The Civil Rights Movement

Introduction

Welcome, Historians! You are entering a time of profound change in the U.S. (1954-1968).

Your mission is to uncover how activists challenged Jim Crow laws and systematic inequality to reshape American democracy. 

Task

Create a Digital Exhibit (a slide deck or website) that analyzes one key event (eh.g., Montgomery Bus Boycott). Your goal is to explain how chosen event influenced federal legislation like the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 

Process
  1. Select one event from the list provided in the Resources..
  2. Research the event using at least two primary sources (photos, speeches, or letters). 
  3. Draft a 300-word analysis explaining the event's goal, the challenges faced, and its legislative impact. 
  4. Design your exhibit using your chosen primary sources to illustrate your findings. 
  • RESOURCES 
  1. Library of Congress: Civil Rights History https://www.loc.gov/collections/civil-rights-history-project/
  2. National Archives: Primary Documents https://www.archives.gov/research/african-americans
  3. History.com: Civil Rights Movement https://www.history.com/articles/civil-rights-movement
Evaluation
Criteria Excellent (4) Proficient (3) Developing (2)
Historical Accuracy  Facts are 100% correct  Mostly accurate  Significant errors 
Source Analysis  Deep insight into sources  Good explanation  Surface-level analysis 
Clarity  Professional presentation Clear and organized Hard to follow 

 

Conclusion

SUMMARY OF THE ACTIVITY:

Over the course of this WebQuest, you have acted as a historical investigator, moving beyond textbooks to analyze the primary sources that defined the Civil Rights Movement. You have explored how grassroots organizing, legal challenges, and nonviolent resistance dismantled the structures of segregation and paved the way for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

To wrap up your digital exhibit, please answer the following reflection questions:

1. The Power of Strategy: Which strategy (legal, nonviolent, or grassroots) do you believe was most effective in achieving change, and why?

2. The Human Element: How did the primary sources you analyzed change your understanding of the individuals involved in the movement?

3. Connecting to Today: How do the lessons of the Civil Rights Movement inform how we address modern-day issues of inequality and social justice?

4. The Process: What was the most challenging part of acting as a "historical researcher," and what did you learn about the importance of verifying sources?

By completing this reflection, you are not just memorizing history—you are learning how to think critically about the world around you.

Great work, Historian!