Children's March History Dilemma
Lesson by Chris Seeger
History Dilemmas encourage students to negotiate problems of the past through perspective-taking. Discussing the dilemmas encourages empathy and critical thinking skills.
This dilemma is historical fiction, meaning that it is based on true events, but some details may have been changed or imagined. After each dilemma, the "What Really Happened" section provides a research-based explanation of the real events that inspired the dilemma.
Children’s Crusade Participants. The Birmingham News; photo by Ed Jones. Encyclopedia of Alabama.
In 1963, nearly 100 years after the passage of the 14th Amendment, Black people are still not treated equally by the law. Legal segregation persists throughout much of America, including the schools.
You are a Black high school student in Birmingham, Alabama; at the center of the fight for civil rights and justice.
Will you join your fellow students in protest, even if you are guaranteed to be arrested?
Grade level: middle school+
Time required: one class period
Guidelines for teachers using History Dilemmas
Do not ask students to "act out" the dilemmas. The dilemmas are meant to be read aloud by the teacher.
To get the most out of the dilemmas, it is important to first build a safe, trusting, and mutually respectful environment in the classroom.
Remind students that we can never know what it is really like to be someone else, but this activity can help us to consider the perspectives of others.
Sharing is optional in a full class discussion.
There are no wrong answers. With the exception of mean-spirited or disrespectful answers, it is important to validate every response as a valuable contribution to the class discussion.
Always ask "why?" The dilemmas are an opportunity for students to practice critical thinking in complex scenarios. The reasoning behind their decision is more important than the decision itself.
Procedure
READ. Give each student a copy of the dilemma. Read it aloud to the class.
WRITE. Students write their response to the dilemma.
SHARE. Students share their responses with a partner or a small group.
DISCUSS. The teacher leads a full class discussion. Students analyze each other's responses.