The Influence of Musical Folk Traditions in the Poetry of Langston Hughes and Nicolás Guillén
Transnational Solidarity Allison Acosta Transnational Solidarity Allison Acosta

The Influence of Musical Folk Traditions in the Poetry of Langston Hughes and Nicolás Guillén

Lesson by Kathryn Gray
Langston Hughes and Nicolás Guillén were both young men of African descent born in 1902 who wrote poetry concerned with racial and class issues. One was raised in Cuba, the other in the United States, one in Spanish, the other in English and both had parents of mixed racial descent. In this unit, students explore how the two poet friends share a pattern of using musical influence in their poetry.

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SNCC: International Connections
Transnational Solidarity Josh Davidson Transnational Solidarity Josh Davidson

SNCC: International Connections

Reading by SNCC Digital Gateway
Growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, SNCC members were also influenced by the rising tide of liberation movements that followed World War II. As their commitment to the movement increased, they linked their own struggle for civil and human rights at home with anti-colonial struggles in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

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The Case for Reparations
Labor and Land Josh Davidson Labor and Land Josh Davidson

The Case for Reparations

Interview of Ta-Nehisi Coates by Audi Cornish
Ta-Nehisi Coates describes how the legacy of slavery extends to geographical and governmental policies in the United States and calls for a "collective introspection" on reparations.

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How the Black Panther Party Was Organized
Black Power Josh Davidson Black Power Josh Davidson

How the Black Panther Party Was Organized

Primary Document by John Hulett
Excerpts from a speech about how the Lowndes County Freedom Organization was organized and why they chose a black panther as their symbol. The speech was given in Los Angeles on May 22, 1966 at a meeting sponsored by a group of anti-Vietnam War committees.

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SNCC Memorandum of Solidarity with the Students of Mexico, October 1968
Transnational Solidarity Josh Davidson Transnational Solidarity Josh Davidson

SNCC Memorandum of Solidarity with the Students of Mexico, October 1968

Primary Document by Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee In 1968, students organized to protest the lack of true democracy in Mexico. The tension began in July, but the climax came on October 2, 1968 — 10 days before the Olympic games were to begin in Mexico City. On this date, the police and army fired on thousands of demonstrators. Hundreds were killed, thousands were beaten and jailed, and the government did its best to sweep the incident under the rug.

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McComb Statement Against the Vietnam War, July 1965
Transnational Solidarity Josh Davidson Transnational Solidarity Josh Davidson

McComb Statement Against the Vietnam War, July 1965

Reading by SNCC Digital Gateway.
In July 1965, a group of young activists in McComb, Mississippi’s Movement learned that John Shaw, one of their former classmates at Burglund High School, was killed in combat in Vietnam. Their statement written in response about the reasons why African Americans should not serve in Vietnam was the first anti-war statement from within the Civil Rights Movement. It paved the way for SNCC to take a stance against the war.

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What Happened to the Civil Rights Movement After 1965? Don’t Ask Your Textbook
Traditional Narrative Josh Davidson Traditional Narrative Josh Davidson

What Happened to the Civil Rights Movement After 1965? Don’t Ask Your Textbook

Reading by Adam Sanchez
Too often, students are taught that the Civil Rights Movement ended in 1965 with passage of the Voting Rights Act. It didn’t. Adam Sanchez argues that it is essential to teach the long, grassroots history of the Civil Rights Movement in order to help students think about today’s movements for racial justice.

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Freedom Now: The Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi
Framing the Movement Allison Acosta Framing the Movement Allison Acosta

Freedom Now: The Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi

Lesson by the Choices Program of Brown University
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:

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