Women Make History: An Untold Story of the Civil Rights Movement

One of the least recognized stories of the Civil Rights Movement is the role of women. This is true despite the fact that women were responsible for many of the achievements of the Movement. They developed strategies, marched in demonstrations, attended mass meetings, registered voters, taught in freedom schools, wrote searing critiques of societal structures, organized boycotts, and risked their lives. What’s more, the participation of women crossed racial and ethnic lines. Unfortunately, in the more traditional narrative of history, women’s work in the Civil Rights Movement is reduced to the icon of one or two women at best.

Women Make History presents the important and extensive role of women in social justice movements. In this 45- to 90-minute lesson, participants take on the identity of one activist and interview at least six more. This lesson has been used successfully in middle and high school classes and in teacher workshops.

Here is the lesson.

List of women featured in the lesson.