As we continue to explore the origins and impact of the Civil Rights Movement, we move onto our next set of films.  Students will be exploring one of the major historical events of the Civil Rights Movement: The Montgomery Bus Boycott.  Students are exploring some of the historical background concerning the why behind the boycott.  After their initial examination of some of the primary sources related to the event (and our ensuing discussion), we will be separating into two film groups.  One group will watch the film The Rosa Parks Story whereas the second group will watch the film The Long Walk Home.  Both films are works of fiction, but tell unique stories of the experiences of those impacted by the bus boycotts, as well as their reasoning why they went forward with their movement.  Each group will have individual discussion times, in addition to pertinent background information to study, questions to answer, and a film review to complete.  At the end of watching each film, members of each group will have time to share their findings with other groups, allowing for students to share their own learning in a more natural environment.

Please be aware each film does showcase some violence, as well as include various amounts of profanity and racial language.  The language used is meant to be authentic to the time period.  I do not condone that type of language, but it is important for students to understand (as best they can) the culture and vernacular of the time.  Please continue the discussion with your child about the importance of the words we speak and how we can work together to learn from the past, especially as it relates to our word-choice today.