Civil Rights for Other Minorities


US History Civil Rights Movements Civil Rights for Other Minorities
Students discuss the question: Should the right of freedom of speech apply even to groups that express hate speech or curbing the rights of others? Then they examine the Chicano Movement, including the grape boycott and Chavez’s approach to non-violent activism. Next they analyze the twenty points in the American Indian Movement’s The Trail of Broken Treaties. Finally they examine the advantages and disadvantages of the way in which individuals and organizations can participate in the democratic process.

This learning experience is designed for device-enabled classrooms. The teacher guides the lesson, and students use embedded resources, social media skills, and critical thinking skills to actively participate. To get access to a free version of the complete lesson, sign up for an exploros account.

1:1 Devices
Teacher Pack

The Pack contains associated resources for the learning experience, typically in the form of articles and videos. There is a teacher Pack (with only teacher information) and a student Pack (which contains only student information). As a teacher, you can toggle between both to see everything.

Here are the teacher pack items for Civil Rights for Other Minorities:

Preview - Scene 1
Exploros Learnign Experience Scene Navigation


Overview

In this experience, students discuss the question: Should the right of freedom of speech apply even to groups that promote hate speech or try to curb the rights of others? Then they examine the Chicano Movement, including the grape boycott and Chavez’s approach to non-violent activism. Next they analyze the twenty points in the American Indian Movement’s “The Trail of Broken Treaties.” Finally they examine the advantages and disadvantages of ways in which individuals and organizations can participate in the democratic process.

Students will collaborate in small groups for scene 1 to scene 4. Divide students into their small groups when beginning the experience.

Objectives

  • Describe the rise of the Chicano Movement
  • Explain the role of farm workers in the civil rights movement.
  • Explain the civil rights claims of American Indians.
  • Analyze the approaches for participation in the democratic process.


Engage


Civil rights movements were not only fighting for the rights of African Americans. Other ethnic and racial groups also organized to demand their rights in the United States. In this experience you will learn about the activities to promote civil rights especially for Mexican Americans and American Indians.

Objectives

  • Describe the rise of the Chicano Movement
  • Explain the role of farm workers in the civil rights movement.
  • Explain the civil rights claims of American Indians.
  • Analyze the approaches for participation in the democratic process.


Photograph of the two women holding hands, Sullivan is reading from a book

Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan in 1888.
Keller was a founding member of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).


The American Civil Liberties Union was founded in 1920 to protect the rights of individuals who found themselves targeted during the Red Scare. One of its first major actions was partnering with defense lawyer Clarence Darrow during the Scopes Trial of 1925.

The ACLU is committed to the principle that constitutional rights must apply to even the most unpopular groups if they are going to be preserved for everyone. In 1978 the ACLU defended a Nazi group that wanted to march through Skokie, a Chicago suburb that was home to many Holocaust survivors. The ACLU persuaded a federal court to rule against several ordinances restricting the Nazis’ First Amendment rights to march and express their views.

Discuss with your small group members: Should the right of freedom of speech apply even to groups that express hate speech or curbing the rights of others?


Choose a group note taker to summarize your conclusions.

Post your answer

If groups struggle with the question, have them narrow it by asking: Should the right of freedom of speech always apply to social media platforms, even if posts express hate speech or incite violence?

Ask students to provide current examples as evidence for their responses.

There are no right or wrong answers to this question. It has been debated in many contexts, and the approaches have varied depending on historical context and individual points-of-view.


When everyone is ready to continue, unlock the next scene.

End of Preview
The Complete List of Learning Experiences in Civil Rights Movements Unit.
Would you like to preview the rest of this learning experience, and get access to the entire functioning US History Since 1877 course for your classroom? Sign up using your school email address below.
Back to top