EDSS 516 - The American Civil Rights Movement (3)

In the 1950s, just 90 years after the end of the Civil War, equal rights for all existed only in America’s founding documents. Throughout much of the South, African Americans were denied the right to vote, were forced to use separate public facilities, went to segregated schools, and faced rampant discrimination in housing, employment, and many other areas. In response, the Civil Rights Movement aimed to eliminate segregation and guarantee equal rights for all Americans regardless of skin color. 

In this course, you will review the major events of the Civil Rights Movement during the 1950s and 1960s, including the Montgomery bus boycott, sit-ins and other nonviolent demonstrations, and the galvanizing leadership of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. In addition, you’ll develop strategies for teaching students what life was like in segregated cities and discussing issues of prejudice of racism with sensitivity and respect. Using multimedia resources and creative lesson plans, you’ll be able to bring to life events such as the March on Washington and the passage of major legislation that spelled victory for the ongoing battle for equal rights.

Using the techniques from this course, you will be equipped to teach students about this crucial period of American history and how it continues to shape our country today.