Freedom Now: The Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi

Lesson by the Choices Program of Brown University

MFDP delegates demonstrate as President Lyndon Johnson is being nominated. Center is Victoria Gray from Hattiesburg, Miss. Photo: George Elfie Ballis.

The civil rights movement was one of the most pivotal events in U.S. history. Today we think of the key leaders, mass demonstrations, and watershed legislation that have become synonymous with this movement. Often forgotten are the everyday people who were on the frontlines of the fight for justice and equality, working for change in their home communities. Many historians believe that we should think of the civil rights movement not as one national movement, but as a collection of local movements that worked for racial justice in towns and cities across the country.

This curriculum explores the history of the civil rights movement at a local level. Mississippi was one of the most racially divided states in the South. It symbolized the oppression and violence of white supremacy, and the strong Black movement that rose up in response. The unit is divided into three parts. Each part includes:

• Student readings

• Accompanying study guides, graphic organizers, and key terms

• Lessons aligned with the readings that develop analytical skills and can be completed in one or more periods

• Videos that feature leading experts

This unit also includes a Perspectives Lesson as the key lesson and an additional synthesis lesson that allows students to synthesize new knowledge for assessment. You do not need to use the entire unit; feel free to select what suits your classroom needs.