The Civil Rights Movement

Task

Your group (of four) will consist of people from various backgrounds with differing viewpoints on the proposed holiday. Each member will select a role and research that role in order to better understand it and eventually defend it.

After completing your research you will meet with the other students who are playing the same role. With your new group, you will create a PowerPoint presentation detailing your new groups stance regarding the creating of the new holiday.

Your new group - or special interest group - will then make a presentation to a congressman (the teacher). Each member of the group should have an equal hand in creating the PowerPoint and making the presentation.

After the presentations have been completed the class will vote on the holiday, in the form of an essay that you will write. The essay will consist of your opinion (not the role you have been playing) on the proposed holiday, backed up by evidence from the presentations.

Process

1. Group members should choose a role to play.

- Member of the Nation of Islam

- Member of the NAACP

- White Southerner

- White Freedom Rider

2. Read about the character that you are playing. Find out his or her position on the holiday

3. Conduct internet research to learn as much as you can about this position.

4. Meet with the other members of the class who are playing the same role, and create a PowerPoint Presentation for the congressman either in favor or opposition to the holiday.

5. Make the presentation and listen to the other presentations.

6. Write an essay that includes your own opinion on the proposed holiday, using specific examples and evidence from the presentations. (This will ultimately be the election process for the Malcolm X Holiday).

1. Member of the Nation of Islam

Resources

2. Member of the NAACP

3. White Southerner

4. White Freedom Rider

Evaluation

You will be evaluated on both the presentation and the paper.

For the presentation you will be graded on:

1. The soundness of your new group's argument in the PowerPoint Presentation

2. Your participation in the presentation itself.

For the paper you will be graded on:

1. The soundness of your argument, either for or against the proposed holiday.

2. Your support for your opinion using specific examples from the presentations.

Conclusion

At the end of the project the class will tally the votes using the essays. The groups who argued in favor of the winning side will receive 5 points of extra cedit.

Resources

Nation of Islam Member

You are in FAVOR of the proposed holiday.

You believe that Malcolm was a very important leader in the Civil Rights movement and deserves the same recognition that Martin Luther King has received.

Here are some websites to help you with your research.

http://www.muhammadspeaks.com/

http://www.noi.org/

http://www.breakaway.org/noi/history.htm

NAACP Member

You are OPPOSED to the proposed holiday.

While the NAACP is a Civil Rights based organization, it was opposed to Malcolm. The NAACP preferred to utilize the legal system and non-violent forms of fighting for Civil Rights. The did not approve of Malcolm's extreme tactics and violent exhortations.

Here are some websites to help you with your research.

http://www.ournaacp.com/History.htm

http://www.naacp.org/

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAnaacp.htm

White Southerner

You are OPPOSED to the proposed holiday.

Most whites in the south were opposed to the Civil Rights movement in general, especially the extreme stance of Malcolm X. White southerners would definitely not want to see a holiday dedicated to someone whom they perceive to be a dangerous extremist.

Here are some websites to help you with your research.

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAkkk.htm

http://www.frontiernet.net/~kenc/southlib.htm

Freedom Rider

You are in FAVOR of the proposed holiday.

The Freedom Riders were white northern students who were considered very liberal and in favor of most aspects of the Civil Rights movement. They would be in favor of celebrating all aspects of the Civil Rights movements, no matter how controversial.

Here are some websites to help you with your research.

http://www.watson.org/~lisa/blackhistory/civilrights-55-65/freeride.html

http://www.iwfr.org/civilhistory.asp

http://www.core-online.org/history/freedom%20rides.htm