Permission Form from school/educational program to parents – also available on-line at for easy editing.

<School letterhead>

<date>

Dear Parent or Guardian,

We are sending this letter to give you more information about upcoming curriculum material in you child’s classroom. <Name of school or specific class> will be working with Emory University and the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site to study the history involved in the exhibition “Without Sanctuary: Lynching Photography in America.” <You may want to add your school’s rationale for visiting the exhibition here.>

This exhibition contains evocative photographs and postcards that document public lynching in America from the 1860’s until the 1960’s. These images provide an opportunity for us to examine a dimension of American history that is painful, infamous, and horrific. Writer James Baldwin once described the South as “the scene of the crime.” While we know that lynching was a crime committed throughout the United States, Baldwin’s statement resonates nonetheless. The South was the historic seat of slavery and became the direct heir to its racial legacies, including a higher incidence of lynchings and other racially motivated crimes. The state of Georgia has its own difficult and specific history of “lynch law” as well, a record that prompted anti-lynching activist Ida B. Well’s grim observation that “ a Negro’s life is a very cheap thing in Georgia.” Compelled by this historical backdrop, we welcome the opportunity that this exhibition affords to wade into the troubled waters of a history that must not be forgotten.

Using curriculum written specifically for grades 7 – 12 in Georgia, we will educate students about racial issues during two time periods—the post-Reconstruction era and the period just before and after World War II. Students will be encouraged to do the kind of thinking that historians do, taking on the role of “historical detectives” searching for and applying “clues” to answer important questions about the past. In a historical inquiry, there is rarely a single “right” answer. Rather students will learn to base their answers on sound use of evidence and reasoning.

The goals for class visits to the exhibition and classroom activities around it include:

  1. To promote the development of a more humane and informed citizenry by exploring a painful period in American History and by making connections between that history, contemporary contexts and the moral choices students make in their own lives.
  2. To help student recognize the need for participation and responsible decision-making and to offer them practical strategies for civic engagement.
  3. To advance student literacy and expression by encouraging students to reflect and share their feelings and perspectives through written and other creative means.
  4. <you may want to add your own goals here>

Emory University, the King Historic Site and <your school> teachers have worked together to create pre- and post-visit activities to prepare your child for the emotional impact of “Without Sanctuary.” We invite all parents, teachers and guidance counselors to view this exhibition prior to these student visits. This exhibition will be in the King Historic Site from now through December 31, 2002. Entry is free, however, tickets are required and available at the Visitor Center on the day of use. Hours are 9AM – 5PM seven days a week through Memorial Day, then from 9AM – 6PM through Labor Day and 9AM – 5PM after Labor Day.

We hope that you will join us in taking the challenge of discussing these challenging issues.

Sincerely,

<Names of principal and teachers involved>

Permission Form from school/educational program to parents – also available on-line at for easy editing.

<School letterhead>

<date>

Dear Parent or Guardian,

With your permission your child will attend the “Without Sanctuary: Lynching Photography in America” exhibition at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site in Atlanta on <put in date and time of field trip>. The co-presenters of this exhibition, Emory University and the King Historic Site, have worked together with <your school> to create pre-and post-visit activities to prepare your child for the emotional impact of this exhibition.

The images presented within this exhibition are graphic and are likely to evoke strong emotions. Before the visit, your child will learn about the historical context of lynching and will be introduced to the anti-lynching movement. Immediately after viewing the exhibition, your child will participate in activities that allow for reflection. Each student will be encouraged to record and express their feelings using words, art and other creative processes. Discussion will include questions about how individuals can act to combat the racism that led to lynching and it’s legacies in today’s society.

Please sign below if granting permission and return this entire form.

______

Student name (please print)

______

Parent or guardian signatureDate