Caitlin Kegley
Ben Nauman
Kevin Schelb
3. Purpose, Background, and Context
The purpose of this lesson is to expose students to images demonstrating abuses of authority and have students make connections between brutalities of the Civil Rights Movement to (event). This lesson would follow the introduction to the Civil Rights Movement, examining the goals of the movement, leaders, and strategies. We would follow up this lesson with the political ramifications. By using these images, we will examine how public knowledge and perception could be changed by the meaning of the images and therefore, influence political decisions and public policy.
4. Goals
-Students will see and understand the violence of the Civil Rights Movement and (event)
-Students will see abuses of authority against minority groups.
-Students will analyze specific images and their influence on public policy and perception.
5. Materials
“Police Brutality in Civil Rights Movement” found at:
“Police Crusier” found at
6. Procedures
1. Arrange students into groups (3-5 in each group)
-Display “Police Brutality” pictures
2. Ask students “What would be a reason why this person is being treated as such by a police officer? Have students discuss with their group and then the class as a whole. “How could have this situation been handled differently?”
- Give students a guided handout about first image, go over some major points of the Civil Rights actions (marches, sit-ins, burnings, e.g. the violence that had to be dealt with) “What do you think should happen, or should have happened?”
3. Lead discussion on what the government policy was on the Civil Rights violence. “Why did they react the way they did?”
4.Show “Crusier Picture” If you are watching this as an African American, how would you react to it? Anger, hate, violence?” “Knowing that these men got off free?”
5. Show picture of Riots
-Without these images, how is the situation different?
6. Debrief the images: each image has a different interpretation and point of view
7. Assessment of Outcomes
-Have students write a one page paper to summarize what we have discussed
8. Extensions and Adaptations
-For higher level learners, have them come up with different outcomes or policies dealing with the violence exhibited by authority figures in the Civil Rights Era.
For lower level learners, have them research other images of violence.