngbi rd i s a Si n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 42 By M atthew Busenlener The Fi ght to I ntegrate Central H i gh School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 46 By Olivia Francis Wal k i ng the Path to I ntegrati on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 50 By Brooke Reiss A Peacef ul Warri or: M aya A ngel ou . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 52 By M addie M orrison Pai nti ng f or Equal i ty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 54 By Eliza Favrot The Paper that Stunned the Country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 56 By Lynton Cook Photos of War and the Costs of Tak i ng Them . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 58 By John Scott A M ovi e That Changed the Worl d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 60 By M atthew Busenlener 1968 Olympi cs Sal utes Bl ack Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 62 By Olivia Francis M ari an A nderson Si ngs f or Ci vi l Ri ghts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 64 By Brooke Reiss
5
VOTE FOR DWIGHT EISENHOWER 6
If you w an t t o pass t h e Civil Righ t s Act of 1957
New s 7
Civ il Right s Ti 1928 - Birth of Maya Angelou
1955 - Death of Emmett Till and Mississippi Trial
1941 - Japanese Internment starts
1939 - Marian Anderson sings for Civil Rights at Lincoln Memorial
1960 - Publication of To Kill A Mockingbird and Dryades St. Boycott
1960s - Police and other civilians beat African Americans in the street
1954 - Brown vs. Board of Education and Desegregation of schools 8
1964 - Presid Election betw Barry Goldwa Lyndon B. Joh
1965 Malcolm Bloody
1962 - To Kill A Mockingbird the movie is released
imel ine1900 - 2017
dential ween ater and hnson
2002 - Publication of Mississippi Trial, 1955
2008 - Publication of Flygirl
1968 - Mexico City Olympics
Death of m X and y Sunday
2007 - Publication of My Mother the Cheerleader
1994 - Publication of Warriors Don't Cry
9
2013, 2015, 2016 Publications of March trilogy
2015 - Publication of Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom
Bloody Sunday: The Mar ch That Changed Ever yt hing By Maddie Mor r ison Bloody Sunday was a horrific day in United
the number of African American citizens that
States history and was the preface to a major
were registered voters in Alabama.
Civil Rights milestone. Martin Luther King Jr.,
During
the
Leadership
February 17, 1965, Jimmie Lee Jackson was
Conference, and the Student Nonviolent
fatally shot by an Alabama state trooper. This
Coordinating Committee led a series of
violence caused an uprising which led to the
marches in January and February of 1965 to
scheduling of a march from Selma to
the
These
Montgomery. On March 7, 1965, a nonviolent
protests resulted in the arrests of thousands,
march of 600 people for African American
including Martin Luther King Jr.. The number
suffrage and equal rights began in Selma,
of African Americans that were arrested
Alabama. The upstanders crossed over the
between 1964 and 1965 were larger than
Alabama River on the Edmund Pettus Bridge,
Southern
Dallas
The marchers walked over the Edmund Pettus Bridge, but then were met shortly after.
10
Christian
County
Courthouse.
a
peaceful
demonstration
on
The police and deputies killed 14 people but about 50 people were injured..
but were blocked by state troopers and
21, 1965, the last march for suffrage was
local police shortly after getting off the
completed, Martin Luther King Jr. and two
bridge. The marchers were ordered to turn
other Civil Rights groups organized a 54
around and told were that they had two
mile
minutes to dismantle the march, but they
Montgomery to get the attention of the
continued anyways. The police disregarded
Governor of Alabama, George Wallace. This
their warning and attacked the marchers
time the marchers were protected by the
before the two minutes had elapsed. The
National
marchers were tear-gassed, clubbed, spat
permission from the Federal court to take
on, whipped, trampled by horses, and yelled
300 marchers, but
at by the segregationists and deputies. The
demonstration had reached the Alabama
attack hospitalized over 50 people and
capitol building there was 25,000 people.
killed 14.
Though African Americans had the right to
This incident was reported and televised all
vote, there were many laws in place and
over the world. The news of the march
threats used to prevent African Americans
outraged and inspired more activists to
from exercising their rights. In Selma
stand up for black suffrage. Within 48 hours,
Alabama, half of the population was African
80 cities had held demonstrations to
American, but only 2% were registered
support Bloody Sunday victims.On March
voters. All of that changed after the Voting
11
long
march
from
Guard. The
Selma
upstanders
to
had
by the time the
Rights Act was passed on August 6, 1965.
The Bat t le t o Int egr at e By Eliza Favr ot the
Advancement
of
Colored People filed a lawsuit
against
the
Topeka, Kansas School Board on behalf of Oliver Brown,
an
American
African
man
daughter?s
whose
acceptance
into an all white school in
his
Topeka,
hometown Kansas
of was
A mother and daughter sitting on the steps of a court house while the mother denied because of the explains the significance of the Brown vs. Broad of Education court ruling.
color of her skin. The Now considered one of the greatest
NAACP also represented four other cases
Supreme Court decisions of the 20th
regarding the issue of segregation in public
century, Brown vs. Board of Education was
schools. It was argued in court that black
the Supreme Court case that integrated the
and white schools were not equal and by
public school system. The case reversed the
black
ruling of the 1896, Plessy vs. Ferguson case
education to white children, they were not
which made segregation in public spaces
going to succeed in life. It was also argued
legal, as long as they were equal. Though
in court that studies had proven that black
the case was not successful in immediately
children felt secondary to white children at
integrating public schools, it did play a big
the time and that black girls had low racial
role
self esteem because of the segregated
in
beginning
the
civil
rights
movement. In 1951, the National Association for 12
children
receiving
an
unequal
school system. The court ended up voting against
Brown
and
the
National
Association for the Advancement of Colored
African
People saying that the black and white
unequal education to the white children,
schools were equal enough to pass the
this justified that ?separate but equal? was
Plessy vs. Ferguson requirements. Brown
in fact not true and segregation in public
and the NAACP then decided to appeal the
schools was unconstitutional.
case to the Supreme Court.
American
children
receive
an
On May 17, 1954, the Supreme Court
In 1952, the Supreme Court agreed to
judge delivered the opinion of the court
hear the compilation of the five cases under
which was that ?separate but equal? was
the name of Brown vs. the Board of
however not true and segregation in public
Education. The
by
schools was unconstitutional. The court
Thurgood Marshall, a lawyer who later
began to ask attorney generals from each
became the first African American Supreme
state to plan how they were going to
Court justice. Marshall stated that the
desegregate the public school system .
segregation of public schools violates the
Though schools were not integrated until
Equal
the 14th
years later, Brown vs. Board of Education is
Amendment which claims that all people
credited for beginning the process of
are equal no matter the color of their skin.
unifying all children of the United States
By segregating the schools and having the
into one equal school system.
13
Protection
case
was
Clause of
argued
Fort Myer Elementary School on the first day of integration, September 8, 1954.
Japanese Int er ment : The Tr ut h Behind t he Cover up St or y By Lynt on Cook The Japanese Internment was a
forgotten. Two months later, President
crucial example of the disregard of Civil
Roosevelt issued a relocation to any
Rights,
The
legal citizens and aliens of Japanese
Japanese Internment was a series of
descent. He stated to the public that this
events
by
in
American
which
forces.
the
American
government relocated Japanese people living in the United States. This was an uncivilized
action
which
action was to protect the Japanese people. During this time Americans were angry with them and wanted to let
caused
Japanese people to have less space, food, and rough living conditions. The United States government violated the Civil Rights that the free country of America allows our citizens. America Stated that it was for the good of the Japanese civilians, but others thought different. Japanese Family shows up to find their house vandalized by angry Americans.
The Japanese Internment started on December 7, 1941, when the Pearl Harbor bombing took place. President Roosevelt was shocked by the events that occurred on December 7, and said it 14
was a date that
will never
be
out their anger against the Japanese. Americans would fight and vandalize many Japanese properties to make a statement. The government stated that there would be a risk of violence if they
let Americans live near Japanese people.
Different sources had other ideas of what
the government
was trying to
accomplish. These ideas suspected that the
Japanese
were
giving
away
information and being eyes on the inside for Japan. Researchers could never figure out if these source were valid, but do know that they gave valid reasoning on
Usual Japanese Internment camps had blocks of homes that are shared by one family. Usual Japanese Internment camps had blocks of homes that are shared by one family.
why they thought it. Since Japan just bomb the United States, they may have been After
four
years
and
countless
looking for information that could help lawsuits
America
made
a
public
stop any attacks by the United States. No announcement
for
their
matter what the reasons were for America mistake.Throughout
the
four
years
to relocate Japanese people, America still America showed an aspect of themselves, violated the basic Civil Rights of citizens. that
most
people would not
expect.
The Japanese citizens of America had their Before their apology America went against belongings taken away, were moved, and the Civil Rights and made a coverup to often were separated from their families, hide
their
mistake.
The
government
based on assumptions that they had moved innocent United States citizens, about Japan. This was racist because and were stripped of the privacy, equality, Japanese people were treated in different and well being for committing no crimes. ways because of their race and ethnicity. The Japanese Internment was a violation 15
of our country's rights that it gives us.
Solving t he Myst er y of Malcolm X By John Scot t nation
of
firebombed,
Islam The
was black
Muslims had been trying to get Malcolm evicted for a while. The day of Malcolm was shot he was speaking at
a
rally
organization.
for
his
When
he
spoke Malcolm normally had 20 plus police officers. Malcolm X ispeaks before his death
Malcolm X's assassination is different
When he was shot he had zero. This allowed the assassins to walk in undetected.
from that of other deaths important to the
This leads some people to
Civil Rights Movement. Emmett Till, JFK, and
government was involved in planning his
Martin Luther King?s death all were revisited
assassination because they viewed him as a
by federal agents, Malcolm?s was not. Born to
threat due to his militant philosophy. Besides
a controversial preacher, who would later be
the lack of officers, Malcolm's personal
murdered by a white supremacist. Malcolm
security made no effort to stop the gunmen
grew up in Omaha before moving. to
when they stood up to fire, they go out of the
Michigan.
way. Thomas Hagan was convicted with the
After he was arrested for burglary he came
murder. Malcolm was hit 15 times and two
across Elijah Muhammad's teachings. He
others were injured. Because the Nation of
converted to Muslim and became one of their
Islam had firebombed his house and his
most prominent figures, but in 1964 he
ongoing feud with the Nation of Islam,
decided to split from the religion. One week
everyone thought it was simple. Muslims did
before his death, his home, owned by the
it.
16
think the
But because of he lack of security and this telegram from president Hoover "Do something about Malcolm X enough of this black violence in NY?, could this mean the case was shut down too quickly. Is this why the government never revisited the case? There is no way to tell for sure. But scholars and authors have started to revisit the civil rights icon?s death. Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the Black Muslims, said there was no way it was one of his followers because they were not allowed to carry guns. Malcolm X was killed by three assassins on February 21 1965 in Washington Heights, New York City, New York.. As he became more
Malcolm X looks through the window of his home with a gun
prominent he became less and less militant but that did not matter because
public safety. Malcolm X was shot when
he was widely viewed as a threat to
he was 39 years old in the Audubon Ballroom in Manhattan.
Fo r ev er y 5 p each es b o u gh t , A m er i cu s Far m A n d Peach C O . w i l l d o n at e $2.0 0 t o t h e St u d en t N o n v i o l en t C o o r d i n at i n g C o m m i t t ee. 17
Pr esident ial Candidat es Bat t le Over Civil Right s By: Mat t hew Busenlener Rights history for years to come. The dominant issue addressed throughout the entire
campaign
was
Civil
Rights.
Goldwater fed the Civil Rights subject more than anyone by using the South?s lack of support for Civil Rights to his advantage, and basing his campaign around the white backlash against Civil Rights. For example, Goldwater pushed to abandon black voting and suggested that America hold back on integrating schools. Goldwater candidate Republican Barry Goldwater
The Presidential Election of 1964 is considered the largest and most brutal racial battle for presidency in modern American history. The nominees for the election were Barry Goldwater and Lyndon B. Johnson. Lyndon B. Johnson won in a
beat in
the
Rockefeller,
another
election, for
nominee in
the
this manner.
Rockefeller was a strong supporter of racial equality, and Goldwater was able to win over the entire Southern region of America with his discouragement of Civil Rights. All in all, the presidential election of 1964 was almost completely based aroundgCivilgRights
landslide, but not before contributing to an election that would go down in Civil
While Barry Goldwater was not a racist person, and while he believed blacks
18
and white were equal before the law,
this is that he lost his support within
he pretended to be racist in an
the Northern states, and other states
attempt to appeal to the white
that supported CivillRights.
supremacists in the South. As such,
Unlike Goldwater, Lyndon B.
the majority of Goldwater?s speeches
Johnson publically supported racial
were
Southern
equality throughout his campaign.
audiences. He even went as far as
He believed it necessary to leave
voting against the Civil Rights Act of
segregation
intended
for
behind.
During
the
campaign, he said ?Until justice is blind to color, until education is unaware of race, until opportunity is unconcerned with the color of men's skins,
emancipation
will
be
a
proclamation but not a fact." Johnson received
a
plethora
discouragement supremacists,
from and
of white
held
strong
against it throughout his entire campaign and presidency. He later went on to be one of the most Lyndon B. Johnson
1964 to gain support. While this
in history. The Presidential Election
political decision by Goldwater was
of 1964 went down in history as
purposed to strengthen his support
the most
in the South, he actually had a decrease in support. The reason for
19
supportive presidents of Civil Rights
election History.
in
Civil
Rights related
Modern
American
The Ef fect of Boycot t s on The Economy By Olivia Fr ancis African-Americans were denied the
A local example of boycotting during the
right of important and high paying jobs
Civil Rights was in New Orleans on
because of Jim Crow Laws, and the lack of
Dryades St. In April of 1960 the Consumers?
high paying jobs caused poverty in black
League of Greater New Orleans started
communities. Due to the absence of high
boycotts of the Dryades stores because
paying
Americans,
they would not hire African-Americans for
protesters started to boycott businesses
important jobs. College students from
that did not not hire blacks including,
Xavier, Dillard, Southern University, and
lunch counters, movie theatres, hotels, and
Tulane protested outside of the stores and
amusement parks. During this time, there
forced many of the businesses to close or
was a high demand for economic justice
move to white suburbs. By the end of the
and the boycotting resulted in many white
protesting, the Dryades shopping area was
businesses closing.
almost empty.
jobs
for
African
The boycotts not only in New Orleans, they were spread out all over the South. The boycott of Tuskegee, Alabama lasted four years and 75% of white businesses in the area closed due to the lack of business they were receiving. Blacks could were not hired for
high-paying jobs, but
The
Tuskegee Civic Association leader, Dr. The Dryades Boycott of 1960 in New Orleans Louisiana took place in April of 1960. 20
Charles Gomillion, planned to change that by starting the boycott ?Shop with your
friends?. During the boycott, instead of
votes.
going to the Tuskegee stores, shoppers
Overall the most memorable and impactful
went
to
peaceful
protest
was the March on
Opelika and
Washington
Montgomery
people
which
Washington, D.C. Their goal was to create
brought many
of
which all
included
races who
200,000 came
to
in
equal economic and job opportunities in
new
the workplace. Empowering speakers and
customers
singers like Martin Luther King Jr., Mahalia
to
Jackson, and Bob Dylan all came together to support equal job rights. African-Americans fought a long hard
Charles Gomillion
who
journey to get equal paying jobs and fair
ended up doing very well due to the new
opportunities, and they finally were able to
income of crowds. Dr. Charles Gomillion
achieve their goal, after years of prejudice,
was sued for starting the boycott illegally
hate,
predominantly
black
businesses
and
hardships.
and the case was brought to the Supreme Court, as Gomillion vs. Lightfoot. Gomillion won the case and the black district votes were counted equally to the white district
The March on Washington , 1963 was aimed to gain economic and civil rights for African Americans. 21
The United States Depar tment of Justice
"Who Prosecutes on Behalf of Justice"
Car olyn Br yant Speak s t he Tr ut h About Emmet t Till By: Br ooke Reiss IImagine being kidnapped at gunpoint,
The trial for Emmett Till?s murder consisted
brutally beaten, then shot in the back of the
of an all-white jury. Due to this racial bias,
head. That is what happened to a fourteen
the men were not found guilty. In court,
year old African American boy from Chicago
Bryant and Milam?s main argument was that
named Emmett Till in 1995. They found his
the body found in the river was not the boy
body in the Tallahatchie River three days
that they kidnapped. They stuck to this
later. Twenty one year old, Carolyn Bryant
argument
claimed that Emmett Till sexually assaulted
members identified the body and they even
her in a grocery store. Her husband, Roy
found a silver ring with Emmett?s father?s
Bryant, his brother, J.W. Milam, and one other
initials.
unidentified white male killed Emmett Till.
even
though
many
family
In court, Carolyn Bryant claimed that Emmett Till grabbed her by the waist and
After they murdered him, the men tied a
whispered profanity in her ear. She said this
heavy gin fan to his body with barbed wire,
because she did not want her husband to go
and dumped his body in the Tallahatchie
to jail. She admitted in an interview in 2017
River. Emmett lived in Chicago, but he came
with Timothy B. Tyson for his new book, The
to Tallahatchie County in Mississippi to visit
Blood of Emmett Till, that she lied and said
his great uncle, so he may not have been
that Emmett Till sexually assaulted her. She
aware of the dangers of being black in the
now says that, ?Nothing that boy did could
south during this time. It was from his great
ever justify what happened to him.? Emmett
uncle?s house that he was kidnapped. They
Till?s death played a major role in raising
beat up his great uncle then stole Emmett
awareness for white supremacy and for
from
equal
his
own
family?s
home.
rights.
Mamie Till Mobley, the mother of Emmett Till, unsuccessfully tried to sue the state of 22
Mississippi for the death of her son. She was so
depressed, that
she
contemplated
committing suicide but decided against it. She made the top of her son?s casket glass so that everyone could see what white supremacy looks like. His death and his mother?s cause helped spark a fire in the Civil
Rights Movement. The death of
Emmett Till will always be remembered for its gruesome details and the affect it had on many.
This is Carolyn Bryant, the wife of Emmett Till's murderer, Roy Bryant.
This is Emmett Till, the young man who was murdered in 1955.
23
Mamie Till, the mother of Emmett Till, weeps by her son's coffin at his funeral.
Come t o t he Bir mingham Civil Right s Inst it ut e on Sat ur day for t he for t he opening of of our new Nor man Rockwell exhibit exhibit . It is our newest per manent addit ion.
24
Ar t s 25
Tur ning t he Pages of Tur ning 15 On The Road To Fr eedom By Maddie Mor r ison ?And the deep inside of me
By
all of the fear that
time
the
something might happen to Lynda
Martin Luther King Jr., and illustrations of Lynda and her journey. The narrative is based mainly out of Selma, Alabama in the 1950s
me - and the pain and
turned
and 1960s during the suffrage marches. The
anger that had dr iven me
15, she
book examines the life of Lynda Blackmon
ther e - w as r eleased.?
was
Lowery, an African American teenager who
- Ly nda Blackmon Lower y
arrested
becomes a voting rights activist for other
nine times and had been nearly killed by the police during an attack on a civil rights march called Bloody Sunday. Turning 15 On The Road To Freedom, written by Lynda Blackmon Lowery, is an amazing book that provides
Lynda Blackmon Lowery
insight into the lives of African Americans that lived during the early and mid 1900s. This biography, published in 2015, gives the reader a new perspective on the hatred and pain that African Americans endured while upstanding for voting rights and equality. This narrative examines what defending civil rights meant and the personal stories of Lynda.
African Americans who faced discrimination every day. Turning 15 also tells the stories of other upstanders, such as Leroy Moten, a black 19 year old that is forced to leave Selma to avoid being murdered by the Klu Klux Klan,
Throughout Turning 15 On The Road To
and Mrs. Viola Liuzzo, a woman who was
Freedom, images are displayed of historic
shuttling people to Selma after the march to
events and people, such as the Ku Klux Klan
Montgomery, but was killed by Klansmen
and 1 important civil rights activists such as Dr.
during a trip back. This biography tells the
stories of the hardships that hundred of thousands of African Americans faced every day. The book forces the reader to sympathize with all who experienced segregation. In result of Lynda?s story being told as a first-hand account, it gives details that make her experiences come to life. A major event that is explored by Turning 15 On The Road To Freedom is Bloody Sunday. Bloody Sunday was
The illustration of Lynda's sister, Joanne, being held after she fainted, takes place during Bloody Sunday.
into standing up for yourself and for those who could not stand up for themselves. The early and mid 1900s were an extremely difficult time for almost all African Americans The and while reading the memoir, the cover of Turning understanding of this time is expanded and 15 depicts deepened for the reader. activists marching to Montgomery, Alabama.
a horrific event where state troopers and sheriffs attacked peaceful marchers with an aim to kill them; one of these marchers included Lynda. The narrative also explains in detail what being a marcher was like. It expresses the fear and the bravery that went 1
Lynda and some of her family are shown at her mothers funeral
and how when people work together they Rosa Parks was arrested after she refused to leave the white only section of a bus.
become stronger and they can leave a larger footprint. Turning 15 On The Road To Freedom is an amazing example of the trials and tribulations that thousand of African Americans faced while fighting for civil Lynda Blackmon Lowery makes her
opinions and feelings of what people of her race went through come to life. Her hate of George Wallace, the segregationist governor of Alabama, how people from Northern cities come to the south to support the marchers, and the love and brotherhood that she and her neighbors and fellow activists share are
rights. It shows that the rights that almost 38 million Americans have were not handed to them. They were earned by the loss of lives, the torture, the pain and the
"We must be r eady to go to jail by the thousands. Our cr y ... is a simple one. Give us the ballot!" - Dr . M ar tin Luther King Jr .
all clearly noted as important to her and her
heartaches of thousands upon thousands of
mission. Throughout the book the ideas of
people. This narrative does contain dark and
togetherness and support are celebrated:
almost impossible to read scenes and shows
times when she and other marchers are in jail
the heart wrenching aspects of what African
and are protecting each other, to when
Americans lived through. It discusses a topic
students stay behind at school to take tests for
that should not be shied away from, though it
those who are marching, and from Caucasians
could be postponed until the reader is
who came from all over the country to support
prepared to take on the pain of the civil rights
and fight for rights for others. The book clearly
movement. This book would be an excellent
demonstrates the importance of teamwork
addition to anyone's bookshelf and would be thoroughly enjoyed by every reader. 300 people walked from Selma to Montgomery to peacefully fight for suffrage.
26
A l ex a - H ow can I su p p or t bl ack h i stor y m on th ?
v i si t w w w.bh m aw ar en ess.com
COVERGIRL Easy Breezy Beaut if ul Ever y 4 0 % of each d ollar t hat is m ade will g o t o t he United States Com m ission on Civil Rig ht s. 27
Flying Thr ough t he Pages of Flygir l By: Eliza Favr ot ? ?Daddy, I?m gonna be a pilot in the U.S Army,?I whisper. ?Your little girl is gonna fly again. She is gonna fly.?? When Ida Mae Jones hears of an opportunity for women to fly planes in the U.S Army during World War II, she can barely contain her excitement. There is just one problem, she is black. Published in 2009, Sherri L. Smith?s Flygirl gives readers an inside look at the struggles and lack of civil rights women and African Americans had in the 20th century. This fictional war-time novel will leave readers on the edge of their seats as Ida Mae takes on the risk and sacrifice of World War II with bravery and courage. Ida Mae Jones is an African American girl whose father taught her how to love flying planes. After her father died, Ida Mae did not know if she would ever fly again. In the 1940s when the United States entered World War II, and her brother is drafted into the military, Ida Mae realizes that she wants to do something to help her country in a time of loss and hardship. Though her 28
The cover of Sherri L. Smith's Flygirl depicts protagonist Ida Mae Jones in a pilot's uniform.
family warned her about the consequences of pretending to be a white girl, she decides to give back by applying to be a pilot for the Women?s Airforce Service Pilots, a program that trains women to be pilots for
the army. Ida Mae is a
light-skinned African American girl who must use her light skin to pass as white so she
can help out her country while
pursuing her passion of flying, even if it means leaving her Louisiana home for a Texas military base. Flygirl helps depict the unknown importance of women in the U.S during World War II.
?You ar e w ho y ou ar e Ida M ae. Black or w hite, r ed or br ow n, y ou can?t change it.? Ida Mae suffers from a lack of civil rights throughout the entirety of the novel. She faces obstacles such as discrimination because of the color of her skin when trying to join the army. She is told by friends and family that the army would never allow an African American woman to fly
planes;
however,
she
Authentic Women Airforce Service Pilots from the 1940s.
perseverance by not giving up her on dream to fly. Instead of giving up, she took a chance and succeeded, and as a result, she was accepted into the Women?s Airforce Service Pilots program. Though she was risking her life by fighting for her country, she was forced to hide the fact that she is African American.
showed
Sherri L. Smith 29
Ida Mae suffers from discrimination
women to fly planes, people said that the women who applied for the jobs are crazy, and they would never succeed. The WASP women ended up proving many wrong by showing that they did have the skills to fly planes, just as well as men could. Flygirl captures the struggles of women A group of African American Women's Army Corps members in February of 1945.
and African Americans who were trying to
not only because of the color of her skin,
would appeal to readers who are interested in
but also because she is a women. All of the
learning about the roles that women played in
women in the Women?s Airforce Service
World War II. This inspiring novel will take
Pilots program, also referred to as the
readers back to the 1940?s and have them
WASP
experiencing the realities of war that were
program,
experience
inequality
because of their gender. The abilities of women were underestimated by men everywhere in the early 1900?s. When news breaks that the U.S army will be training
30
make a living during World War II. The novel
faced
by
many
during
World
War
II.
Cr ayola Suppor ts All Color s
For every pack of markers purchased during the month of February, $1.00 will be donated to the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee. 31
Nat ion Hor r if ied af t er Chicago Teenager is Kidnapped and Killed By: Lynt on Cook
"The Jim Cr ow law s kept the
Mississippi Trial, 1955 is a historical fiction
N egr oes pr etty much stuck
novel, explaining the unfairness of Civil
w her e they wer e- w ith no
Rights during the mid 1950?s, because of a
hope of things ever getting better ." - Hir am Hillbur n
difference in treatment between races. Mississippi Trial, 1955 takes place in the deep south during 1955. Hiram, the protagonist,
grew
up
in
Greenwood
Mississippi with his grandparents. Mississippi Trial, 1955 is a story of a young black boy whose murder helped sparked the Civil Rights Movement. The Mississippi Trial, 1955 written by Chris Christopher Crowe
Crowe in 2002, is sure to grab the attention of young adults who are looking for a book that will put the reader on the edge of a seat throughout the whole book. ?Some awful things happened to a Negro kid named Emmett Till, and I was right in the
His father and mother wanted to
middle of it, smack in the heart of crazy,
move out west, away from the South with
senseless hatred.? says Hiram, the fictional
Hiram. First his father had to get a degree,
protagonist. Hiram is stuck between with
Hiram
what he believes right and side of his
grandparents, while his father was at
grandfather, which is the wrong side.
college. Seven years after Hiram left
32
decided
to
live
with
his
Mississippi he was allowed to come back for one summer. When arriving in Mississippi, after seven years of being gone, Hiram came across Emmett Till at the train station. Emmett, a young boy from Chicago, traveled to Mississippi to visit with his uncle and cousins for the summer. Hiram Hillburn was with R.C. Rydell when they came across Emmett. R.C. being the racist person he was, had beaten him up and threatened to kill him. A couple days later Emmett was
Emmett Till
kidnapped and killed, during this time R.C. Mississippi Trial, 1955 shows the undeniable truth about a young colored boy who was brutally murdered .
This book will grab the attention of the reader, by creating
a background
knowledge on the Civil Rights movement. Mississippi Trial, 1955 shows what it was like in the deep South and the realistic rights of colored people. This book will change the reader's perspective of this time period, by showing the unfairness and racism involved in the 1950?s society. Throughout the novel there are examples of unfairness between whites and blacks. The tone and plot help
went missing. Throughout the book there are
describe the setting and characters of this
the mysteries of where R.C. are, who killed
novel. Throughout the book we see a change
Emmett, and what will happen during the
in Hiram?s opinion about the topic and how
trial.
society treats different races. When Hiram first left Mississippi as a child, he loved it
33
and thought it was the best life. In fact,
pureness. Depicting not what the reader
when Hiram left Mississippi to go west, he
wants to hear, but from the true Mississippi
already wanted to head back there one day.
Trial of 1955. The unfairness between races
Seven years later he visited home for the
demonstrates the bravery and horrific
summer, and became more involved in
truthfulness of the pain that thousands felt. Many readers who enjoy the Civil rights movement will be really intrigued with what this book provides. This book may offend
some
readers
by
using
foul
language, graphic images of fighting, and racism, but is an inspiring book that can provide the reader with a new view on the Civil rights Movement. Mississippi Trial, 1955 is an amazing book for anyone who is looking to learn and understand more Defendant Roy Bryant was with his wife and son during the trial.
about the Civil Rights Movement and what helped spark the it.
what was happening around town. He soon realized how much colored people were being discriminated, in the south.
" Some
aw ful
things
happened to a N egr o kid
Overall Mississippi Trial, 1955 is an
named Emmett Till, and I
excellent book that readers will enjoy. This
w as r ight in the middle of it,
novel helps create an idea of the struggles
smack in the hear t of cr azy ,
that African Americans faced during and before
the
Civil
Rights
movement.
Mississippi Trial, 1955 is astonishing in its 34
senseless hatr ed." - Hir am Hillbur n
Bu y on e dozen dou gh n u t s
an d $4.00 w ill go t o t h e Am er ican Civil Liber t ies Un ion . 35
The Mar ch for Fr eedom By: John Scot t The March Trilogy is
states of America.
a graphic novel
important
that
Movement. He organized protest and then
takes the
reader
figure
John Lewis was an in
the
Civil
Rights
through
marched in them and spoke at important
an adventure of
times in the movement. He has been the U.S.
the Civil Rights
Representative for Georgia's 5th congressional
Movement
district since 1987.
and
the violent and Congressman John Lewis had his picture taken in Georgia.
during the 1960s and all over the Southern
deadly
?The Feder al gover nment must
racism to
decide w hether it w ants to let souther n
combat it. It was written by John Lewis,0the
N egr oes r egister , it must make that
that
tried
protagonist, Nate Powell, and Andrew Aydin. The books were released in 2013, 2015, 2016. March is a book about the Civil Rights
choice this summer or make all us w itnesses
to
the
ly nching
of
democr acy ? - John Lew is - M ar ch Book Thr ee In his first graphic novel, John Lewis begins with his childhood on a rural farm in Alabama where he took care of the John Lewis speaks to a crowd in March Book 2
Movement and it would be a great addition to any teacher or history lover's library. Each book, which are all nonfiction, take place
family chickens. Lewis
goes on an eye
opening road trip with his Uncle Otis and later decides to go to college, but gets sidetracked by a more important matter, equality. It takes him to places all over
36
Southern America and to the Student Nonviolent
Coordinating
Committee
an
organization for students who want to help the movement. Diane Nash, James Bevel and Lewis organized important protests, and John Lewis participates in demonstrations like sit ins, where protesters went to restaurants and took up the seats but ordered nothing, and marches and gives an insight into the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement.
Nate Powell, the illustrator of the March Trilogy poses for a photo
?Keep in mind your parents could lose their jobs, your family home could be bombed or burned, you may get hurt or your family may
against white people telling them to stop their radical ways. and even other organizations doing telling the the same thing. They have success in Nashville but at a high
cost:
conducting
human
lives.
freedom
SNCC starts rides
where
African-Americans rode buses through the All three books of March are shown next to each others
South, but they are even more dangerous
get00hurt, i don't know what will happen.? Martin Luther King . In his second book, Lewis introduces a darker story, one with even more violence and horrible racism. He also introduces new people such as Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, who were both important figures in the movem Lewis and SNCC continue to
John Lewis speaks in 1964
desegregate America, but then shift their
than the sit ins. It ends with the March in
focus to voting rights. SNCC is struggling
Washington, where Lewis speaks with MLK.
37
In his third and final graphic novel, John Lewis takes the reader through the most violent and racist scenes of the movement. Lewis faces struggles with SNCC as the members start to question his leadership and the SNCC?s way of doing things. He has to deal with both the increased violence and death among protesters. The third book gives a first
John Lewis poses in front of the state capital.
hand account of the horrible violence of the KKK,
state
unique in its delivery, and the picture element
troopers,
local
makes it fun to read and helps to paint the
police, and even
picture of the struggles that not only leaders of
local
the movement, but everyone involved with it. It
white
citizens who beat down
protesters
since no police Lewis speaks in arch Book 2
are
doing
anything about the violence. Lewis?s journey then takes him to Africa where he meets Malcolm X for the last time. The journey takes him to Selma as he helps to organize a march from Selma to
John Scott and Diane Nash sit at a counter for whites only in March book one.
Birmingham, and Lewis helps to lead the march
will interest children with its drawings and
against the wishes of many colleagues. The
lovers of history will enjoy it for the first hand
book ends with a triumphant victory and the
account it provides. This book will certainly
?end
it?.
entertain anyone who is looking and is
March will fill any readers with a sense of
definitely a ?must read?for anyone looking for a
triumph but also with a sense of regret that the
good book to read. March is not suitable for
country was filled with such horrible racism
kids ages 12 and under - and is also not
and violence. March captures the Civil Rights
suitable for people who are sensitive about
of
the movement
as I
knew
38
Movement in a way many books cannot. It is
racially charged language or graphic violence.
Contr ib ute t o t he cause wit h a Coke! For ever y coca col a soda bought , we wi l l donat e a dol l ar t o assist sout her n A f r ican A mer icans in need
Good t hing s com e wit h Coke 39
Killing a Mock ingbir d is a Sin By: Mat t hew Busenlener
?M ockingbir ds don?t do one thing
between the protagonist, Scout, and other
but make music for us to enjoy .
characters in the novel help to attach the
They don?t eat up people?s gar dens, reader to the characters of the novel, don?t nest in cor ncr ibs, they don?t do activating the empathy within the reader. one thing but sing their hear ts out
Due to this empathy, the reader becomes
for us. That?s w hy it?s a sin to kill a
strongly connected to the characters of
mockingbir d.?
the novel and connects the feelings of the reader with the character?s. For
- M audie Atkinson
example, when the character feels sad, so This
Pulitzer
Prize
American
Literature masterpiece, written by Harper Lee, will have you immersed in both the Harper Lee
story and characters in the blink of an eye. Published in 1960, Harper Lee was able to express accurate representations of racism in the 20th century, which helped promote the Civil Rights movement as intended. While certain areas of To Kill A Mockingbird may be considered slow, and seemingly pointless to the story, they are actually
does the reader. When the character is happy, the reader will develop a faint smile.
quite purposeful. They contribute to one of
This novel represents certain racial
the most essential values of the novel,
inequalities n in the 1930s, and due to the
empathy. The moments throughout the
total
novel merely developing the relationships
captured in, they will likely be utterly
40
immersion
the reader
will
be
1930s, following the story of a young girl named Scout. Scout is the daughter of a lawyer named Atticus, and she has an older brother named Jem. Scout and Jem go on many adventures together throughout the story,
and
slowly
develop
strong
relationships with other characters in the Atticus and his client, Tom Robinson wait for the ruling during a court trial in To Kill A Mockingbird.
novel. Everything changes when Atticus takes on a case defending an African American. Suddenly, Scout is thrown into a
outraged by the total senselessness of the
storm of confusion and new, yet negative
inequalities. To Kill A Mockingbird is more
experiences. She has to withstand hateful
than just a novel, but an experience. This
comments about her father from the racism
novel will take the reader?s emotions back and forth in an unexpected ride that will be difficult to forget. Despite parts of the novel being boring, there is a certain allure that keeps you always wanting to continue the story to see where Scout?s adventurous
Book cover of To Kill A Mocking-bird depicts a child looking at a tree
attitude brings her next.
To Kill A Mockingbird takes place in the fictional
location
of
Maycomb
County,
Alabama. The novel takes place in the
plaguing Maycomb County. This novel will truly embrace you with the hard realities of early 20th Century America and the unfair
?I think ther e's just one kind of folks.
segregation of African American.
Folks." - Scout Finch As shown, one of To Kill A Mockingbird?s 41
appreciates and understands history will be totally in
love with
To Kill
A
Mockingbird. As a literate classic, all english
majors
should
have
most
definitely read this novel. In the case that a reader is particularly sensitive to A mockingbird lies dead with a quote from To Kill A Mockingbird above it
purposes was to promote civil rights in the 1960s. This novel accomplished that
extreme racism or racist language, this may not be the best option. There would be difficulty locating a chapter without Scout and Jem watched their Father's trial with the African Americans
objective beautifully, as it is difficult not to see the misjudgments and wrongdoings of the racism throughout the book. Even if a reader supported white supremacy, the point of view expressed in To Kill A Mockingbird
would
ensure
difficulty
holding those views, at least in regard to the events throughout the novel. This book is certainly a must-read for all
some type of vulgar, racist language. The beginning of the novel moves quite very slowly, and takes some time to get into. Besides this, To Kill A Mockingbird is not a novel to turn down on any occasion.
Atticus is hugging his children, Jem and Scout Jem is pushing Scout in a Tire.
history lovers or english students. The advanced grammar and vocabulary is very helpful for learning, and any reader who 42
Stand up t o Racial St and up tViolence o r acial v iol ence 43
Ever y Coke you b uy will sup p or t a fam ily t hat has b een vict im ized by racial violence.
The Fight To Int egr at e Cent r al High School By Olivia Fr ancis Warriors Cry
Don?t
she was finally able to attend her dream
a
school, but everything comes with a price.
is
heartbreaking
Throughout
memoir of nine
publication, Melba Pattillo Beals shows
Little Rock high
her perseverance through her faith in God
schooler?s
and in herself.
perseverance
In 1954, Brown vs. Board of Education case
through
the
battle
to
1994
biography
?N one of us wer e cer tain w hich of our city officials w or e civic
integrate The Cover of Warriors Don't Central High Cry, is the painting of Ruby Bridges by Norman Rockwell. School in the
1950s.
the
Melba
unifor ms by day and w hite sheets at night.?
Pattillo Beals was only 12 years old when -M elba Pattilo Beals
she was given the opportunity to become one of the few black students to attend
was ruled in favor of, and a spark was set
the all white Central High School in Little
off in both the white and African-American
Rock, Arkansas. At the time, her choice to
communities. This event
integrate the school seemed reasonable,
integration of black and white schools, but
but little did she know, her life would
there
never be the same again. After three years
throughout Little Rock. A number of
consulting
lawyers,
citizens and city officials were members of
Association
for
the
NAACP
(National
Advancement
of
Colored People) officials, and reporters, 44
the
were
Klu
Klux
many
Klan
allowed the
segregationists
which
caused
uncertainty, especially to Melba and her
family.
The Pattillos were constantly
chant was the background noise of Melba?s
getting threat calls to their house, but the
everyday life at school, along with ?Go
worst of all informed them that there was a
home n-----!? The mental abuse was also
$10,000 price on Melba?s head.
followed with physical abuse. The Little Rock Nine were faced with people who
When Melba was publically chosen to
slapped them, spit on them, placed small explosives in their lockers and showered them with burning paper. One student poured glue down her back, and another attempted to stab her with the end of a flagpole. `The white students and their parents were so determined to kill Melba and the other eight students, that President Eisenhower had to call in the 101st Airborne Division to keep them alive. The Little Rock Nine were average high schoolers; they not only had to keep up their grades, they also had
Melba Pattillo Beals
to make it through the day alive. integrate the school, she received calls and threats to her family, and under one occasion her house was attacked by white segregationists.
The
event
caused
a
realization among the family, that this situation was far more dangerous than they expected. Seas of people flooded the outside of The Little Rock Nine were escorted into Central High School by the 101st Airborne due to the dangerous
Central High School screaming,?Two, four, crowds. six, eight, we don?t want to integrate!? This 45
Most Civil Rights narratives are about
through Central High School with her head
adults, but who thought about what the
held high. This narrative is an empowering
children
must-read about the perseverance of nine
were
going
through? Peace
leaders like Thurgood Marshall and Martin
strong, African-American high schoolers.
Luther King Jr. are remembered for their phenomenal work during the Civil Rights movement, but what about the children who actually integrated the schools? Warriors Don?t Cry depicts the hardships and pain of the Civil Rights movement through the eyes of a teenager, and helps to develop a close up experience of what went on inside the newly integrated schools. The white students in Melba?s grade were out to kill her, but with the help of
the
101st
Airborne
Division, her
Painted by Norman Rockwell this image depicts Ruby Bridges being escorted by the U.S. National Guard to integrate William Franz Elementary School.
grandmother, and God, Melba powered
Ruby Br idges Book Signing June 1, 2017 Octavia Book Store, New Orleans, LA
46
For Every Five Star Notebook You Buy, $5 Will be Donated to the
"Help Eliminate Race-Based Discrimination"
47
Walk ing t he Pat h t o Int egr at ion By: Br ooke Reiss the Ninth Ward of New Orleans where Louise lives and works. This book is a
?Have y ou ever r eally taken a look at w hat?s going on over ther e at
historical fiction novel by Robert Sharenow, that was published in 2007 and based in 1960, during the time of the Civil Rights
that school? That?s w hat hell looks
Movement.
like, Louise. Hell r ight her e in the N inth War d.? - Char lotte Dupr ee
In My Mother the Cheerleader , Morgan was against segregation which put him in a dangerous position with Royce, Clem and
Poor Ruby Bridges is forced to walk into a
the Ku Klux Klan. The KKK will kill anybody
school where she is taunted and threatened
that is pro-integration or African American,
everyday in the long fight for school
which was called lynching. This conflict
integration. My Mother
the
shows the reader that
Cheerleader is about a girl
though someone may
named Louise Collins, whose
want to fight against
mom joins a group of white
segregation,,which
women called the Cheerleaders
almost everyone in
that
Bridges
the Ninth Ward did,,
everyday as she walks into
it was very dangerous
school. Another major character
because there were
from the novel
people who would
taunt
Ruby
is Morgan
Miller, a man from New York This a group of women called Cheerleaders who beat
protested integration by standing on the sidewalk and who came to New Orleans to yellling and threatening Ruby Bridges as she walked activist into school.
the up or
visit his brother Michael and
kill him or her
who was staying at Ms.
if he or she tried. Charlotte Dupree, an old
Collins?boarding house on Desire Street in
black woman that helped run the boarding
48
house, eventually tells Louise that she is being
selfish
by
which will cause some hidden secrets to
not
spill.
realizing that black people are treated like trash right
My Mother the Cheerleader is a
in front of her eyes and
must read for anyone who is
that
care
interested in American history
unless somebody that she
because it provides an interesting
cares about is put in the
point of view on pro-segregation
same
children in the 1900s. These
she
doesn?t
position.
children were manipulated by My
Mother
the
Robert Sharenow
their family and their community
Cheerleader takes place in
into believing in white supremacy.
1960, when Ruby Bridges
Louise agreed with segregation
became the first African
because she grew up thinking that
American
at
African Americans were not equal
William Frantz Elementary
as a result of the actions and
in New Orleans, where
attitudes that many others around
Louise went to school. Ms.
her demonstrated, such as her
Collins pulled Louise out
mother, and because thinking
of
otherwise
school
student
due to the
integration and then she
could
put
her
in
potential danger, similar to the
and a group of other white This is the cover of the novel, My position that Mr. Miller was in. In Mother the Cheerleader.
mothers
attended
the
the narrative, there are parts that
school to taught Ruby Bridges as she arrived
describe graphic events and should be read
everyday. The book pulls on the strings of the
with caution and be considered when being
reader?s heart with empathy for Ruby Bridges,
suggesting My Mother the Cheerleader to
who is the brave little girl yearning for an
another reader. Overall, this book is an
education. This narrative is exciting to read
amazing read and anybody who decides to
because of a mysterious visitor?s presence
reads
49
it
will
enjoy
it.
Leav in g beh in d n ig h t s o f t er r o r a n d f ea r I r ise In t o a day br ea k m ir a c u l o u sly c l ea r I r ise Br in g in g t h e g if t s t h at my a n c est o r s g av e, I a m t h e h o pe a n d t h e dr ea m o f t h e sl av e. A n d so , n at u r a l ly , t h er e I g o r isin g .
A Peacef ul War r ior : Maya Angelou By Maddie Mor r ison Maya Angelou was a novelist, performer, educator, but most notably a poet and activist. Ms. Angelou wrote poems about her experiences as a poor African American girl living in extremely segregated racists cities, and by doing that contributed to the Civil Rights Movement greatly. Maya Angelou was born in 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri. When she was eight she was raped by mother?s boyfriends. Then three days later the boyfriend was killed. She was scared that the man died because of her and that her words had too much power, so she did not speak for five and a half years. When she began speaking again, Maya Angelou made an album called Miss Calypso and acted on the international tour of Porgy and Bess. While living in Ghana at the age of 33, she met Malcolm X. Ms. Angelou moved back to the United States to help him build his civil rights organization in 1965, but he was assassinated soon after the move. Ms. Angelou began publishing her multi-volume autobiography and collections of poems after his death, to help the movement continue to move forward forcefully. Her most famous work is I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, published in 1965. Ms. Angelo has been nominated for and won 41 awards between 1970 and 2012, some of the major awards that she won are the National Medal of Arts, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She was also honored by being asked to speak at Former Presidents Clinton and Obama?s inaugurations. Maya Angelou?s life ended on May 28, 2014, at the age of 86, but her legacy is thriving as one of the most influential poets of 50 the Civil rights Movement.
Yo u c a n sh o o t m e w it h y o u r w o r ds, Yo u c a n c u t m e w it h y o u r l ies, Yo u c a n k il l m e w it h yo ur h at ef u l n ess, Bu t j u st l ik e l if e, I?l l r ise. 51
Paint ing for Equalit y By Eliza Favr ot
From schools to restrooms, almost all public places in the first half of the 20th century were segregated. Racial segregation played a major role in sparking the Civil Rights movement. In the 1950s, people began to question the laws of segregation arguing that the Africans Americans and whites were not given equal treatment. People said that the unfair treatment violated the 14th amendment of the U.S Constitution which states that all people should be treated equally no matter the color of their skin, thus making segregation unconstitutional. Artists helped galvanize the pubic about the desegregation crisis by painting children experiencing segregation in their everyday lives. Children faced division daily in school and outside of school, and artists used their work to show the public the threats and the hatred that African American children were receiving everyday. The cruelty of racial segregation was expressed through works of art during the Civil Rights movement which eventually helped us to integrate schools and abolish segregation. 52
53
The Paper t hat St unned t he Count r y By Lynt on Cook Emmett Till, a young colored boy from Chicago, came to Mississippi in the summer of 1955 While he was there, he encountered a woman at Bryant's grocery store and supposedly made ugly remarks about her. the word spread quick, hearing this Bryant; the husband of the woman, and Milan; his brother in law, showed up to his Till?s house and kidnapped him. Newspapers kept a close eye on the story and when they found out he was murdered, people around the country heard in a matter of days. During the trial, the murderers were found innocent and Emmett's mother blamed the incident solely on the state of Mississippi, for the racist act. When she heard about the death of her son, she wanted to take a stand. The accomplished this by having an open casket ceremony at her son?s funeral for the public to see what the white supremacist had done to Emmett. She stated in an interview that she "...wanted the world to see what they did to my baby." Newspapers around the country came to take pictures of Emmett?s body. The Jet Magazine consisted of images of Emmett face, which was unidentifiable because of the damage that the murderers had done to him. This picture has inspired many people to stand up to any racist hate crimes and recreate this image using art. Many people looked back on this topic and created motivation to help the Civil Rights Movement.
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Phot os of Hor r or and t he Cost of Tak ing Them By John Scot t The photos in the gallery display the horrible racism toward black citizens of America in the 1960?s. On marches, police used fire hoses and dogs to stop or scare protesters away from Marches.Citizens often hit the protesters with bottles, or just punched and kicked them. Mainly African Americans, but some Caucasian, were marching for various rights that African American people were denied, but the right to vote was most important to most of the protesters. Some people in America did not care about segregation but when they saw these photos they did not want to let this happen in their own country. These photos were not easy to capture, photographers were often beaten for taking photos of the violence during protests. and called awful names. Photography was very important during the civil rights movement because it showed people who lived in cities where there were no protests the injustices against African Americans.
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A Movie That Changed t he Wor ld By: Mat t hew Busenlener To Kill A Mockingbird the movie is based on Harper Lee's novel, To Kill A Mockingbird. The movie was released two years after the novel in 1962, at the peak of the Civil Rights Movement. A large reason for the creation of To Kill A Mockingbird was to bring attention to the extreme injustices in the court and everyday life towards African Americans. In To Kill A Mockingbird, the majority of the characters are racist. While this is true, the most important characters, such as Atticus, Scout, and Jem strongly disagree with racism, and believe that everybody is equal. Viewing such
an
evidently discriminatory society from
the
perspective of characters who support total equality helps open people's eyes. When To Kill A Mockingbird was released, the public took an instant liking to it. Many high schools taught both the novel and the movie in an attempt 58
to show the importance of equality. Atticus, a lawyer, also inspired many people during the 1960s to follow his path of fighting for equality. They became inspired by the fact that Atticus took cases, regardless of the client's race or social standing. He believed all people are equal in the court. As a result, inspired lawyers would hold similar values in regard to the court. To Kill A Mockingbird the movie voluminously supported the Civil Rights Movement and equality.
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1968 Olympics Salut es Black Power By Olivia Fr ancis
The 1968 Mexico City Olympics was one of the most empowering, yet controversial Olympics of all time. The 1968 Olympics was four years after the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which ended the segregation of public areas. Even though segregation ended, discrimination was still at large. As gold medalist Tommie Smith and bronze medalist John Carlos stood on the podium for first and third place; they silently protested by removing their shoes to represent black poverty, Smith raised his right hand to represent black power, Carlos raised his left hand to represent black unity, and Smith wore a scarf to represent black pride. The runner in second place was Australian Peter Norman, who wore a badge that said, ?Olympic Project for Human Rights,? and was later hated by some citizens of Australia for participating in the protest. After the ceremony Smith and Carlos were sent back to America where they were banned from the Olympics forever. This subtle yet bold act left a lasting effect on Americans, and both Smith and Carlos were heroes to African-Americans when they returned to American soil . 60
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Mar ian Ander son Sings for Civil Right s By: Br ooke Reiss On April 9, 1939, Marian Anderson sang at the Lincoln Memorial with the permission of Eleanor Roosevelt after being denied the right to sing at the Constitutional Hall because of her skin color. She was born in Philadelphia in 1897, and when she was a child she went to a baptist church, where she first started singing. After high school, she applied to the Philadelphia Music Academy and was turned down because of the color of her skin. In the 1930s she became a huge hit for her incredible vocal talent. In 1939, she and her manager decided that the next step would be to sing in the Constitutional Hall, which was Washington's main venue for classical music. This music hall belonged to the Daughters of the American Revolution or the DAR. Back then, the DAR's policies were meant to exclude anybody that was black. Eleanor Roosevelt canceled her membership in protest of the treatment Anderson was given from the DAR. Eleanor Roosevelt decided to hold a concert for Marian Anderson to sing outside of the Lincoln Memorial. After this event, in 1955, she went on to become the first African American to sing in an opera in the Metropolitan Opera in New York. In 1963, she sung once more on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington for jobs and freedom when Martin Luther King Jr. made his famous, I Have a Dream speech. She passed away in 1993 but she will always be known for the mark she made on the Civil Rights Movement.
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