sion that people do great things all by themselves. "DUJWJTUTGPS4PDJBM$IBOHF Rather than inspiring the students, this can leave them feeling powerless. “I could never accomplish that by myself,” students say to themselves. Well, neither did the famous person. There is barely an accomplishment in science, sports, social change movements or other fields which does not reflect group effort and/or the strong influences of family or religion. In Rethinking Schools, Herbert Kohl describes how Rosa Parks has been traditionally and erroneously portrayed as an old lady who one day was just too tired to go to the back of the bus. Although she was indeed always tired at the end of a long day’s work, her decision was influenced also use his/her imagination to write about how the tudents can learn a lot by studying the lives of by her associations with others active in the Civil activist felt about certain experiences. people who have worked for social justice. Their Rights movement, including discussions at the T lives can teach how to face challenges, where to 3. Encourage the use of varied and primary sources. Highlander Center with other activists about strate- gather strength to face adversity, how to relate to other Reward students with extra points for all non-ency- gies for confronting Jim Crow. If we want students people, and how to deal with defeat. Researching the clopedia type references. Suggest to students that to learn from the lives of famous people, then one life of a famous person is an assignment frequently they look for autobiographies and biographies, writ- of the lessons to be learned is how one works with given to youth during the heritage months. Whatever ings by the person they have selected, information others—through organizations, family or other the occasion, following are some recommendations for from any organizations they were affiliated with, groups—for change. helping students to get the most from this assignment. newspaper articles, interviews with people who Another option would be to ask students to study On the next pages are some suggestions of people and knew the person, etc. In the case of primary sources, the life of an organization. They could then make organizations for student research. challenge students to use ones that are less com- reference to various key individuals, but the focus monly known. For example, in the case of Martin 4VHHFTUFE(VJEFMJOFT would be on the organization itself—why and how Luther King Jr., everyone is already familiar with it got started, goals, methods, successes and failures, his speech “I Have A Dream.” Powerful as it is, it is 3JHPCFSUB.FODIV /PCFM1SJ[FXJOOFS%FGFOEFSPGUIFMBOEBOEDVMUVSBMSJHIUTPG 1. Enlarge and diversify the list of people you UIFJOEJHFOPVTQFPQMFPG(VBUFNBMB alliances, conflicts, etc. There is not room to list all only one of hundreds of moving and powerful essays suggest for student research. Too often students of the individual organizations here. But within each he authored on domestic and international topics. are asked to research the same names year after of the categories listed below, there is a history of The student will learn a lot more from Dr. King if If they addressed the rights of a racial group, did year—Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King, Jr. the movement and many organizations still working he or she broadens their reading. Another example they address class and gender discrimination within and Harriet Tubman during Black History Month, on the issues today. Cesar Chavez and Roberto Clemente for Hispanic is Helen Keller. Everyone knows her accomplish- that group? Heritage and the suffragists during Women’s His- ments with regards to sight and hearing, but more 6. Highlight community activists. Encourage students • Women’s rights tory Month. Rather than challenging stereotypes, thorough investigation will reveal her extensive to research and present the lives of people who might • Civil rights this repetition can lead students to believe that there work as a political activist. not be well-known, but who are active in their com- • Anti-war were only a few great Blacks, Hispanics and women munity or region. Local individuals may be receptive 4. Examine how the person changes over time. • Gay rights in U.S. history. Accompanying this lesson is a list This will help students to realize that learning and to a request for an interview from a student. Students • Native American rights and sovereignty of many more activists for social change. Encour- growing are lifelong processes. Most people they can get ideas about who would be a good candidate age students to refer to this list for any project you would choose to study developed their analysis and for such a request from reading newspaper articles • Immigrant rights assign on people who have made a difference. We methods over time. Ask students to document some or newsletters from local chapters of activist groups, • Labor unions have tried to limit the list to people about whom of those changes. focusing on issues such as housing, women’s rights, we know students could find at least one book. Add education, labor, etc. The same sources can be good • Liberation movements names of people who may not be nationally known 5. How could the person’s work have been strength- background reading for students to use to prepare • Environmental protection ened? Ask students what they would recommend to but who are familiar as local leaders. their interview questions. • Health issues (AIDS, infant mortality, health of the person they are studying that would (or could people of color) 2. Personalize the assignment. Ask students to write have) increased the effectiveness of their work. 7. Highlight the organizations and institutions in- the report in first person, as if they were the person Ask them to pay particular attention to the “matrix volved in social change. Ask the students to include • Prison reform/prisoner’s rights under study writing an autobiography. This can of oppression.” Point out to students that in many in their report/essay information about the organiza- • Rights of the physically disabled help the students get into the other person’s shoes tions with which the person worked and the forces cases the person they are studying may have been • Housing rights and can motivate them to learn more. The quality very strong in one aspect of their work, but ignored which influenced them. Many mainstream books of the student’s writing is also likely to improve. other forms of oppression. For example, if the and poster series give students the false impres- • Anti-police abuse/criminal justice reform * Their essay will be an engaging story rather than the person worked on labor issues—did they address all-too-frequent lifeless reports. The student could racial and/or gender discrimination in the union? #&:0/%)&30&4"/%)0-*%":4])0-*%":4"/%)&3*5"(& #&:0/%)&30&4"/%)0-*%":4]"$5*7*454'0340$*"-$)"/(& )BOEPVU]"DUJWJTUTGPS4PDJBM$IBOHF )"/%065 "--1)0504-*#3"3:0'$0/(3&44 4JNPO#PMJWBS +BNFT&BSM$IBOFZ "DUJWJTUTGPS4PDJBM$IBOHF Fought for the liberation of Latin Civil rights activist America from Spain $FTBS$IBWF[ hese are just a few suggestions of people and current organizations that students could research. It Labor leader, founder is an alternative to the traditional lists of sports stars, musicians, actors and mainstream politicians, of the United Farm U but it is by no means complete. Workers Each name is followed by a few descriptive words, noting the area in which she or he were active. We tried 4IJSMFZ$IJTIPMN to limit our selection to people about whom students would be able to find some published information. Politician, first Black woman elected to U.S. Congress .VNJB"CV+BNBM 4VTBO#"OUIPOZ .BSZ.D-FPE 4FQUJNB$MBSL Journalist, Black Panther, political Abolitionist, suffragist #FUIVOF Adult educator, civil prisoner Founder, "OOF#SBEFO +FBO rights activist National Southern labor organizer 3VEZ"DVOB #FSUSBOE Council %BWJE#SPXFS $IBSMFT Chicano rights activist, professor "SJTUJEF #FSU$PSPOB of Negro Ecologist, environmentalist, writer $MFNFOUT .% Haitian Women, American doctor, volunteered Activist for rights of leader in educator +PIO#SPXO his services during the war in El undocumented and Mexican- movement Militant abolitionist Salvador Americans for justice, $IJFG 6/-&44/05&%05)&38*4& "--1)0504-*#3"3:0'$0/(3&44 $IJFG$SB[Z)PSTF former #MBDL)BXL $BSMPT#VMPTBO Native American rights activist, President Sauk chief, led Migrant farmworker, documenter Sioux people against of Filipino-American experience +PBO#BF[ White settlers #FOFEJUB%B4JMWB Folk singer, 0NBS$BCF[BT in Illinois Brazilian senator, activist for the activist Nicaraguan Sandinista rights of the poor 8JMM$BNQCFMM &MMB#BLFS "OHFMB%BWJT Civil rights Southern Baptist leader Professor, activist for Black and activist 4UPLFMZ$BSNJDIBFM women’s rights ,XBNF5PVSF Civil rights activist, SNCC founder %PSPUIZ%BZ Pacifist, founder of the Catholic 3BDIFM$BSTPO Worker movement Founder, the environmental movement 'JEFM$BTUSP +BNFT#BMEXJO Leader of nationalist, anti- Novelist, essayist, +BOF"EEBNT imperialist Cuban revolution, lecturer, civil and Developed community social president of Cuba services and training for people in gay rights advocate poverty %FOOJT#BOLT (3"$&-&&#0((4 1FESP"MCJ[V$BNQPT Founded American Puerto Rican independence Indian Movement (AIM) advocate $IJFG$PDIJTF Chiricahua Apache leader 4BVM"MJOTLZ #FOKBNJO Community organizer #BOOFLFS (SBDF-FF 3PCFSU$PMFT Mathematician #PHHT Psychologist, children’s activist .BZB"OHFMPV Chinese Author, activist %BOJFMBOE1IJMMJQ#FSSJHBO Anti-war activists American active in &VHFOF7%FCT Civil Rights Movement Socialist politician, labor activist #&:0/%)&30&4"/%)0-*%":4])0-*%":4"/%)&3*5"(& #&:0/%)&30&4"/%)0-*%":4]"$5*7*454'0340$*"-$)"/(& )BOEPVU]"DUJWJTUTGPS4PDJBM$IBOHF )BOEPVU]"DUJWJTUTGPS4PDJBM$IBOHF "--1)0504-*#3"3:0'$0/(3&44 "--1)0504-*#3"3:0'$0/(3&44 .PSSJT%FFT &MJ[BCFUI(VSMFZ'MZOO %BOJFM*OPVZF Lawyer, anti-Klan activist Labor organizer, feminist First Japanese American to serve in the U.S.