1. The Civil Rights Movement
The 1960’s

2. The Sit-Ins and Freedom Rides
On the afternoon of February 1, 1960, Joseph McNeil and Franklin McCain, both African American, sat down at the “whites only” section of the Woolworth’s department store lunch counter in Greensboro, NC. The waitress refused to serve them, but they sat at the counter until the store closed for the day. The two college students returned the following morning with about 20 more students.

3. The Sit-Ins and Freedom Rides
Sit-in – a demonstration in which protestors sit down in a location and refuse to leave.
Form of nonviolent protest
No violence was condoned even in self defense

4. Freedom Rides
Freedom rides – Bus trips by civil rights workers through several southern states in which protesters challenged illegal bus segregation.

5. With your group…
Discuss the idea of sit-ins and freedom rides from the 1960’s. Why did African Americans think they were necessary?
Does 2014 have activists like the freedom riders of the 1960’s? If so, what might they look like?

6. Who were some famous Civil Rights Leaders?
With the people at your table, come up with a list of Civil Rights activists from the 1960’s?
Martin Luther King Jr.
Malcolm X
Rosa Parks
Jackie Robinson
Thurgood Marshall
Did you come up with anyone else?

7. Martin Luther King Jr. Famous Civil Rights activist
Held boycotts, sit-ins, and demonstrations
Arrested during a protest
Letter from Birmingham Jail (excerpts)
With the person sitting next to you, read the excerpt from the Letter from Birmingham Jail and answer the questions on your notesheet

8. Martin Luther King Jr. Police violence in Birmingham I have a dream
Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. April 4, 1968

9. Malcolm X A leader of the Nation of Islam
Members of this were known as black muslims
The problem is still here
Black Power movement – called for African Americans to have greater economic and political power
Assassinated in February 1965

10. Rosa Parks Montgomery Alabama’s chapter of the NAACP
Refused to give up her seat on the bus
Rosa Parks interview