CommonLit
Common Lit: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: Excerpts Ch 1 & 7
A learning module that begins with "The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: Excerpts" Frederick Douglass, accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as a PDF...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Book Pairings: "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou recounts her coming of age story as a mature but apprehensive girl in the American South and California during the Jim Crow era. Selected (8) reading passages (grades 7-10) to pair with "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by...
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: Juneteenth Celebration
This resource is a brief article about Juneteenth, or Emancipation Day, which celebrates the day when Union soldiers arrived in Texas and spread the word that slaves were free.
CommonLit
Common Lit: Akron at Night by Teri Ellen Cross Davis
Teri Ellen Cross Davis is a poet who draws upon small, personal moments to explore large themes. Common subjects in her poetry include the experiences of women and people of color in America. This poem is from her 2016 collection Haint....
CommonLit
Common Lit: "Promises to Keep: How Jackie Robinson Changed America" S. Robinson
Selected (17) reading passages (grades 5-11) to pair with "Promises to Keep: How Jackie Robinson Changed America" by Sharon Robinson. In Promises To Keep, Sharon Robinson, daughter of the baseball legend, shares memories of her famous...
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Culture of the Common Man: R. Allen & D. Walker
National Humanities Center collection of primary source material includes selection by Richard Allen, Confession of John Joyce, 1808, and excerpts from David Walker's Appeal, 1830. With questions for discussion.
Read Works
Read Works: Lucky Shot!
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about measles vaccines. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Civil War Home
Home of the American Civil War: Robert Gould Shaw
A brief description of the life and death of Robert Shaw and his involvement with the black regiment, the 54th Massachusetts. From "Who Was Who In the Civil War" by Stewart Sifakis.
CommonLit
Common Lit: "The Sit in Movement" by Us history.org
A learning module that begins with "The Sit-in Movement" by USHistory.org, accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as a PDF or assigned online through free teacher...
Other
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center features the history of slavery in the United States, from the gallant actions of those who organized the Underground Railroad to stories of those who escaped to freedom. Strategically...
Read Works
Read Works: A Tale of Segregation: Fetching Water
[Free Registration/Login Required] This passage shares a first person account of experiencing the hatred related to segregation while in desperate need of water. This passage is a stand-alone curricular piece that reinforces essential...
Library of Congress
Loc: Slaves and the Courts
Slaves and the Courts, 1740-1860 contains just over a hundred pamphlets and books (published between 1772 and 1889) concerning the difficult and troubling experiences of African and African-American slaves in the American colonies and...
C3 Teachers
C3 Teachers: Inquiries: Emancipation
A learning module on the emancipation of African American slaves after the Civil War. It includes several supporting questions accompanied by formative tasks and source materials, followed by a summative performance task. Students will...
CommonLit
Common Lit: "We Wear the Mask" by Paul Laurence Dunbar
CommonLit.org is a wonderful resource to use in a Language Arts classroom. Each text is accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. In addition, students can click on words to see the...
CommonLit
Common Lit: "Emmett Till" by Jessica Mc Birney
CommonLit.org is a wonderful resource to use in a Language Arts classroom. Each story or article is accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. In addition, students can click on words to see...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Excerpt Southern Horrors: Lynch Laws in All Its Phases by Ida b.wells
This is an excerpt comes from "Southern Horrors: Lynch Laws in All Its Phases" by Ida B.Wells. In it she talks about lynching, or the murder by mob for an alleged crime without a legal trial. The targets of such violence and hatred were...
CommonLit
Common Lit: "I Have a Dream" by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech to over 250,000 people from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963. In this speech, King discusses racial...
Black Past
Black Past: Poor, Salem (1747 1780)
Read this encyclopedia entry that recounts the participation of Salem Poor, a freed black man, who served in the Revolutionary War.
Black Past
Black Past: Absalom Jones (1746 1818)
In this encyclopedia article you can read about Absalom Jones and his role in the development of black churches in the United States.
Black Past
Black Past: Prosser, Gabriel
This interesting encyclopedia entry is about Gabriel Prosser, a slave, who planned a huge revolt to take over Richmond, Virginia and make a "Kingdom of Virginia." There is a link to a PBS website for more information.
Black Past
Black Past: Fisk Jubilee Singers
In this interesting encyclopedia article, you can read about the beginning of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, a gospel group which performed spirituals all over the country and the world.
Black Past
Black Past: Abele, Julian F.
Julian Abele, the most successful black architect of his time, is described in this encyclopedia article. There are links to websites that show his designs.
Black Past
Black Past: Andry's Rebelliion (1811)
This brief encyclopedia entry tells about Andry's Rebellion, a large rebellion in New Orleans in 1811.
Black Past
Black Past: Newton, Huey
A brief encyclopedia entry about the life of Black Panther, Huey Newton.