Smithsonian's History Explorer Resources Related To "Stories of Freedom & Justice: Learning Resources"

History Explorer Podcast: Freedom Songs

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 17:52:31 GMT

In this episode of the History Explorer podcast series, Christopher Wilson, Director of the Program in African American Culture, discusses the use of freedom songs during the civil rights movement and how they are incorporated into public programs on the museum floor. The resources include a teachers guide and student worksheet.

National Youth Summit: Freedom Rides

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 09:57:11 GMT

In this webcast, students will hear from Freedom Rides veterans Congressman John Lewis, Jim Zwerg, Rev. James Lawson, and Diane Nash, and view clips from the PBS American Experience documentary Freedom Riders. The site includes a teachers guide and the webcast included questions from students at five locations across the country.

Join the Student Sit-Ins Teacher Guide for the Classroom Videos

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 11:08:44 GMT

Watch and discuss a 22-minute video of a Museum theater presentation. During the presentation, a fictional composite character from 1960 is conducting a training session for people interested in joining a student sit-in to protest racial segregation. The student speaks about the recent protests in Greensboro, North Carolina, and coaches members of the audience in the philosophy and tactics of non-violent direct action.

This teacher guide also includes instructions for an in-classroom simulation, suggested extension activities, and lyrics for a sing-along performance of a freedom song.

Brown v. Board of Education: Achieving Equality

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 16:49:45 GMT

Students will learn about the equal rights movements that were inspired by the Brown v. Board decision, as well as the continuing struggles to bring equal opportunities to all Americans. Legacy: Achieving Equality is the sixth and final section of the online exhibition entitled Separate is Not Equal: Brown v. Board of Education.

Students Sit for Civil Rights Homepage

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 14:09:00 GMT

Students Sit for Civil Rights is an OurStory module that includes activities based on reading Freedom on the Menu, a work of children's literature about the Greensboro sit-ins that played an important role during the civil rights movement. OurStory is a series of modules designed to help children and adults enjoy exploring history together through the use of objects from the Museum's vast collections, quality children's literature, and engaging hands-on activities. Ideal for afterschool use, OurStory resources allow students to think critically, to be creative, and to achieve academic standards both in and out of the classroom.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Nonviolence Homepage

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 18:32:16 GMT

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is one of America's celebrated heroes for his use of nonviolent protest strategies during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s. By using this OurStory module, children and adults can enjoy exploring history together through children's literature, everyday objects, and hands-on activities. Focused around Martin's Big Words, an illustrated biography of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the module includes links to hands-on activities and a list of recommended readings for further exploration.

From Segregation to Sit-ins: The Greensboro Woolworth Lunch Counter

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 18:38:06 GMT

This teacher's resource challenges students to think about the Greensboro Woolworth's lunch counter and it's importance to the Civil Rights movement. It includes a preliminary activity intended to introduce students to doing history with objects and 3 lesson plans focused on segregation and the Civil Rights movement. Also included are annotated links to other online resources that are related to the themes highlighted in the activities.

This activity is included in The Object of History, a cooperative project between the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History and George Mason University's Center for History and New Media.

Uneasy Partners: Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, LBJ and Martin Luther King Jr. Lecture Video

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 13:23:42 GMT

In this archived panel discussion, experts compare, contrast, and contextualize the relationships between President Lincoln and Frederick Douglass and President Johnson and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The content of the discussion includes comparison of the figures as orators, comparison of these historic figures to President Obama, and the personal and political constraints of the relationships between these figures.

This lecture is one in a series about issues that Abraham Lincoln faced as president that continue to confront the nation today.