Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Fight for Civil Rights

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About this Activity

Created by:National Archives Education Team
Historical Era:Postwar United States (1945 to early 1970s)
Thinking Skill:Historical Analysis & Interpretation
Bloom's Taxonomy:Analyzing
Grade Level:Upper Elementary

Students will discover that Martin Luther King, Jr. and other activists fought for civil rights by exercising their First Amendment rights.

https://docsteach.org/activities/student/what-is-happening-in-this-photograph

Suggested Teaching Instructions

This activity can be used to achieve the following objectives:

Students will practice document analysis skills by analyzing a photograph showing one way Martin Luther King, Jr. fought for civil rights.
Students will determine that this photograph shows freedom of speech and the right to peaceably assemble, guaranteed in the First Amendment.
Students will understand that exercising First Amendment rights is one way activists like Martin Luther King, Jr. have worked for equality for all Americans.

For grades 3-5 or adult learners studying for the United States Civics Test. Approximate time needed is 15-20 minutes.

Present the activity to the entire class. Notice that initially only a portion of the photo will be revealed (highlighting Martin Luther King, Jr. — but don’t share this information with students yet!). Ask students to closely examine the individual's expression and other body language. Ask students to identify this person and hypothesize what he is doing.

Click Switch View to reveal the entire photograph. Use the following questions to model careful document analysis:

What people, objects, and activities you see in the photograph?
Where do you think they are?
What do the people in this photo want?
What questions does this photograph raise in your mind?

After students have analyzed the photograph, click on View Entire Document to reveal more information. This photo shows civil rights leaders Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., (featured in the cropped version of the photo), A. Philip Randolph (front row, far right), and Roy Wilkins (front row, second from right) leading the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963. It was on this day that King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech.

Martin Luther King, Jr. fought for equality using the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment. Ask students: Which rights from the First Amendment are the people in this photo exercising?

Hint: Students may need to look at the text of the First Amendment to determine that the photo shows freedom of speech and the right of the people to peaceably assemble.

Freedom of speech and freedom of assembly are two rights of everyone living in the United States.

Share additional photos from the 1963 March on Washington with students. Ask: Who else participated in the March on Washington on August 28, 1963?

Students should observe that people from a variety of backgrounds and ages participated in the march.

This activity was designed to support students studying for the United States Civics Test, part of the naturalization process to become a U.S. citizen. It supports Civics Test Questions:
6. What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?
51. What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?
85. What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?

Documents in this activity

Photograph of Leaders at the Head of the Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C.

To the extent possible under law, National Archives Education Team has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to "Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Fight for Civil Rights".

Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Fight for Civil Rights

Focusing on Details: Zoom/Crop

About this Activity

Suggested Teaching Instructions

Documents in this activity

The National Archives