Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Neh: Edsit Ement: Civil Rights Movement

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This lesson on the Civil Rights movement is organized into three sections: "Identifying the Need for Change," "Ordinary People in the Civil Rights Movement," and "Historic Places in the Civil Rights Movement."
Primary
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

Gilder Lehrman Institute: The Civil Rights Movement: Major Events and Legacies

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An essay that speaks of the major events and legacies of the Civil Rights Movement.
Website
Curated OER

National Park Service: Travel Places of the Civil Rights Movement

For Students 9th - 10th
This site provides a list of historic places of the Civil Rights Movement, complete with an itinerary and a map. Clicking on a place on the map will give information about that place.
Unit Plan
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: American Masters Collection: Sammy Davis Jr.

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a collection of three video lessons about Sammy Davis Jr., comedy, race, segregation in 1960's Hollywood, politics, identity, and The Civil Rights Movement.
Lesson Plan
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Civil Rights Special Collection

For Students 9th - 10th
Multimedia collection of video, primary text documents and audio on Civil Rights, especially Brown vs. Board of Education.
Website
University of Virginia

University of Virginia: Television News of the Civil Rights Era 1950 1970

For Students 9th - 10th
View contemporary coverage of the Civil Rights Movement from two Roanoke, VA television stations including 230 video clips that feature both national events, such as the speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr. and John F. Kennedy, as well as...
Graphic
Library of Congress

Loc: African American Odyssey: The Civil Rights Era

For Students 9th - 10th
This two-part feature on African American history offers an in-depth look at the events of the 1960's civil rights movement. Discusses voting rights, laws, military segregation, freedom rides, sit-ins and the NAACP. Includes historic...
Lesson Plan
Huntington Library

Huntington Library: Lampooning Injustice: Paul Conrad and Civil Rights

For Teachers 11th
In this lesson, 11th graders look at the work of Paul Conrad, a political cartoonist, who often explored issues around civil rights, including Brown v. Board of Education and school desegregation. Includes background information for the...
Website
US House of Representatives

History, Art, and Archives: The Civil Rights Act of 1957

For Students 9th - 10th
Read about the role of President Eisenhower in the impetus for the support of civil rights in 1957.
Website
Digital History

Digital History: Black Nationalism and Black Power

For Students 9th - 10th
There were two methods of protesting discrimination of African Americans during the Civil Rights Movement: follow Martin Luther King, Jr. or Malcolm X. Find out about the Black Panther Party, Black Nationalism, and Black Power.
Unit Plan
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Martin Luther King Jr.: Civil Rights Leader Video

For Students 3rd - 8th
In the second half of the 20th century, racial tensions rose in the US as African Americans began to challenge unjust laws that supported discrimination and segregation. This movement found its leader in the patient and inspiring...
Handout
Library of Congress

Loc: America's Story: Martin Luther King

For Students 3rd - 8th
This article gives a brief overview of the life of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. while discussing the concept of non-violent resistance.
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: "I Have a Dream" by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech to over 250,000 people from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963. In this speech, King discusses racial...
PPT
Other

Powerful Days in Black and White

For Students 9th - 10th
Powerful and shocking black and white photographs from the civil rights struggle.
Website
Digital History

Digital History: Martin Luther King & Malcolm X on Violence & Integration [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X were strong African-American leaders in the Civil Rights movement. Read about the differences in their approach to gaining civil rights for African-Americans. Find charts that compare their ideas on...
Unit Plan
Curated OER

National Park Service: Names, Names, Names [Pdf]

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
A lesson plan for K-1 about important people in the Civil Rights movement. Requires Adobe Reader.
Handout
Other

Louisiana State University: Martin Luther King Jr.

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from the Louisiana State University provides text with basic biographical information about Martin Luther King, Jr., lists of awards, honors, and links to other sites.
Graphic
NPR: National Public Radio

Npr: Off the Ground: Creating the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

For Students 9th - 10th
On August 28, 2011, the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial was dedicated after 25 years of planning. The memorial stands in the National Mall in Washington, D.C. King is recognized for his work during the civil rights movement....
Primary
NBC

Nbc Learn: Finishing the Dream: 1960 1962: Freedom Fighters

For Students 9th - 10th
A collection of archival video clips covering protests against racial segregation in the United States in the period 1960-1962. Features clips on the Greensboro sit-in at Woolworth's lunch counters, Freedom Riders who fought bus...
Primary
NBC

Nbc Learn: Finishing the Dream: 1965: We Shall Overcome

For Students 9th - 10th
A collection of archival video clips highlighting a peaceful protest in Alabama in 1965 that ended in a confrontation with state troopers known as "Bloody Sunday." This was followed by a four-day march with Martin Luther King, Jr., and a...
Unit Plan
Curated OER

National Park Service: Dr. King's Leadership and Character [Pdf]

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
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:...
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: Black Power

For Students 5th - 8th
The black power movement moved away from the nonviolence advocated by Martin Luther King, Jr. and his associates. Read about the formation of the Black Panther Party, and find their party platform. Take the brief quiz about history of...
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: Gains and Pains

For Students 5th - 8th
Read about the legal gains made by the civil rights movement, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964, juxtaposed against the real-life actions meant to deny African Americans their right to racial equality not just legally, but...
Article
CommonLit

Common Lit: "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Changing America" by Barbara Radner

For Students 4th - 6th
This is an informational article about how Martin Luther King Jr. worked toward changing America in the 1950s and 1960s. It includes a short bio of Dr. King and a reading purpose: As you read, take notes on the problems that African...