Immigration Today: Teaching with Film

Also in this issue: Voter Suppression and “Literacy Tests” Book Review: She Stood for Freedom Erie Canal Puzzler

Immigration Today: Three Strategies for Teaching with Film

Jeremy Hilburn and Lisa Brown Buchanan

U.S. films have served as public textbooks about the immigrant experience. —Carlos Cortés, in Hollywood as Mirror1

At a time of growing immigrant populations and increased U.S. schools in 2013, and more than 11,000,000 students have political attention in the upcoming presidential election, it at least one foreign-born parent.5 Avoiding the topic ignores would seem that the topic of immigration would receive a great one of the most formative experiences of these students’ lives. deal of attention in public schools. Yet many teachers shy away Second, immigration policies are widely discussed and hotly from it.2 In this article, we argue that teachers should embrace contested. In keeping with tradition, it’s a prominent topic in teaching about current immigration events and controversies debates and official statements during this year’s campaigning and suggest three ways to do this through film. by presidential hopefuls and others. Finally, the present wave of immigration differs in many ways from previous populations. Why Teach with Film? For example, contemporary immigration is characterized by Film has a long track record as an instructional tool for teach- new dispersion and settlement patterns (e.g., immigration to ing social issues. Film has been shown to elicit and maintain traditional gateway states and new gateways), meaning that student interest and engagement more effectively than tra- a greater number of teachers in a wider variety of areas are ditional teaching methods like lectures.3 Additionally, using likely to teach immigrant students.6 film as a medium may also be more comfortable for teachers Each of these reasons suggests that middle level teach- who are hesitant to broach this issue. Watching a film excerpt ers should take up immigration as a social issue, not just as a can provide a common experience for all your students as historical subject. Teaching immigration as a social issue can they begin to discuss related news, controversies, and family help teachers and students better understand this complex histories.4 phenomenon and the relationship between immigration and In this article, we present a brief overview of literature about politics, both historically and contemporarily. Most importantly, film and immigration and list a few feature and documentary teaching immigration can help teachers better understand the films related to recent immigration that can work well in the students in their classrooms, while also helping immigrant and middle school classroom. We also present three teaching meth- native-born students reflect on their own experiences and ods that are useful for analyzing the film content and bringing perspectives. Yet, precisely because immigration is conten- today’s immigration issues into the conversation. We believe tious and politicized, teachers may be hesitant to broach this these three methods are ideal for middle level social studies; complex social issue in their classrooms. especially for those teachers who want to examine immigration with their students while integrating social studies and Feature Films and Documentaries language arts. Immigration has become such a central feature of our demographic, social, and political landscapes that many feature films Why Teach Immigration? Why should the topic of immigration be a priority in 21st century ON THE COVER: Snapshot from the move Papers: Stories of classroom? First, immigration is a lived experience for many Undocumented Youth (Courtesy of Graham Street Productions, www.grahamstreetproductions.com) students. Almost 2,000,000 immigrant students enrolled in

and documentary films explore it as a central or secondary theme. Professor Emeritus of History Carlos Cortés wrote that Hollywood offers “a kind of popular curriculum on immigration” through feature films.7 Since he penned these words over two decades ago, several phenomena have led to changes in U.S. immigration trends, legislation, and immigrant experiences. Hollywood has responded to these changes by “expanding the curriculum” with mainstream films with variations on the theme of “coming to America.” While these feature films continue to offer a “popular curricu- Courtesy Productions, Graham Street of www.grahamstreetproductions.com lum” of immigration to the general public, documentaries have Monica, from the move Papers: Stories of Undocumented Youth. also emerged as a valuable resource for teaching about this complex social issue. Documentaries often present “counter- Three Exemplary Films stories” of immigration experiences, perspectives that challenge Here we briefly describe three films that we’ve found to be popular narratives and provide viewers more nuanced views of exemplars for teaching immigration. We selected these films immigration. The best documentaries are built upon primary for a number of reasons: they are critically acclaimed and youth and secondary sources (not just expressions of opinion), and are the central characters. These exemplars also represent three they typically focus on actual lived experiences rather than different home cultures and three different life experiences: generalized (or possibly romanticized) immigration stories being an undocumented youth, being a young refugee, and embedded within a fictional storyline. being second-generation family member. The first two films focus primarily on the journey to the United States, while the Using Video Excerpts third focuses more on immigrant acculturation. Teachers can Finding a specific episode within a film has become easier choose to highlight these different aspects, or to focus on one. with the advent of “chapter titles” programmed within digital Which Way Home is a documentary that chronicles the experi- movies as well as scroll bars (showing time elapsed) along the ences of children and teens as they rode freight trains in their bottom of the screen. Viewing an entire film is not necessary journeys through Central America and Mexico to reach the to examine the issues and facilitate meaningful discussions. United States. Video footage and personal interviews recorded In fact, viewing specific 10–15 minute excerpts can be very on the trains, in detention centers, and from the nations of engaging and as meaningful (for your pedagogical purposes), origin illustrate the experiences or counter-stories of the youth while allowing you to devote most of the class time to analyz- in ways that are largely unreported in traditional news outlets. ing a film clip’s content with your students. The Lost Boys of Sudan is a documentary that follows two Teachers should preview the entire film before showing any young Sudanese refugees from Sudan to a refugee camp in part of it to a middle school audience. By thoughtfully selecting Kenya where they seek asylum during civil war and then to the excerpt(s), a teacher can show a segment, while avoiding parts United States. Although safe from physical danger and hunger, that would not be appropriate for a middle school classroom. they still find themselves confronted with the abundance and Excerpts from the film, The Namesake, for example, are appro- alienation of contemporary American suburbia. priate for a middle school audience, yet the film in its entirety The Namesake is a fictional drama based on a book about the is not. Before you plan to use an appropriate excerpt of a film Ganguli family that moves from Calcutta, India, to Cambridge, (one created for more mature audiences), share the excerpt and Massachusetts. We suggest using a specific, powerful scene lesson plan with your principal. Then send a letter to students’ rather than the entire movie. For example, in the “Taj Mahal” parents outlining the lesson, describing the use of the video scene, the clothing of each family member illustrates his or excerpt in the classroom and explaining that you recommend her visible level of acculturation to America: the son’s sports parental guidance (and preview of the film) if a student were jersey, the daughter’s light blouse and scarf, the father’s busi- to ask them permission to view the entire film at home. ness casual attire, and the mother’s sari. Yet, the family shares

3 September 2016 Middle Level Learning 55 ©2016 National Council for the Social Studies a powerful moment as they look in awe and admiration at the Strongly Disagree). Then each student takes a stand, literally Taj Mahal, an iconic symbol of their heritage. standing up and walking to the posted sign in the room that In our teaching, we follow viewing of a film with a combina- most clearly aligns with their sentiments. tion of three teaching strategies that help extend students’ Once they select a “position,” students begin a conversation understanding of immigration: backchanneling; taking a stand; about their “stances,” which allows each assembled group to and analyzing and comparing sources. clarify why its members adopted that particular stance. Then members of one group can share their opinions with members I. Backchannel (Watch and Comment of other groups. As they listen to their peers, students may Simultaneously) indicate that they’re changing their minds by physically mov- Films should be consumed critically. Understanding this, teaching near another posted opinion. In this free-flowing forum, ers can backchannel with their students to foster critical media they may pose questions to each other, reread statements, literacy skills as well as to teach skills and concepts related to and explain their reasoning, all the while listening to others immigration and discussing current issues. articulate their perspectives. A backchannel is “a digital conversation that runs concurrently For the topic of immigration, declarative statements could with a face-to-face activity,” such as watching a film clip.8 It include “U.S. border entry should be more restricted” or “provides students with an outlet to engage in conversation.” “Immigration strengthens countries.” Teachers could generate It mimics a casual “texting” practice among teenagers with cell statements directly related to a film clip. For example, state- phones: they text one another while watching a movie together. ments for the documentary Which Way Home might include: In the classroom, students can respond to teacher-generated “Undocumented immigrants should follow the legal path to prompts, or freely write their reactions to what’s happening citizenship”; “Home countries should help prevent migration”; on screen. We ask students to respond to short queries. Table or “Freedom of movement between countries should be a 1 shows a sample of backchannel prompts to use with the human right.” three films discussed above. After the film excerpt has shown, There are several variations of “Take a Stand” that we’ve found students can respond to longer questions in whole-class dis- work equally well. Students may elect to respond to the state- cussions, small-group conversations, or in writing assignments. ments electronically using wireless clickers or online voting tools Applications such as Padlet enable students to chat about like PollEverywhere.com, and then deliberate their stances on the film sequences in real time. Padlet and similar 2.0 applica- the issue(s) together, sharing and responding to one another tions (e.g., PiratePad, NoteApp) allow teachers to easily prear- from their seats. Teachers may choose to record students’ posi- range group membership and select small- or whole-group tions on a continuum, providing a visual reference to an other- backchanneling formats. These apps work on various devices, wise largely verbal deliberation. This extension activity helps such as iPads and wireless laptops. students understand the multi-layered nature of social and political issues like immigration, and the process of creating II. Take a Stand (Enable a Discussion) the continuum elicits rich conversation among the students. “Take a Stand” is a discussion strategy whereby students move Finally, while traditionally the teacher prepares the statements, about the room as they read, respond, analyze, and deliber- some students are motivated to write their own statements for ate statements individually and as a group. There are many class deliberation. To this end, teachers may include “statement varieties of this approach (e.g., as practiced by Facing History writing” as part of students’ responsibilities during or after the and Ourselves, www.facinghistory.org.), but the common viewing of a film, or, depending on the length of class sessions, purpose across the different approaches is the deliberation students may write statements or respond electronically outside of social issues. of class, and then hold a discussion the following class session. “Take a Stand” begins when students silently read a declara- In summary, “Take a Stand” is a good method for integrat- tive statement displayed large at the front of the room. The ing social studies and ELA as it offers a space for students to teacher posts signs displaying a progression describing a per- respond to a film by holding an issues-centered discussion. The son’s opinion about that statement and how strongly they film serves as a “common experience” shared by all students, feel about it (Strongly Agree; Agree; Undecided; Disagree; to although their interpretations of any one scene might vary.

and perspectives are represented across the sources. A film clip can provide background about an issue before students dive into the details of a particular issue or controversy by engaging with different sources. We have used two different approaches for source analysis and comparison. First, in the stations method, small groups of students rotate through different tables and sources, analyzing and comparing a collection of sources. Items at these stations can include a book excerpt (nonfiction or YA, with a section marked for students to read aloud); a magazine and newspaper article; an opinion piece; a political cartoon; or a photo. At one station, the teacher could prepare a laptop that would run a video clip or a short Webquest. We then hold a whole-group debriefing focused on the immigration issues presented in the From the photo gallery of The Namesake (Fox Searchlight, 2007) sources, and we work to envision potential solutions to some of the current challenges in our world today. III. Analyze and Compare Sources A second way to incorporate source analysis is to use the The third teaching strategy can be used separately, or it can jigsaw method, in which small groups of students select and follow either of those above. In this activity, students analyze present different types of sources to their peers (e.g., Group 1 and compare the various sources of information about immi- presenting a political cartoon, Group 2 presenting a website). gration, comparing and contrasting how immigration issues In this variation, the end goal is to analyze the themes about

Table 1: Three Exemplary Films and Classroom Queries

Title, Studio, Year, Backchannel Prompts Discussion Questions * Characters’ (During the film) (After the showing) Origin * What were the Lost Boys’ most difficult decisions? The Lost Boys of Fight? Flight? Or frozen Sudan What new challenges arose when the boys experienced the comparative with fear? Actual Films, 2003 ease of life in America? Is this ironic? What could U.S. communities do to help such youth make the transition to * Sudan * the United States? Notice the clothing. The Namesake In what ways do the family members represent values and traditions of both Fox Searchlight, 2007 This is the first time all India and the United States? family members are Describe the internal conflicts faced by the two teens when visiting India. * India * looking in the same How do they “find a balance” in their own lives? direction! What different emotions do you imagine the youth felt while hitching a ride Which Way Home? on “the Beast” (the trains through Mexico)? HBO Films, 2009 Why ride trains instead of another form of What things (internal and external) helped them survive? *Central America and transportation? Which nations, organizations, or individuals have the ability to help these Mexico * youth? What might they do?

immigration that emerge from the sources available. Themes Notes can include motivations for leaving one’s home country; chal- 1. Carlos Cortés, “Them and Us: Immigration as Societal Barometer and Social Educator in American Film,” in Hollywood as Mirror: Changing lenges of acculturation; racism and tolerance in America; learn- Views of “Outsiders” and “Enemies” in American Movies, R. B. Toplin, ed. ing a new language; and what has been lost or gained by (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1993). 53. moving to America. 2. Jeremy Hilburn, “Challenges Facing Immigrant Students Beyond the Linguistic Domain in a New Gateway State,” Urban Review 46, no. 4. With either the stations or jigsaw method, we offer students (2014) two choices for recording and presenting what they have 3. See Lisa Brown Buchanan, “Elementary Preservice Teachers’ Navigation of Racism and Whiteness through Inquiry with Historical Documentary learned. They may either create a chart showing the types of Film,” Journal of Social Studies Research 42, no. 2 (2015); Jeremy Stoddard, sources (in our class, they can use Popplet (a free mapping tool)), “The Ideological Implications of Using ‘Educational’ Film to Teach or they may record the immigration themes found in each Controversial Events,” Curriculum Inquiry vol. 39, no. 3 (2009). 4. Jeremy Stoddard, “Socratic Seminar: A Model for Film Discussion in source using a graphic organizer (distributed by the teacher). the Social Studies,” in Social Studies and Teacher Diversity Education, R. Fruja and M. Missias, eds. (New York: Routledge, 2010), 288-291. 5. Migration Policy Institute, “United States: Demographic and Social Data: Conclusion State Immigration Data Profiles” (2013), www.migrationpolicy.org. As immigration to the United States continues to evolve, this 6. Xue Lan Rong and Judith Preissle, Educating Immigrants in the 21st topic is increasingly relevant in students’ personal lives and Century (Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 2009). 7. Cortés, 54. in their awareness as a critical social and political issue. We 8. Beth Holland, “The Backchannel: Giving Every Student a Voice in the have had great success with examining immigration issues by Blended Mobile Classroom,” Edutopia (June 7, 2016), www.edutopia. examining carefully selected film excerpts with these three org. strategies. While the urgency of this issue may cause some teachers to avoid teaching immigration, we argue that this Jeremy Hilburn is an Assistant Professor at the University of North Caro- lina Wilmington in North Carolina urgency calls for thoughtful and engaging teaching strategies. (See recommended films & readings on page 7.) Lisa Brown Buchanan is an Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina Wilmington in North Carolina

57 Issues Free for NCSS Members Lessons and handouts published since 1998 See all 57 covers at www.socialstudies.org/publications/mll

Recommended Films (for Excerpting)

The Lost Boys of Sudan. by M. Mylan and J. Shenk, Directors. San The Other Side of Immigration. Roy Germano, Director. New Francisco, CA: Actual Films, 2003. Length of film: 87 minutes. York: Roy Germano Films, 2009. Length of film: 55 minutes. www.lostboysfilm.com; www.pbs.org/pov/lostboysofsudan www.theothersideofimmigration.com. The genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan is the most recent A collection of interviews (shot in Mexico) revealing why many violent episode in a country torn by a 20-year civil war. The Mexicans migrate to the United States. Dinka tribe has been hardest hit. The film follows two young Dinka refugees, Peter and Santino, through their first year in Papers. Anne Galisky, Director. Portland, OR: Graham Street America. Productions/El Grupo Juvenil, 2008. Length of film (PBS ver- sion): 56 minutes, www.papersthemovie.com; Search on The Namesake. L.D. Pilcher and M. Nair, Directors. New York: “immigration lesson plan” at www.pbs.org. Mirabai Films, 2007. Length of film: 122 minutes. An account of undocumented youth who face multiple chal- www.foxsearchlight.com/thenamesake; Also teach- lenges as they become adults without U.S. legal status. immigration.wikispaces.com/Indian+Immigration A fictional story following a married couple from India through Which Way Home. Rebecca Cammisa, Director. New York, New their immigration to the United States and the life and family York: HBO Films, 2009. Length of film: 90 minutes. that they create today while constantly adjusting and strug- www.whichwayhome.net; Also www.hbo.com/docum gling with cultural differences. entaries/which-way-home/index.html. The journey from Latin American countries north to the United States as seen through the eyes of youth riding the train tops.

Readings for Teachers’ Background

Chomsky, Aviva. “They Take Our Jobs!” for miles through the Arizona desert.” And 20 Other Myths about Immigration. Holden, Stephen. “Film Review: Modernity and Tradition at a Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 2007. Cultural Crossroads,” New York Times, March 29, 2007, www. Interviews provide the substance nytimes.com/2007/03/09/movies/09name.html. (immigrants take Americans’ jobs, are a drain on our economy, contribute to Nazario, Sonia. Enrique’s Journey. New York: Random House, poverty and inequality, weaken the 2007. social fabric, challenge American iden- Enrique’s Journey recounts the quest of a Honduran boy look- tity, and contribute to a host of social ing for his mother, eleven years after she is forced to leave ills) that is analyzed and debunked by her starving family to find work in the United States. Clinging the director. to the sides and tops of freight trains, Enrique faces physical dangers and risks, and also humans at every step who would Hobbs, Will. Crossing the Wire. New York: Harper Collins, 2007. thwart his efforts. Faced with failing crops and starvation, fifteen-year-old Victor Flores attempts to “cross the wire” from Mexico into the United Pace, J., and B. Barrow. “Trump Risks Deepening Republican States so he can find work and send money home. He has no Rift on Immigration.” U.S. News and World Report, August 28, money to pay the “coyotes” who sneak illegal workers across 2015, free at www.yahoo.com/news. the border. He jumps trains, stows away on trucks, and hikes

R. Zackary Seitz and Prentice T. Chandler

In the state of Texas, every social studies class must observe voting rights to women in 1920) glosses over nearly a century “Celebrate Freedom Week” (a state-wide recognition of in which Jim Crow and sexist practices were codified in our Constitution Day1), which includes “appropriate instruction con- state and national laws. cerning the intent, meaning, and importance of the Declaration In short, state standards like the one quoted above, although of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, including the Bill they may be well intentioned, oversimplify the struggle to secure of Rights, in their historical contexts.”2 The curriculum stan- and fully experience civil rights by various groups throughout dards, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), go on to U.S. history. 4 say that the “study of the Declaration of Independence must include the study of the relationship of the ideas expressed in Literacy Tests as Voter Suppression that document to subsequent American history, including the “We came here to exclude the Negro. Nothing short of this will relationship of its ideas to the rich diversity of our people as a answer.”—Judge S. S. Calhoun, President of the Constitutional nation of immigrants, the American Revolution, the formula- Convention of Mississippi 1890 tion of the U.S. Constitution, and the abolitionist movement, which led to the Emancipation Proclamation and the women’s On November 1, 1890, a convention was called to rewrite suffrage movement.” Mississippi’s state constitution following the “completion” of While it is understandable to see how the ideals and lan- Reconstruction. The gathering of white men passed a new guage used in the Declaration of Independence would inspire constitution with clauses that effectively made it impossible patriotism in our students, the arc of “freedom” in the United for African Americans to vote or serve on juries. The key clause States is more complex than a direct cause-effect relationship. stated that prospective voters must be able to give a reason- To assume a linear progression from founding document to able interpretation of the state constitution in order to register freedom (as hinted at in the TEKS standard above) reinforces to vote. What could be determined as “reasonable” would be the “freedom-quest” narrative that is so prevalent in many left up to the registrar of the county, who would more than social studies classrooms and course materials.3 likely be white.5 This clause was an early example of a literacy test being established to suppress the right to vote. By 1907, Glossing Over Long-Term Struggles all southern states and Oklahoma would enact similar restric- The notion that the “ideas expressed” in the Declaration of tions on voting.6 Independence led directly to the Abolitionist and women’s This convention marked the beginning of the “nadir of race suffrage movements too easily overlooks decades of conflict: relations,” the years 1890–1940, according to historian James intentional oppression by some and struggle against this Lowen.7 Mississippi officials were extremely successful at lower- oppression by others. For example, it is important to high- ing the number of African American voters in their state: about light the challenges that our country has faced to extend the 147,000 had been registered prior to 1890, but this number right to vote to people of color and to women. Further, to soon dropped to 8,600.8 Without access to the ballot box, it imply that the freedoms expressed in that founding docu- became nearly impossible for blacks to participate in the politi- ment were successfully extended to disenfranchised groups cal process for generations.9 after the Emancipation Proclamation (which nominally freed Calhoun’s statement leaves no doubt as to the purpose of a “all persons held as slaves” in states “in rebellion” in 1863) or voter literacy test: it would serve as a technique of voter sup- after the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment (extending pression based on race. Soon, however, politicians’ statements

to the pubic and press became less transparent. Officials would test a person’s literacy—or to enable a poll worker to purpose- claim instead that literacy tests were used simply to ensure fully fail African American citizens and keep them from voting that a state had an educated electorate. in the state of Mississippi? What evidence can you now point to as evidence for your answers?” Do It Yourself … and Remember In addition to the many obvious difficulties present in the We have students take a historical “literacy test” as part of literacy test, there are several pitfalls that citizens taking the Celebrate Freedom Week/Constitution Day. (Handout A) The test could have fallen victim to. For example, question 20 asks exercise serves as an introduction to discussing racial injus- for a “statement setting forth your understanding of the duties tice and voter suppression. It invites students to look at voter and obligations of citizenship.” Do students realize that this suppression from a different angle. It challenges them more question can have—for citizens in a democracy—a unique effectively than does watching a movie or listening to someone answer for each citizen? Teachers can highlight this fact with read the Declaration of Independence out loud. students through a class activity in which several students To begin the lesson, students take the literacy test from share their answers to question 20 verbally or by writing on Mississippi in 1955, one that’s particularly interesting because cards. Then the class as a whole can track the similarities and of some trick questions hidden among the others.10 However, differences between everyone’s answers. The teacher could most any historical literacy test could be used. It would be point out ways that the unique answers that citizens given for especially interesting to use a test from your own state’s his- question 20 (and other questions) provide “wiggle room” for torical record, if that is possible. The CRMVET website, at pres- county registrars to target and blithely fail African Americans, ent, provides background information and historical “literacy thereby denying them the right to vote. This helps students tests” from Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South to better understand how voter suppression during the Jim Carolina (Visit the historical collections at www.crmvet.org/ Crow era worked. info/lithome.htm; see sidebar on page 13). Give all students Handout A, “Sworn Written Application,” which is a voter registration form used in Mississippi during the Jim Crow Era, and provided free online by CRMVET (www.crmvet.org/info/ms-test.htm). Ask students to pay close attention to questions 18 and 19 on the form, using the next handout. Without a pause, give half of the class Handout B (which is a short, easy passage from that state’s constitution) for students to copy and interpret. Give the other half of the class Handout C (a longer, difficult passage full of legal jargon). Keep students ignorant of the fact that they are not all getting the same passage to copy and interpret as they answer questions 18–20 on the form. Civil rights activist Annie Lee Cooper as depicted by Oprah Winfrey in the After students have worked silently (and it might be hard for movie Selma (Paramount Pictures, 2014). Read about Cooper at onevotesncc. them to stay silent!) for 5 minutes completing the two-page org/profile/annie-lee-cooper. application, draw them into a discussion. Students might notice any number of oddities, including that there is almost no space Reflecting on the Activity on the paper (!) to write an answer to question 18, which tells Show students that while voting is a constitutional right, it the applicant to “write and copy in the space below”[sic !]. is vulnerable to being manipulated away from certain seg- Students might notice that it is nearly impossible for a person ments of society through the passage of laws, and that this to know if “there is more than one person of your same name loss of voting rights leads to a loss of political power for those in the precinct.” Ask students: “What is the purpose of such a groups. Invite students to look critically at the history of voter test? Were these questions written in a confusing manner to suppression, and to keep a historical framework in mind when

analyzing whether current voting laws in certain states have suppression could add new meaning to their lessons during affected some classes of citizens more than others. Celebrate Freedom Week/Constitution Day this September in By “looking to the bottom” of society (as one scholar has Texas. phrased it), students can get a clear picture of the difficulties faced by people struggling to obtain the right to vote.11 Notes If students can analyze the effect that literacy tests had on 1. This year, Constitution Day is celebrated on September 16, 2016. See constitutioncenter.org/constitution-day. African Americans from 1890 to 1964, they’ll be better able 2. Texas Education Agency (TEA), “Chapter 113. Texas Essential Knowledge to understand the mechanics of racism and suppression.12 and Skills for the Social Studies. Subchapter C. High School” (Austin, ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter113/ch113c.html This understanding will help students analyze the effects that TX: TEA, 2010), . 3. Bruce VanSledright, The Challenge of Rethinking History Education: On modern voter laws may be having on minority communities. Practices, Theories, and Policy (New York: Routledge, 2011), 23-24. 4. Howard Zinn, A Peoples History of the United States (New York: Current Controversies HarperCollins, 2003), 209. 5. James Loewen, Teaching What Really Happened: How to Avoid the Tyranny The TEKS document cited at the opening of this article directs of Textbooks & Get Students Excited About Doing History (New York: teachers to have students “identify and discuss how the actions Teachers College Press, 2010), 192. 6. ______, Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History of U.S. citizens and the local, state, and federal governments Textbook got Wrong (New York: Touchstone, 2007), 144. have either met or failed to meet the ideals espoused in the 7. ______, Teaching What Really Happened, 192. founding documents.” Today, some states’ voting and election 8. Susan Cianci Salvatore, “Civil Rights in America: Racial Voting Rights,” in A National Historic Landmarks Theme Study, p. 14, www.crmvet.org/ laws have come under legal challenges for being restrictive info/nps_voting_rights.pdf. towards certain segments of the citizenry.13 Examples include 9. Michelle Alexander, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age laws requiring voters to present specific forms of identification of Colorblindness (New York: New Press, 2011), 1. 10. “Mississippi Literacy Test- 1965,” Archived by Civil Rights Movement (voter ID), denying the vote to ex-felons, or eliminating early Veterans (CRMVET), www.crmvet.org/info/la-test.htm. voting and same-day registration.14 11. Mari Matsuda, “Looking to the Bottom: Critical Legal Studies and What are the real effects of these laws on poor citizens, the Reparations,” Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review 22, no. 2 (1987): 323–401. elderly, or ethnic or other minority populations? “Preventing 12. Ryan Crowley, “Interest Convergence and ‘Looking to the Bottom,’” in voter fraud” is the usual rationale given for such laws. How Doing Race in Social Studies: Critical Perspectives, Prentice T. Chandler, effective are such laws at doing that? And how big a problem ed., (Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing): in press. 13. NAACP v. McCrory, 2013, Middle District of North Carolina (Case 1:13- is voter fraud at the ballot box? Such questions are being asked cv-658). now in the media, in court cases, and in civic forums across 14. “Texas’ Voter-ID Law: So, Is It Suppressing Voters?” The Economist www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica the nation. Inviting our students to begin engaging in this cur- (November 3, 2014), /2014/11/texass-voter-id-law. rent controversy by first studying a historical example of voter

R. Zackary Seitz is a Social Studies Teacher at Wylie High School in Wyie, Texas Prentice T. Chandler is Associate Professor of Social Studies Education and Associate Director of the School of Education, University of Cincinnati in Ohio

From the State Constitution—ARTICLE 12 Section 240.

All elections by the people shall be by ballot.

Handout C

From the State Constitution—ARTICLE 7 Section 182. [Excerpt]

The power to tax corporations and their property shall never be surrendered or abridged by any contract or grant to which the state or any political subdivision thereof may be a party, except that the Legislature may grant exemption from taxation in the encouragement of manufactures and other new enterprises of public utility extending for a period of not exceeding ten (10) years on each such enterprise hereafter constructed, and may grant exemptions not exceeding ten (10) years on each addition thereto or expansion thereof, and may grant exemptions not exceeding ten (10) years on future additions to or expansions of existing manufactures and other enterprises of public utility.

Civil Rights Movement Veterans—CRMVETS.org Sidebar

The Civil Rights Movement Veterans’ website CRMVETS.org, (hosted by Tougaloo University in Tougaloo, Mississippi) is a tremendous resource for teachers to utilize in their classroom. It is a rich collection of different types of primary sources. In addition to numerous literacy tests, it includes political strategy and organizing documents that allow for an in-depth look at the methods used to gain civil rights. There is also a large cache of photographs showing moments of protest, violence (such as the aftermath of bombings), and other important events. There are several interviews from veterans of the civil rights movement, first-hand accounts from people beyond the “major figures” mentioned in students’ textbooks. There is a list of freedom songs and poems that can draw in students who are musically or artistically inclined. These resources could inspire cross-curricular planning between different departments at your school. There are audio recordings, personal letters, and reports on the movement from major activists at that time such as Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Howard Zinn. Having all of these resources in one place allows a teacher to incorporate so much into any lesson that they are teaching about the civil rights movement. This website was instrumental as we developed this lesson.

She Stood for Freedom: The Untold Story of a Civil Rights Hero

Joan with her son and biographer, Loki

Loki Mulholland, She Stood for Freedom: The Untold Story the civil rights movement: participating in sit-ins and picket of a Civil Rights Hero, Joan Trumpauer Mulholland. Shadow lines; surviving two months in Mississippi’s hellish Parchman Mountain, 2016. Available in picture book (40 pp) and young Penitentiary; and in 1963, attending the March on Washington, reader (60 pp) editions. —Book review by Steven S. Lapham then grieving at the funeral of four black girls killed in the KKK bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Three people are center stage in the iconic photo of the 1963 Alabama. A veteran activist by 1964, Joan helped prepare col- sit-in at the Woolworth’s lunch counter in Jackson, Mississippi. lege students from the North to volunteer for Freedom Summer Nearest the camera is a youthful white man, professor John in Mississippi. Salter of Tougaloo College, his head and clothes soiled with food dumped on him by the sneering crowd. Anne Moody, a The publisher has usefully produced two editions of Joan’s black student under similar attack, maintains a stoic face. In biography. The large picture book is very engaging for readers the center, facing away from the camera, is a student with 4–8 years old. Each page (or two-page spread) includes a short her blond hair gathered in a tight bun. A young white man is chunk of text placed unobtrusively over part of an illustration. dumping more sugar onto her head. The artwork is expansive and runs off the edges of each page. At first, I was put off by illustrator Charlotta Janssen’s method: On the pages of this book, Joan Trumpauer Mulholland turns adding light brush strokes, torn paper edges, and color to and faces you, the reader, and tells her story. Brought up in historical black-and-white photos. But I came to realize that Arlington, Virginia, by parents who loved her but were bigoted, the artwork conveys the concept that you—the reader—are Joan was 12 when the Supreme Court ruled on Brown v. Board constructing your own understanding from the words and of Education in 1954. Her ideals carried her into the center of images here presented, and that no rendering of the past is a

perfect mirror. The fact that there is a historical photograph or Notes document at the heart of almost every single page gives the 1. Loki Mulholland has also created a documentary film, “An Ordinary Hero.” Visit AnOrdinaryHero.com. See a profile of Joan atwww.pbs. picture book a deep sense of authenticity. Joan kept traces of org/wgbh/americanexperience/freedomriders. Many Notable Trade her activities and associations, a gift now to the historian. Books in the Social Studies focus on the civil rights era. These Notables are listed at www.socialstudies.org/notable. Also, search on “civil rights” at www.socialstudies.org/archive. The pages of the middle school edition (for ages 8 and up) are smaller, but they are filled with excellent details in the narrative and many primary source documents: letters, cards, posters, a telegraph, a judge’s ruling (go to Choosing Nonviolence: jail), photographs, and The Courage to Be shards of stained glass Different* from the bombed church. One option for A nonviolent approach to teachers is to buy both life does not mean that books, read aloud the you offer your body in sac- shorter picture book, rifice for a cause, but that and then gather stu- you develop an aware- dents into small groups. ness of how your choice Each group examines of response can support a specific event as it is or diminish the potential revealed in the middle- for violence. If someone level book. Each group says something or does analyzes both the detailed narrative and the primary source something that seems documents presented in that longer edition. Ask students: contrary to what you expected or wanted, don’t use that as “Where else could you look to corroborate his telling of this an opportunity to “give him a piece of your mind.” Commit history?” yourself to reasonable and rational problem solving. Be willing to work hard to elect to office those people The reader learns that, later in life, Joan became an educator who will state clearly their intentions to promote systems of in Arlington schools, as well as mother of five boys, one of government that lead to harmonious interaction between whom wrote these twin biographies.1 Joan fits the definition all people. Don’t be afraid to question any politician whose of a “natural teacher.” She was a friend of the three young stance is suspect on issues of importance. If enough sensi- men who she (with Bob Moses) trained to be nonviolent vol- tive people would choose to become politically active, we unteers —Andrew Goodman, James Earl Chaney, and Michael could avoid some of the unbearable situations we now face Henry Schwerner – who the KKK murdered during Mississippi at local and national levels. Freedom Summer. She explains (in the longer edition), “Guilt is not the word” for how she feels about their sacrifice. “Those *An excerpt from Simple Not Easy: Reflections on Community, of us who are left to keep up the good fight have to do a little Social Responsibility, and Tolerance by Terrence Roberts of extra for them. To promote the brotherhood of man and peace.” the Little Rock Nine. Little Rock, Arkansas: Parkhurst Bros., That phrase – brotherhood of man—does not sound quaint 2010, p. 85. when spoken by a nonviolent activist like Joan Trumpauer Mulholland.

15 September 2016 Middle Level Learning 55, p. M16–M16 ©2016 National Council for the Social Studies An Old Erie Canal Puzzler: How Did Mule Teams Pass Each Other? This brief activity is a P.S. to the article in the previous issue of Middle Level Learning: “The Erie Canal: From Public Works to National Wealth,” by S. Kay Gandy (MLL no. 56, pages 10-16), which can be seen and downloaded at www.socialstudies.org/publications/mll.

reaching back to the boat, which followed 50 to 100 feet behind. When two boats were coming towards each other, the mule drivers first determined who would enjoy the right of way. That would usually be the boat going west because it tended to have more people, and be lighter (unburdened with produce, which came from the west). Or the decision might be determined by which boat had the scarier captain!

PROCEDURE: The mule team pulling the boat with the right of Gather students into groups of three, show students way kept pulling its boat. We’ll call that “boat the image here, and then ask the groups to propose 1.” The mule team for boat 2 (which was several solutions to this puzzle. Give them ten minutes yards ahead of the actual boat in the water) stopped to arrive at a solution and prepare themselves to walking and pulling, but the boat had enough explain it to the rest of the class. They may draw a momentum to glide until it was even with the diagram of their solution if that helps. After hearing mule team. This created enough slack in the lines all of the proposed solutions, read the solution that the lines would go under the water and boat given below, and ask for comments about it. 1 could float right over those ropes!

THE PUZZLE: As for the mule teams, the towpath was typically On the old Erie Canal, there was usually only one about 10 feet wide, so there was enough space path along one side of the canal, not along both for the animals to maneuver around each other, sides. Teams of mules walked this path as they probably with team 1 stepping over team 2’s line pulled barges and boats going east or west. How on the ground. did two teams of mules, one heading east and As for the boats or barges, each was piloted one heading west, “pass” each other on a single by a captain and steered with a rudder. As they path? You might get funny images in your mind approached, boat 2 would steer toward the far side of mules trying to climb over each other while of the canal, away from the towpath, while boat 1 keeping their ropes untangled! But that is not what would float over the slack and submerged lines. really happened. How did they do it? SOURCE: “I actually get that question a lot!” says Natalie Stetson, Executive Director of the Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse, New York THE SOLUTION: (eriecanalmuseum.org). “I really wish there was video of this little Teams of two to six mules pulled barges and boats on do-si-do because even though I describe it nearly weekly, and I have a pretty good image in my head, I can’t imagine how it worked when the canal. They pulled on long ropes, called “lines,” things were really busy on the canal, as they were most of the time. If only time travel were possible!”

16 September 2016