The following assignments delve into the civil rights movement for voting rights in the state of Alabama that led to the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
1.) Upload a map of the United States and located where Alabama is and write down the name of all its bordering states. Also upload a map of the state with all its major cities and make note of the location of Birmingham, Selma and Montgomery. Which of these cities is the state capital?
2.) Watch the documentary “The Bridge to the Ballot” (40 mins.) www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8-zk6tY-9Y
Write a gut reaction to the documentary. What caught your attention the most? What did you find surprising, disturbing, inspiring, etc. What were the laws, requirements or punishments meant to kept Black people from voting?
3.) Many activists from the Civil Rights era are still alive among us and able to tell us what happened at that time. It’s particularly important to know who Georgia Congressman John Lewis is. He is from Alabama and participated in the movements in his home state.
Please listen to this National Public Radio interview byTerry Gross of John Lewis
http://www.npr.org/2016/11/18/502573795/rep-john-lewis-looks-back-on-the-struggle-for-voting-rights
Also read John Lewis’ biography http://www.biography.com/people/john-lewis-21305903#civil-rights-struggle
Right a gut reaction to both of these, whatever stood out to you the most, moved you the most, surprised or inspired you. Also make note of the sequence of events of his life, particularly what jobs he did in adulthood after having been an activist as a young person. Also notice his recent exchanges with the Trump administration!
due in 12 hours