The peace marches (1963) and Freedom Summer (1964)
I can describe the events of 1963-1964 and explain how these events led to greater support for the civil rights movement.
The peace marches (1963) and Freedom Summer (1964)
I can describe the events of 1963-1964 and explain how these events led to greater support for the civil rights movement.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- King wrote the 'Letter from Birmingham Jail' after he was arrested following demonstrations in Birmingham, Alabama.
- Kennedy became directly involved in Birmingham in May 1963, deciding to introduce a Civil Rights Act.
- In August 1963, the March on Washington became one of the most famous moments of the movement with 250,000 protestors.
- After the assassination of Kennedy in November 1963, many felt the civil rights movement began to slow down.
- Freedom Summer aimed to increase voter registration in Mississippi, but their schools became targets of violent attacks.
Keywords
Direct action - the use of demonstrations or protests to achieve a goal, rather than negotiation
Freedom Schools - temporary schools set up in Mississippi to help overcome the inequalities in schooling
Common misconception
After Martin Luther King's famous 'I have a dream' speech, the civil rights movement continued to progress until the Civil Rights Act was passed.
The assassination of President Kennedy stalled the momentum the movement had gained with the events in Birmingham, he was the president that many black American had put their hope in - and many feared their hope died with him.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
- Depiction or discussion of serious crime
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
to officially register as a student on a university course
the use of demonstrations or protest to achieve a goal
groups with both black and white Americans