Keep Your Eyes
On the Prize!
MASTER
TEACHERS
LESSON TITLE
GRADE LEVELS
TIME ALLOTMENT
OVERVIEW
SUBJECT MATTER
LEARNING
OBJECTIVES
Paul Fleming and Paul Beavers
Keep Your Eyes on the Prize!
Winning the right to vote during the Civil Rights Movement
Secondary (9th-12th grades)
This lesson is intended to fill four 50-minute class periods.
Students will learn about citizens involved in the Civil Rights
Movement who used powerful strategies to overcome Jim Crow
and other segregation laws to win the right to vote. Students will
investigate the voting amendments of the U.S. Constitution (the
15th, 19th, 24th, and 26th amendments) and will analyze and apply
these amendments during an interactive, hands-on project.
Students will use video and Internet resources, as well as hands
on activities in their investigation.
U.S Government, U.S. History, World History, Humanities,
Psychology, Sociology
Students will be able to:
• Identify and understand the four voting rights amendments to
the U.S. Constitution.
• Identify and understand the three barriers used by southern
states to keep African-Americans from voting (Poll Tax, Literacy
Test, and Grandfather clause).
• Identify and understand specific strategies used by Civil Rights
workers to win the right to vote in the 1960’s.
• Analyze and apply the four voting rights amendments while
creating a 2-minute Public Service Amendment that targets 18
to 24 year old voters (the age group that votes the least in the
U.S.).
• Understand and utilize technology (video camera) to create the
public service announcement.
STANDARDS
National Standards:
US History: National Center for History in the Schools- McRel
United States History Standards and Benchmarks
http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Standard.asp?SubjectID=5
Era 9 - Postwar United States (1945 to early 1970s)
Standard 29: Understands the struggle for racial and gender
equality and for the extension of civil liberties
Level IV (Grade 9-12)
1. Understands how diverse groups united during the civil rights
movement (e.g., the escalation from civil disobedience to more
radical protest, issues that led to the development of the Asian
Civil Rights Movement and the Native American Civil Rights
Movement, the issues and goals of the farm labor movement
and La Raza Unida)
2. Understands conflicting perspectives on different issues
addressed by the women's rights movement (e.g., the Equal
Rights Amendment, Title VII, and Roe v. Wade)
3. Understands how various Warren Court decisions influenced
society (e.g., the Warren Court's expansion of due process
rights for the accused and criticisms of this extension; Warren
Court's reasoning in establishing the "one man, one vote"
principle; the effectiveness of the judiciary in promoting civil
liberties and equal opportunities)
4. Understands significant influences on the civil rights movement
(e.g., the social and constitutional issues involved in Plessy v.
Ferguson (1896) and Brown v. Board of Education (1954) court
cases; the connection between legislative acts, Supreme Court
decisions, and the civil rights movement; the role of women in
the civil rights movement and in shaping the struggle for civil
rights)
US Government: Center for Civic Education
http://www.civiced.org/912erica.htm - 15
Level IV (Grade 9-12)
6. Personal responsibilities. Students should be able to evaluate,
take, and defend positions on issues regarding the personal
responsibilities of citizens in American constitutional democracy.
• Explain the distinction between personal and civic
responsibilities, as well as the tensions that may arise between
them
• Evaluate the importance for the individual and society of taking
care of one's self, supporting one's family and caring for,
nurturing, and educating one's children
7. Civic responsibilities. Students should be able to evaluate,
take, and defend positions on issues regarding civic
responsibilities of citizens in American constitutional democracy.
• Evaluate the importance of each citizen reflecting on,
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•
•
criticizing, and reaffirming basic constitutional principles
Evaluate the importance for the individual and society of being
informed and attentive to public issues, assuming leadership
when appropriate, registering to vote and voting
knowledgeably on candidates and issues
Evaluate whether and when moral obligations or constitutional
principles require one to refuse to assume certain civic
responsibilities
State Standards -TN
US Government - Tennessee Department of Education
http://www.state.tn.us/education/ci/cistandards2001/ss/cissusgover
nment.htm
5. History involves people, events, and issues. Students will
evaluate evidence to develop comparative and causal analyses
and to interpret primary sources. They will construct sound
historical arguments and perspectives on which informed decision
in contemporary life can be based.
5.4 understand the United States Constitution as a "living
document" in both principle and practice.
5.6 understand the balance between the protection of individual
rights and the general welfare of all citizens.
At Level 1, the student is able to recognize examples of individual
rights and the general welfare of all citizens.
At Level 2, the student is able to detect the tensions between
protecting individual rights and the general welfare of all citizens.
At Level 3, the student is able to determine the constitutional basis
for balancing the protection of individual rights and promoting the
good of the whole.
MEDIA
COMPONENTS
PBS VIDEOS
Eyes on the Prize Compilation: Segment: “1964-Power and the
Vote”
Freedom: A History of US: “Marching to Freedom Land” #15
Segment: “We Shall Overcome.”
WEB SITES
National Voting Rights Museum and Institute – Selma, AL
http://www.voterights.org/
An interactive site remembering the struggle around black voting
rights in Selma, Alabama.
http://www.voterights.org/literacy.html
A sample Literacy Test used in Selma, AL to prevent African
American residents from voting. (You will need Adobe Acrobat to
read this file.)
The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow, Voting Then and Now
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http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/tools_voting.html
This interactive site allows students to experience the
discriminatory voting practices of several states during the “Jim
Crow” Era.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/voting_literacy.html
An example of a “literacy test” used to disqualify African American
voters can be viewed here and printed for classroom use.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/voting_sheriff.html
An oral account of the voting experience during the Jim Crow Era.
The Constitution of the United States
www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.overview.html
This website offers a comprehensive look at the Preamble, 7
Articles, and 27 Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
MATERIALS
PER GROUP: Computer with Internet, (3-4 students/group) video
camera OR two poster boards, or other presentation paper formats
to make visuals for the Public Service Announcement (PSA),
pencils, markers, colored pencils
PER CLASS: TV/VCR, Computer with Internet hooked to large
screen monitor or LCD
PER STUDENT: journal, pen
PREP FOR
TEACHERS
Teacher will need to preview and bookmark all websites ahead of
time.
Teacher will need to visit The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow, Voting
Then and Now located at
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/voting_literacy.html and National
Voting Rights Museum and Institute – Selma, AL located at
http://www.voterights.org/literacy.html to print out an example of a
“literacy test.” (You will need Adobe Acrobat to read this file.)
Teacher will need to copy the handout of the voting instructions for
Mississippi voters for each student.
Teacher will need to cue up the video to beginning of the segment
entitled: 1964-Power and the Vote
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INTRODUCTORY
ACTIVITY:
SETTING THE
STAGE
Step 1. At the beginning of class, announce to students that they
will be taking a brief quiz about the Civil Rights movement.
(Teacher Note: Teacher will need to visit The Rise and Fall of
Jim Crow, Voting Then and Now located at
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/voting_literacy.html and National
Voting Rights Museum and Institute – Selma, AL located at
http://www.voterights.org/literacy.html to print out and photocopy
examples of “literacy tests.” Give a copy of each form to each
student. DO NOT TELL STUDENTS WHAT THE HANDOUT IS!)
Instruct students to fill in the blanks on the handouts silently,
individually, and carefully.
Step 2. Once they have finished, instruct students to turn the
handouts over and write a 1 to 3-sentence description about the
main idea of the handouts. Allow 3 to 5 minutes for students to
silently write their answers on the back of the handout. When all
students have finished writing, give the following directions: Raise
your hand if you thought you had a good idea about what the
handouts were about. Raise your hand if you didn’t think you had
a good idea about what the handouts were about. The likely
response from the class will be that many of them did not have a
good understanding. Explain that you will not be taking this “quiz”
up for a grade, but you wanted to show the class some examples
of handouts that were actually used by the state of Alabama when
its African-American citizens tried to register to vote. Explain that
the state of Alabama intentionally wrote confusing, and very
difficult documents that were presented to all African-Americans
who tried to register to vote.
Step 3. As a class, visit The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow, Voting
Then and Now located at
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/tools_voting.html to experience
the discriminatory voting practices of several states during the “Jim
Crow” Era. As a FOCUS FOR MEDIA INTERACTION, walk
through the process entitled “Try to Vote” and try to draw some
oral conclusions about the challenges facing a voter of color in this
time period.
Step 4. Once the voting process has been thoroughly explored,
play the oral account of a voter of that time period from The Rise
and Fall of Jim Crow, Voting Then and Now – Oral Account
located at http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/voting_sheriff.html. As
a FOCUS FOR MEDIA INTERACTION, instruct students to close
their eyes and create a mental image of the voter’s scene. Once
the audio segment is complete, wait for a minute, or so and then
ask students to share their perceptions of the event.
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Step 5. Instruct students to work in small groups to visit The Rise
and Fall of Jim Crow, Voting Then and Now located at
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/tools_voting.html. As a FOCUS
FOR MEDIA INTERACTION, ask students to work through the
“Voting Now” section and then write a paragraph, or two comparing
and contrasting the practices of today with those of the “Jim Crow”
Era. Once all students have completed the assignment, hold a
class discussion allowing students to discuss their findings and
conclusions.
LEARNING
ACTIVITIES
Step 1. Ask students the following question: Why would state
officials not want its own citizens to register to vote? Responses
will vary. Explain to students that, especially in the South, there
were many rural districts where African-Americans outnumbered
Whites.
What could be the consequences if these districts that had a
majority of African-Americans registered all of its Black voters?
Responses usually include: White officials could be voted out of
office and laws that were discriminatory in nature could be
changed.
Step 2. Explain to students that because voting means political
power, many southern states developed three barriers to keep
African-Americans from registering to vote. These barriers are: 1)
The Poll Tax- African-Americans had to pay a tax to vote. 2) The
literacy test- African-Americans had to read and interpret a
confusing document. (like the one the class just read) 3) The
grandfather clause- African-Americans who had ancestors who
could vote before 1867 were allowed to vote. However, AfricanAmericans were not legal citizens until 1868. Explain to students
that there are four amendments to the U.S. Constitution that deal
specifically with voting. The class will view them on The
Constitution of the United States
at www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.overview.html. As
a FOCUS FOR MEDIA INTERACTION, students will look for
answers to these essential questions: When looking at the four
amendments, what surprises you about the dates of any of these
amendments? Why didn’t African-Americans get full voting rights
after the 15th amendment was passed in 1870? Why is voting an
important political power? CLICK on website; then, CLICK on
amendments to get to the 27 amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
Read the four amendments aloud to the class and then use the
essential questions for discussion about the amendments.
Step 3. When discussion is finished, explain to students that they
will see a video segment showing the struggle to win the right to
vote in Mississippi in 1964. CUE Eyes on the Prize Compilation to
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the “1964-Power and the Vote” segment. As a FOCUS FOR
MEDIA INTERACTION, the following questions should be read to
students before viewing the video and used as discussion
questions after viewing the segment: What scene is most powerful
for you and why? What new information did you learn from the
video segment? How did the white power structure attempt to
rationalize keeping African-Americans from registering to vote?
(answers include: African-Americans are not intelligent enough to
run the state, segregation is a way of life and should be
respected.) BEGIN PLAY. (This segment is 5 minutes in length).
STOP for discussion at end of the segment when Lawrence Guyot
is finished speaking about the white registrars in Mississippi.
Discuss answers for the essential questions. .
Step 4. Review the 3 barriers to voting. (1. The Poll Tax- AfricanAmericans had to pay a tax to vote. 2. The literacy test- AfricanAmericans had to read and interpret a confusing document. (like
the one the class just read) 3. The grandfather clause- AfricanAmericans who had ancestors who could vote before 1867 were
allowed to vote.) CUE Freedom: A History of US: “Marching to
Freedom Land” #15 to the “We Shall Overcome” segment. As a
FOCUS FOR MEDIA INTERACTION, students should look for
answers to the following questions: What scene is most powerful
for you and why? What new information did you learn from the
video segment? How have your views about the importance of
voting changed since watching these two video segments?
BEGIN PLAY. STOP for discussion after President Johnson
finishes his speech in Congress with the quote “and we shall
overcome”. Use the focus questions to launch a discussion on the
importance of voting and the emotional battle fought by the African
American people to carry out their right to vote.
CULMINATING
ACTIVITY
Step 1. Explain to students that they will complete a small group
project (3 to 4 in each group) that requiring the design of a 2minute persuasive public service announcement (PSA) that
convinces 18- to 24 year olds about the importance of voting. The
PSA must use information from the 15th, 19th, or 26th amendment,
and the 24th amendment. The PSA can be presented in class by
the four members or as a video. The PSA must include at least
two visuals (posters, costumes, etc.) No script, or research paper
has to be turned in, but content about the amendments must be
included in the PSA. Students should be given one to two class
periods to create and research information for the PSA
presentation.
Step 2. Students will present either their video, or in-class version
of the PSA and will be graded on: accuracy and depth of content,
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creativity, persuasiveness, and professionalism.
CROSSCURRICULAR
EXTENSIONS
Language Arts
Students can read related literature about the Civil Rights
movement and do writing activities that seek to recreate the
attitudes that were present during the 1960s.
Music
Music courses could focus on the role of the African-American
church and its emphasis on spirituals as a non-violent weapon
towards overcoming the disease of segregation.
Multi-Disciplinary
Sociology and psychology courses could focus on the mental
aspects of overcoming segregation and the societal legacy of
separating people by race.
The entire school could plan an assembly that weaves speeches,
dance, music, and history about the civil rights movement and the
importance of voting.
Plan a “Day of Tolerance” that asks students to sign a tolerance
pledge that honors different cultures and ethnic groups.
COMMUNITY
CONNECTIONS
Plan a voter registration drive to register all 18 year olds in the
school.
Have students interview members of the community who lived
through the civil rights movement. Partner with a local library to
interview Civil Rights leaders and display information as part of an
exhibit.
Organize a field trip to a site that was prominent in the Civil Rights
movement.
Plan a school-wide “volunteer” day that places students with
organizations that promote civic awareness and ethnic tolerance.
STUDENT
MATERIALS
Copies of Voting Instructions for Alabama voters downloaded from
The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow, Voting Then and Now located at
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/voting_literacy.html and National
Voting Rights Museum and Institute – Selma, AL located at
http://www.voterights.org/literacy.html.
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