Subjects
Social studies, government
Estimated Time
One 90-minute class period
Grade Level
Middle and High School
Background
The Civil Rights Movement did not begin suddenly in the 1960s, nor was it a short battle. Even today, many civil rights hopes and objectives have still not been met.
The movement for African-American civil rights and against racial discrimination grew over time through massive grassroots organization, a commitment to achieve racial equality through non-violence, legislative victories, brilliant leadership and collaboration and the sheer courage and determination of hundreds of thousands of participants.
To understand the enormity of the famous March on Washington, we compiled a timeline of major civil rights events in the 100 years leading up to August 20, 1963.
This timeline of the history of the Civil Rights Movement does not include every event, but attempts to capture those that exemplify the long struggle for equality that so many fought so hard for, and many gave their lives to see realized. The interactive nature of the timeline allows for students and teachers to learn more about these historic events through both text and video.
Either as a class or individually visit this timeline of important civil rights events leading up to the March on Washington and important historical events that follow the march. There are videos and information students can browse through to learn more about the real life events that took place. Or you may want to click on the link below and scroll through the timeline together and watch the videos together.
Main Activities
1. The Who and How of March on Washington
Most students are familiar with Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, considered a defining moment in the Civil Rights Movement. However, few students understand the sheer magnitude of the task and the courage that it took to plan and carry out the March on Washington on August 28, 1963. The demonstration was so powerful that it is said to be responsible for ushering in a wave of legislation that outlawed acts of discrimination and changed an entire nation for generations to come.
- Put students in small groups and give them copies of two documents:
- The “ Final Plans for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom ”
- The program for “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom”
- Have the students do a scavenger hunt and answer the questions on the worksheet “ March on Washington Primary Documents. ”
2. Where We Are Today: “A More Perfect Union” Speech
- Pass out the text excerpt of President Obama’s 2008 speech on race, “A More Perfect Union.” Listen to President Obama’s “A More Perfect Union” speech together as a class starting at 14:40 and ending at 18:00. This will match the text excerpt.
- Ask students, in pairs, to go back over the text excerpt and find the evidence of discrimination and the consequences of the discrimination. Have them use either two different colored pens, markers, or highlighters to mark the evidence in one color and the consequences in another.
- Show a piece by Student Reporting Labs on the past and present fight for civil rights. Discuss discrimination today and brainstorm changes--on a personal, local, and federal level--that can help move toward a more equitable and inclusive society.
By Katie Gould, Teacher Resource Producer for NewsHour Extra
This lesson was updated on June 9th, 2023. It was originally published on June 18, 2016.
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