Lesson Plan: Teaching About Selma, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Current Voting Rights Issues

Background

On “Bloody Sunday,” March 7, 1965, approximately 600 civil rights marchers were violently attacked by state and local law enforcement on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. This event, along with subsequent marches led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., culminated in the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Modern Parallels

In recent years, voting rights have once again become a contentious issue in the United States. Policies enacted by various state legislatures have been criticized for disproportionately affecting communities of color.

Contemporary Challenges to Voting Rights:

• Attempts to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census
• Increased voter ID requirements
• Restrictions on mail-in voting
• Challenges to election results based on unsubstantiated claims of fraud

Related Media:

• • Sixty years after Bloody Sunday, civil rights leaders in Selma continue fight, The Guardian, see comprehension questions from this article below:

  • 60th anniversary of ‘Bloody Sunday’ marked in Selma amid concerns about future of voting rights. PBS See comprehension questions below.

  • Voting Rights Today: Brennan Center for Justice

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Lesson Plan

Part 1: Historical Context

1. Examine the Selma to Montgomery March Route:

   • View Map: National Park Service
   • Activity: Calculate the distance and estimated walking time.

2. Watch the movie “Selma” (available on streaming platforms like Amazon Prime or YouTube Movies).

3. Review the Alabama Literacy Test (a historically used tool for voter suppression).

   • View the test: University of Oklahoma Archive
   • Discussion: How was it designed to disenfranchise voters?

4. Read “The Selma Voting Rights Struggle: 15 Key Points from Bottom-Up History and Why It Matters Today.”

   • Article: Teaching for Change

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Part 2: Modern Voting Rights Issues

1. Research recent voting legislation, such as Georgia’s SB 202 or Florida’s SB 90.

   • Georgia SB 202: Full Text
   • Florida SB 90: Full Text

2. 

   Compare these modern laws to historical voting restrictions.

   • What similarities and differences exist?
   • Who is most affected by these laws?

3. Discuss the impact of social media and misinformation on modern voting rights debates.

   • Video Resource: PBS NewsHour on Misinformation and Voting

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Part 3: Presidential Roles

1. Watch the interview with Woody Harrelson and Rob Reiner about LBJ’s role in civil rights. At 18:30 they talk about the transition from Kennedy to Johnson.

2. Compare and contrast LBJ’s approach to civil rights with recent presidential administrations’ approaches to voting rights.

   • What executive actions have been taken in the past decade?
   • How do different political leaders shape the national conversation on voting rights?

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Part 4: Discussion and Analysis

• How have voting rights challenges evolved from the 1960s to today?
• What role does executive power play in protecting or restricting voting rights?
• How do modern voter ID laws compare to historical literacy tests?

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Conclusion

Encourage students to reflect on the ongoing struggle for voting rights and the importance of civic engagement in protecting democratic processes. Assign a reflection paper or classroom discussion on what actions citizens can take to support voting rights today.

Sixty years after Bloody Sunday, civil rights leaders in Selma continue fight” from The Guardian,

1. What significant event took place on March 7, 1965, in Selma, Alabama, and who were some of the key figures involved?​

2. How did the events of “Bloody Sunday” influence the civil rights movement and subsequent legislation?​

3. What contemporary challenges to civil rights and democracy are highlighted by activists during the 60th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday”?​The Guardian

4. How do current civil rights leaders perceive public engagement in addressing today’s challenges compared to the activism seen during the 1960s?​

5. In reflecting on the legacy of “Bloody Sunday,” what actions do activists suggest are necessary to confront present-day threats to democracy?

60th anniversary of ‘Bloody Sunday’ marked in Selma amid concerns about future of voting rights

• What historical event is commemorated as “Bloody Sunday,” and what was its significance in the civil rights movement?​

• ​During the 60th anniversary of Bloody Sunday in Selma, what concerns were raised about the current state of voting rights in the United States?​

• ​How have recent legislative actions and Supreme Court decisions impacted the protections established by the Voting Rights Act of 1965?​

• ​What role did the Edmund Pettus Bridge play in both the original Bloody Sunday event and its subsequent commemorations?​Dallas News

• ​In reflecting on the progress made since 1965, what challenges do civil rights leaders identify as ongoing in the fight for equitable voting rights today?