Journalism was an avenue through which activists such as Ida B. Wells and W.E.B. DuBois reached hundreds of thousands of readers. Newspaper coverage could incite white supremacists to riot, could rally African Americans around a cause, could inform a nation, and could turn a local act of violence into a national event. This media unit considers the role of newspapers and journalists in the struggle for civil rights.

Grade Level:
Grades 6-8

Time Allotment:
Six to seven class periods

Subject Matter:
African American History, Jim Crow, Civil Rights, African American Press

Learning Objectives:
Students will be able to:

• Understand the organizational structure of newspapers.
• Learn more about the significance of the African American Press during the Jim Crow era.
• Identify key figures in the struggle against Jim Crow.

Standards:
Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning
http://www.mcrel.org/

Technology Standard and Benchmarks

MCREL Standard 2, Level III (Grade 6-8) Knows the common features and uses of desktop publishing software.

United States History Standard and Benchmarks

MCREL Standard 29, Level III (Grade 7-8) Understands individual and institutional influences on the civil rights movement.

Historical Understanding Standard and Benchmarks

MCREL Standard 2, Level III (Grade 7-8) Knows different types of primary and secondary sources and the motives, interests, and bias expressed in them. MCREL Standard 1, Level III (Grade 7-8) Knows how to construct and interpret multiple tier time lines. MCREL Standard 1, Level III (Grade 7-8) Knows how to periodize events of the nation into broadly defined eras.

This lesson was prepared by: Thomas Thurston

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