The 1955 murder of Emmett Till is often regarded as the catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement of the 20th century. Learn more about the brutal crime—and, as many believe, the miscarriage of justice—that began a national conversation about race relations in the United States with a lesson and discussion on Emmett Till.

Concepts

civil rights, human rights, civics, emmett till, lynching, racism, discrimination

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Create an interdisciplinary lesson between social studies and language arts for the final exercise in the lesson

Classroom Considerations

• The first of four lessons in the unit
• Based on a class viewing of The Murder of Emmett Till documentary, available for purchase or borrow at the publisher's website

Pros

• Provides several ways to discuss the topic in a thoughtful and historical context

Cons

• None