The civil rights movement offers critical context for understanding the systemic police violence, voter suppression efforts, ‘law and order’ rhetoric and criminalization of activism we see today. It also helps us understand the strategies activists use to fight these injustices. Historians Shannon King and Nishani Frazier explain how they use 21st-century Black activism to teach the movement’s history—and how they use the movement to help students better understand the contemporary Black freedom struggle.

Listen to our latest Spotify playlist for even more Movement Music inspired by this episode. 

“You do know that when Dr. King was alive we had the Watts riots…” – Watch the exchange we discuss between Don Lemon and Rev. Jesse Jackson during the 2014 Ferguson uprising. 

Are you qualified to vote? – This is an amazing collection of Jim Crow era state voter applications and literacy tests from before the Voting Rights Act. 

“Voter suppression then and now” – This lesson plan offers students historical context and an examination of the issue today. 

“Teaching About Mass Incarceration: From Conversation to Civic Action” – A teacher shares ideas from her own classroom.

Visit the enhanced episode transcript for even more resources about using current events to teach about the civil rights movement.

And Educators! Get a professional development certificate for listening to this episode—issued by Learning for Justice. Listen for the special code word, then visit learningforjustice.org/podcastpd.