Tag Archives: Civil Rights

2023 Vol 2: Race, History, Change, and Social Activism: Baseball's Impact on America

Race & Baseball: The Daily Life, Social Activism, and Statistical Impact of the Negro Leagues

Timothy Wells, 7th Grade Social Studies, Alexander Graham Middle School

Curriculum Unit (PDF)

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Synopsis: The 1940s to 1960s marked a transformative era for race and baseball in the United States, with significant strides in civil rights and social activism intersecting with the sport. During this period, the Negro Leagues played a pivotal role in providing African American players with a platform to showcase their talents, as segregation barred them from Major League Baseball. The Negro Leagues was laced with a rich history and traditions on the mainstream icons like Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947 when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers, challenging racial prejudices and becoming a symbol of integration. The 1950s witnessed increasing racial tension, but players like Robinson, Larry Doby, and Willie Mays became beacons of hope. Beyond the diamond, athletes engaged in social activism, advocating for equality and justice. The 1960s saw a surge in civil rights activism, and baseball players played an active role. The courage of these pioneers in the face of adversity contributed to the broader struggle for racial equality, making the diamond a battleground for societal change during a tumultuous period in American history. In my curriculum unit, my students will undergo the process of deconstructing Race and Baseball on three different fronts: understanding background historical information, daily life, and statistical/financial impact. The goal of this is to gain a full understanding of what happened race and baseball, the significance of the Negro League and what they had to endure.

2023 Vol 2: Race, History, Change, and Social Activism: Baseball's Impact on America

Hidden Baseball: The Legacy of the Negro League

Shannon McFarland, 6th Grade English Language Arts, Alexander Graham Middle School

Curriculum Unit (PDF)

Click on the arrow to read the Synopsis.

Synopsis: Students explore the legacy of the Negro League in America, the impact of segregation on American life in the 1920s and 1930s, and write poetry to celebrate the accomplishments of early Black and Latin American baseball players.

2022 Vol 1: Exploring Memory and Race in America

Exploring Race and Memory in America: The Power of our Art

Tam Hawk, 6th Grade Social Studies, Albemarle Road Middle School

Curriculum Unit (PDF)

Click on the arrow to read the Synopsis.

 Synopsis: The word “history” comes from the Greek word “historia” and means inquiry as in the act of seeking knowledge. Questioning the narratives told throughout history, in part, through memorials and monuments is important to understand the true history as well as the different perspectives which are told. Whose story is it? Whose stories are correct? What multiple perspectives can be valid? When the phrase “her story” was introduced as an alternative for his-story, many people thought that was ridiculous, but, in truth, we should ask questions about what is told in historical narratives. What can memorials past and present tell us about history? How has iconoclasm impacted what we know about historical facts? “The destruction, removal and re-interpretation of monuments has drawn the world’s attention and they have often been flash points for intense political and social debate as public symbols of white supremacy.”1 This quote expresses the importance of memorials and monuments and their impact on society, past and present. Art and architecture were important in ancient civilizations because it showed the power, beauty and wealth of a civilization. Art & Architecture reflected the values of ancient civilizations, just as it does today. Memorials and monuments are important for city landscapes because they keep past events alive and reflect the values of that society. 

2021 Curriculum Units Vol 2: Using Digital Mapping to Study History, Race, and Gentrification

Using Digital Mapping to Study History, Race, and Gentrification

Brad Baker, U.S. History, Hough High School

Curriculum Unit (PDF)

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2020 Curriculum Units Vol 1: African American Poetry and the Idea of Citizenship

African American Poetry and the Idea of Citizenship

Marie Calabro, 4th Grade, Pinewood Elementary

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2019 Curriculum Units Vol 8: Time Travel: Using Music to Explore Past, Present, and Future Messages

Jazz, Rock, and Hip-Hop: The Intertwining of Modern American History and Popular Culture

Zach Sanford, Exceptional Children, W.A. Hough High

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2019 Curriculum Units Vol 8: Time Travel: Using Music to Explore Past, Present, and Future Messages

“I, Too, Sing America:” analyzing sex, race, and STEM in 20th Century America.”

Shealynn Womble, Language Arts, Governor’s Village STEM Academy

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2019 Curriculum Units Vol 3: Childhood and the City Space in Literature

Celebrating and Exploring Diversity and Community through Multicultural Literature with integrated Arts: Our “Maybe Something Beautiful”

Julie Soto-Pendleton, 2nd Grade, University Park Creative Arts

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2018 Curriculum Units Vol 5: Exploring American Sacred Values

The Civil Rights Movement as a Social and Economic Movement

Veronica Hall, Civics and Economics, Cochrane Collegiate Academy

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2017 Curriculum Units Vol 4: Memorials, Memories, and American Identity

Lynching: America’s Missing Narrative

Yasmin Forbes, African American Studies, West Mecklenburg HS

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2017 Curriculum Units Vol 4: Memorials, Memories, and American Identity

History Repeating Itself: Looking at Slavery and the Civil Rights Movement in North Carolina and What It Means Today

Nicole Boyd, Fifth Grade, Dilworth ES

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2013 Curriculum Units Vol 1: Charlotte as a New South City: Using the Collections of the Levine Museum of the New South

We Are Charlotteans: Extending Local Charlotte Experiences to Grade 2 Students

Barbara Broom-Devine, Second Grade, Whitewater Academy

Final Unit (PDF)     Implementing Common Core Standards (PDF)

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2013 Curriculum Units Vol 1: Charlotte as a New South City: Using the Collections of the Levine Museum of the New South

From Red Shirts to Research: The Question of Progressivism in North Carolina, 1898 to 1959

Calen Clifton, Eighth, Martin Luther King Middle School

Final Unit (PDF)     Implementing Common Core Standards (PDF)

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2012 Curriculum Units Vol 7: African American Literature of the Civil Rights Movement

African American Legacy: From Suffering to Suffrages to Civil Rights

Troy M. Gray, Language Arts, Davidson Elementary School

Final Unit (PDF)

Implementing Common Core Standards (PDF)

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2012 Curriculum Units Vol 7: African American Literature of the Civil Rights Movement

From Then to Now: How African American Literature Shaped Civil Rights

Megan Woazeah, Language Arts, Francis Bradley Middle School

Final Unit (PDF)

Implementing Common Core Standards (PDF)

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