Unit 5

This unit will focus on Black Americans’ movements for equality, both geographical and societal. It will begin with the ideology of Nadir, which triggered the Great Migration of approximately a half million African Americans from Southern to Northern states between 1916 and 1918, and will then explore the fight for equal rights and the enormous contributions of Black people in America during the early 20th century. The unit should help students understand how the events of the period helped shape present-day systems.

Topics include: the impact of Jim Crow laws on Black communities and their resistance; The Harlem Renaissance and African American arts; Black Wall Street and the Tulsa Massacre; African American participation in WWI and WWII; the “Red Summer” of 1919; how FDR’s New Deal Fair Housing Act exacerbated segregation and led to current wealth/wage/opportunity gaps; the establishment of important organizations including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), The Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), the National Urban League, The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), The National Council of Negro Women, The Nation of Islam (NOI), The Congress of Racial Equity (CORE), The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC); landmark Supreme Court decisions such as Brown v. BOE; major Civil Rights legislation such as CRA of 1957 and 1964, and the VRA of 1965; Black women’s role in the ongoing revolution; and the contributions of W.E.B. Du Bois, August Wilson, Mary Townsend Seymour, John Lewis, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, Constance Baker Motley, Mamie Till and others as detailed in the lessons.

7 Days

Standards Coding Key: 

Civ= Civics Geo= Geography Eco= Economics His= History Inq= Inquiry

Content Standards

HIST 9–12.4 Analyze how historical contexts shaped and continue to shape people’s perspectives. (e.g., immigration, labor, the role of women).

CIV 9–12.1 Analyze the role of citizens in the U.S. political system, and the theory and practice of democracy in America. CIV 9–12.2 Evaluate the effectiveness of citizens and institutions in solving social and political problems.

INQ 9–12.8 Identify evidence that draws information directly and substantively from multiple sources to detect inconsistencies in evidence in order to revise or strengthen claims.

National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies

9.4A.2 Evaluate the Warren Court’s reasoning in Brown v. Board of Education and its significance in advancing civil rights. [Analyze cause-and-effect relationships]

9.4A.3 Explain the resistance to civil rights in the South between 1954 and 1965. [Identify issues and problems in the past]

From CT Core Standards for English Language Arts (i.e., Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.11-12.1.A Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences the claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.

From CT English Language Proficiency (CELP) Standards (i.e., Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking and Language)

CELP.9-12.1. RI.7. Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums (e.g., a person’s life story in both print and multimedia), determining which details are emphasized in each account

HIST 9–12.4
Purpose: Analyze how historical contexts shape perspectives over time.
Real-World Application: Understanding the influence of historical events on current viewpoints helps students navigate today’s complex social and political landscape.

CIV 9–12.1
Purpose: Analyze the role of citizens in the U.S. political system and democracy.
Real-World Application: This fosters informed civic engagement, encouraging students to actively participate in democratic processes and community issues.

CIV 9–12.2
Purpose: Evaluate the effectiveness of citizens and institutions in addressing social and political problems.
Real-World Application: This promotes critical thinking about the impact of civic action and institutional response, empowering students to advocate for change.

INQ 9–12.8
Purpose: Identify evidence from multiple sources to detect inconsistencies and strengthen claims.
Real-World Application: This skill is essential for developing strong arguments and informed decision-making in academic and real-world contexts.

9.4A.2
Purpose: Evaluate the Warren Court’s reasoning in Brown v. Board of Education and its significance for civil rights.
Real-World Application: Understanding landmark decisions helps students grasp the legal foundations of civil rights and their ongoing relevance in contemporary society.

9.4A.3
Purpose: Explain the resistance to civil rights in the South from 1954 to 1965.
Real-World Application: This analysis encourages students to recognize historical obstacles to progress and the importance of resilience in social movements.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.11-12.1.A
Purpose: Introduce and develop precise claims, distinguishing them from opposing views.
Real-World Application: This fosters strong argumentative writing skills, crucial for academic success and effective communication in various fields.

CELP.9-12.1.RI.7
Purpose: Analyze various accounts of a subject across different mediums.
Real-World Application: This cultivates media literacy, enabling students to critically evaluate diverse narratives and understand the broader context of information.

Aligned to District Vision of a Graduate

A Critical Thinker

• applies unbiased analysis and evaluation

• evaluates sources of information for reliability

• willing to adapt to new information and question things

Respectful

• embraces cultural diversity

Skilled Socially

• uses effective verbal and non-verbal communication skills

• empathizes with and values others 

Coherence:

How does this unit build on and connect to prior knowledge and learning?

1. Historical Context: This unit builds on previous studies of slavery, Reconstruction, and the abolition movement, helping students understand the ongoing struggle for civil rights.

2. Civil Rights Foundations: Prior exploration of key events and figures in American history, such as the abolitionists and Reconstruction leaders, provides a foundation for understanding the civil rights movement's significance.

3. Political Structures: Earlier lessons on the U.S. political system and civic responsibilities connect to the analysis of citizen roles and the effectiveness of institutions in promoting democracy.

4. Themes of Resistance: Previous discussions about resistance movements and agency in history prepare students to analyze the complexities of civil rights activism and opposition.

By linking new content to these established themes and contexts, this unit deepens students' understanding of historical dynamics and prepares them for further exploration of social justice issues.

How does this unit prepare students for future learning?

1. Critical Thinking Development: By analyzing complex civil rights issues and historical contexts, students strengthen their ability to think critically about contemporary social and political challenges.

2. Understanding Legal Foundations: Learning about landmark cases like Brown v. Board of Education equips students with foundational knowledge of the legal system, preparing them for advanced studies in law or political science.

3. Civic Engagement Skills: This unit encourages active participation in democratic processes, empowering students to engage in community issues and advocate for social justice in the future.

4. Research and Evidence Evaluation: Skills in identifying and evaluating multiple sources prepare students for rigorous academic research, fostering analytical skills applicable across various disciplines.

• How successful have Black Americans’ movements for equality been in transforming the dreams, status, and rights of Black Americans in the United States?

• Identify tactics, mission, and accomplishments of major groups involved in the movement for equality

• Investigate the causes, consequences, and historical context of key events in this time period

• Evaluate how individuals, groups, and institutions in the United States have both promoted and hindered people’s struggle for freedom, equality, and social justice;

• Analyze the role of the federal government in supporting and inhibiting various 20th century civil rights movements;

• Analyze the role of women of color in the women’s rights movement.

HIST 9–12.4

• Historical context of the early 20th century, including events like the Harlem Renaissance, Red Summer, and Nadir of African American History

CIV 9–12.1

• The role African Americans played in shaping U.S. democracy, particularly through their participation in civil rights movements and efforts to desegregate schools 

• The theory and practice of democracy in America, including the impact of African American advocacy on these democratic processes.

CIV 9–12.2

• How individuals, groups, and institutions either promoted or hindered social justice and equality in key events like the Red Summer race riots, the civil rights movement, and the women’s rights movement.

INQ 9–12.8

• How to identify and analyze evidence from multiple sources, including primary and secondary documents, artworks, poetry, and music from the Harlem Renaissance, to understand the role of African Americans in shaping U.S. society and culture.

9.4A.2

• Brown v. Board of Education decision and its significance in advancing civil rights.

9.4A.3

• The resistance to civil rights in the South, particularly during the desegregation of schools between 1954 and 1965. 

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.11-12.1.A

• How to develop and organize well-supported arguments about key events and figures in African American history, such as the Harlem Renaissance, school desegregation, and the contributions of women of color to the women’s rights movement.

CELP.9-12.1. RI.7

• Different portrayals of African American life in the early 20th century, particularly through the lens of art, poetry, and music from the Harlem Renaissance.

HIST 9–12.4

• • Analyze and compare how historical contexts such as the Harlem Renaissance, Red Summer, and Nadir of African American History influenced the perspectives of African Americans and their roles in society.

  • Investigate a variety of primary sources, including press accounts from both Black and White perspectives, to analyze social and political changes for Black Americans during this period.

  • Evaluate the roles of music and literature, particularly from the Harlem Renaissance, in shaping and reflecting the perspectives of African Americans.

CIV 9–12.1

• • Evaluate the effectiveness of African American citizens and civil rights leaders in influencing the U.S. political system and advancing democratic principles, particularly through movements for desegregation and civil rights.

  • Analyze how the actions and advocacy of African Americans contributed to the practice of democracy in America, with a focus on key events and figures from this period.

  • Develop and present arguments that examine the contributions of African American citizens to the theory and practice of democracy, using evidence from historical texts, music, and literature.

CIV 9–12.2

• • Critically assess the roles of individuals, groups, and institutions in both promoting and hindering social justice and equality during the early 20th century, focusing on events like the Red Summer race riots and the civil rights movement.

  • Investigate how African American institutions, such as churches and schools, played a role in solving social and political problems, and how these efforts were reported in both Black and White press accounts.

  • Evaluate the impact of cultural expressions, including music and literature, on the efforts to address social and political problems, and how these forms of expression contributed to the broader civil rights movement.

INQ 9–12.8

• • Investigate and gather evidence from multiple primary and secondary sources, including press accounts, government documents, and cultural works, to analyze social and political changes for Black Americans during the early 20th century.

  • Detect and address inconsistencies in historical narratives by cross-referencing evidence from different sources, including differing accounts in Black and White press.

  • Revise and strengthen historical claims about the role of African Americans in U.S. society by integrating evidence from a variety of mediums, such as music, literature, and visual art.

9.4A.2

• • Analyze the reasoning behind the Brown v. Board of Education decision and its impact on the civil rights movement, using primary sources such as court documents and contemporary press accounts.

  • Investigate the role of music and literature in reflecting and influencing public opinion on school desegregation and civil rights during this period.

  • Evaluate the effectiveness of the Warren Court’s decision in advancing civil rights by examining its reception and the responses from both supporters and opponents, particularly in the South.

9.4A.3

• • Investigate and analyze the various forms of resistance to civil rights in the South, using a range of primary sources, including press accounts, government reports, and personal narratives.

  • Evaluate the impact of cultural responses, such as music and literature, in documenting and challenging resistance to civil rights during this period.

  • Develop a comprehensive understanding of the social and political challenges faced by African Americans in the South, and how these were reported and resisted in both Black and White press.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.11-12.1.A

• • Formulate and present well-supported arguments about key events and figures in African American history, distinguishing between different perspectives and using evidence from multiple sources.

  • Evaluate the role of music and literature in supporting or challenging claims about African American history, particularly in the context of civil rights and social justice movements.

  • Organize and sequence arguments in a clear and logical manner, incorporating evidence from a variety of primary and secondary sources to support or refute claims.

CELP.9-12.1. RI.7

• • Analyze different portrayals of African American life and history in various mediums, including press accounts, music, literature, and visual art, identifying which details are emphasized in each account.

  • Compare and contrast how the Black and White press covered key events in African American history, such as the Red Summer race riots and the Harlem Renaissance.

  • Evaluate the role of different mediums in shaping public perceptions of African American history and culture, and how these perceptions influenced social and political changes.

Pre-Assessment: Imagine you are a student during the time period. Describe your school day in a one-page journal entry.

Common Misconceptions:

● Black Americans are a monolith (there were varying viewpoints on how to achieve equal rights)

● Nonviolent protest ensured a nonviolent response. (In reality, there was violence against peaceful protestors.)

Formative Assessments/Checks for Understanding

● Group discussions

● Critical Self-reflections

● Entry/Exit slips

● Turn-and-talks

● Critical analysis of various historical documents, media (pictures, music, letters, journal entries, book excerpts, videos etc.)

● Word splash

Performance Tasks and Criteria/Project?Based Applications (Aligned with Compelling Questions)

Students gather news articles, images, or online papers on period and then develop a claim and cite evidence to support argument using multiple sources in response to the following question: How successful have Black Americans’ movements for equality been in transforming the dreams, status, and rights of Black Americans in the United States?

Explain how the perspectives of people in the present shape interpretations. Course Projects: Radical Imagination Through the Arts and Be the Change Project

• Great Migration

• Tulsa massacre

• Black Wall Street

• Red Summer

• Langston Hughes

• Harlem Renaissance 

• Jazz Age 

• Prohibition 

• speakeasy

• De facto segregation

• FHA-Federal Housing Authority

• Redlining

• Montgomery Bus Boycott

• March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom

• Civil Rights Act 1964

• Voting Rights Act 1965

• patriotism 

• fascism

• CTECS Unit 5 Lesson 5.1

• CTECS Unit 5 Lesson 5.2

• CTECS Unit 5 Lesson 5.3

• CTECS Unit 5 Lesson 5.4

• CTECS Unit 5 Lesson 5.5

• CTECS Unit 5 Lesson 5.6

• Unit 5 Activities Folder 

• Music - Students can research a Jazz Musician and their contribution to “pop” music

• ART/ELA The beginnings of a “collection” for a “gallery walk” or other form of presentation would be ideal to blend with ELA and Fine Arts classes

• Investigate local art community - Bessye Proffitt, Dollie McLean, Artists Collective and Lasting Legacy of Harlem Renaissance in Hartford and other cities

• ELA - Watch A Raisin in the Sun film, 1961, with Sidney Poitier (play by Lorraine Hansberry) - uses Hughes’ poem, another great connection that could be themed through multiple lessons/units: “What happens to a dream deferred?”

• Technology/Media - Create a podcast about significant individuals in CT History: Hartford’s Lemuel Custis, Edward T. Hall, Connie Nappier, Constance Baker Motley

• Prepare artifacts for school/community display during Black History Month and/or Women’s History Month.

• ELA - transcendentalism and civil disobedience  

Students gather news articles, images, or online papers on period and then develop a claim and cite evidence to support argument using multiple sources in response to the following question: How successful have Black Americans’ movements for equality been in transforming the dreams, status, and rights of Black Americans in the United States?

Explain how the perspectives of people in the present shape interpretations. Course Projects: Radical Imagination Through the Arts and Be the Change Project

Use these reflective questions to enhance critical consciousness for diversity and equity for both educators and students.

• Why is it important for me and my students to be critically conscious for diversity and equity?

• How do I define diversity? How do my students define diversity? What do I need to learn? What do my students need to learn?

• How do I define equity? How do my students define equity? What do I need to learn? What do my students need to learn?

• How does my identity and my students’ identities impact my teaching and classroom practices? How does it impact my students’ learning and engagement?

• What do I know about various aspects of identity? What do I need to learn?

• What do my students know about various aspects of identity? What do they need to learn?

In developing our K-8 social studies model curriculum, we place a strong emphasis on cultural relevance to captivate and empower our students. It’s important to create inclusive spaces for meaningful dialogues where students not only engage with previous lessons but also share their unique life narratives, contributing to a collective awareness of diverse perspectives. The aim is to thoughtfully integrate the rich cultural tapestry of students' homes into the social studies classroom, mindful of the multifaceted diversity within our communities. 

Cultivate authentic connections with families through reciprocal conversations that honor their cultures as invaluable assets for promoting both equity and learning. This approach prioritizes experiences that place students at the forefront, ensuring activities not only mirror their lives but also provide windows to a broader understanding of an equitable world. 

One crucial context, language serves as a powerful conduit to students' diverse cultural backgrounds. Embrace a translanguaging approach, recognizing and appreciating the varied linguistic repertoires our students bring to the social studies classroom. This approach acknowledges that individuals draw upon diverse languages and language varieties, such as English and Spanish, to construct a meaningful understanding of equity and diversity in their educational journey. 

For information on how to support English Learners in this unit, refer to the Connecticut English Language Proficiency (CELP) Standards with Correspondences to the K-12 Practices and Connecticut Core Standards. 

Use the EL Strategies Desk Cards (Tip Sheets for ALL Classroom Teachers) for specific questioning techniques and teaching strategies to support students’ learning.