Primary Documents

Question and answer activity based on "The Children's March [1]." (Download the Teacher's Guide [2] here.)

Objectives
• Students will analyze written documents for position of writer and content.
• Students will synthesize an historical position based upon document analysis.

Materials
• Copies of documents [3] for each student
• One copy of the handout [4] for each student

Framework
Many of the major events that defined the civil rights movement took place in Alabama. And it was from Alabama that two of the leading figures in the struggle emerged. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. came to prominence in Montgomery as a spokesperson for black people seeking equality. Along with Bull Connor, Gov. George C. Wallace became a symbol for white resistance to racial integration. On June 11, 1963, Alabama’s governor received national attention when he kept a campaign pledge to stand in the schoolhouse door to block the integration of Alabama public schools. The conflict between these two sides would focus national attention on the state of Alabama.

The media allowed the nation to see the powerful water hoses and police dogs used against the Birmingham demonstrators in May 1963. The world watched as terror and violence gripped Birmingham.

Step One In this lesson you will find six documents that show differing opinions about the conflict in Birmingham. After reading the documents, ask each student to choose one document and answer the questions on the handout on the following page.

Step Two Have them report their findings to the class.

Step Three Upon completion, give each student the following performance task: You are the press secretary for the governor of Alabama in 1963. You are to write a press release that will be sent to every newspaper, radio station and television station in Alabama regarding what is going on in Birmingham. Consider all of the documents available to you. What will you advise the governor to tell the state?