
Changing Laws: Politics of the Civil Rights Era
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Politics of the Civil Rights Era
In Changing Laws: Politics of the Civil Rights Era, middle graders explore the key legislative and judicial victories of the era that spanned from 1954 to the early 1970s, including Brown v. Board of Education, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968, all
$15.95 - $22.95Reviews
School Library Journal
"A solid introduction to the politics of the civil rights movement. In five chapters, readers gain a concise but clear understanding of the history of Jim Crow in the South; Emmett Till’s murder in Mississippi, which sparked the movement; the 1957 Brown v. Board of Education decision and the desegregration of schools; the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Voting Rights Act of 1965; the Fair Housing Act of 1968; and the Black Power movement and a very brief mention of the current #BlackLivesMatter movement. Cummings provides an unbiased examination of the four presidential administrations, outlining their strengths and weaknesses in guiding the country through this period. The format is useful for reluctant readers, with a detailed glossary, a straightforward narrative, and numerous sidebars listing fast facts. For those looking for further information, there are several side project ideas and a lengthy bibliography.”
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Detailed Book Description
In Changing Laws: Politics of the Civil Rights Era, middle graders explore the key legislative and judicial victories of the era that spanned from 1954 to the early 1970s, including Brown v. Board of Education, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968, all of which couldn’t have happened without the increased activism of the times. Kids explore how marches, demonstrations, boycotts, and lawsuits prodded local and state governments to reveal the bigotry of their laws and the brutality of their oppression of black citizens.
Hands-on projects about social justice issues alongside essential questions, links to online resources, and text-to-world connections promote a profound understanding of history and offer opportunities for social-emotional learning.
Try these critical and creative thinking projects!
- Create a graphic to illustrate the path to the Civil Rights Act of 1964
- Invent a game that illustrates the economics of the racial wealth gap
- Map your school by today’s degree of segregation and educational inequality
- Research voting rights in your state
Paperback, $15.95 9781619309272 |
Hardcover, $22.95 9781619309241 |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
The Political Path
Chapter One
Separate is Not Equal
The Politics of School Desegregation
Chapter Two
Now is the Time
The Politics of the 1964 Civil Rights Act
Chapter Three
We Shall Overcome
The Politics of the 1965 Voting Rights Act
Chapter Four
Opening the Gates of Opportunity
The Politics of the Fair Housing Act of 1968
Chapter Five
Black Power and White Backlash
The Politics of Resentment
Glossary
Resources
Selected Bibliography
Index