As a start to our Civil Rights exploration, our students watched the film Hidden Figures, which documented how women of color were treated (and successfully fought for more rights, responsibility, and recognition) at NASA during the early 1960’s.  This film served as a starting point for our discussion on race and how people have been treated historically.  It also allowed us to use film as a discussion tool and focus on the educational aspects of film rather than assuming film is purely entertainment (which it can be).

Our next film to explore will actually be a choice for our students.  Some students will watch The Rosa Parks Story whereas others will watch The Long Walk Home.  Both films explore the bus boycotts of the 1960’s, helping us again set the scene for the Civil Rights movement.  In the end, we will compare and contrast the different experiences students understood in the films for the characters.