Throughout American history, African Americans and their allies have fought for equality and justice. This timeline will include events and/or people who have enacted change from 1965 following the Voting Rights Act to the present. There are many watershed events throughout history that have made the slow march to progress and justice possible. Students will create a timeline that includes 5-10 of these important milestones. They will include a short description of each event and create an illustration with appropriate scenes, characters and items.
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Due Date:
Objective: Create a timeline in chronological order with accurate dates, descriptions and illustrations for 5-10 major milestones in the history of Racial Justice in America from 1965 to the present.
Student Instructions:
Requirements: 5-10 major milestones listed with correct dates, 1-3 sentence description and appropriate illustration
Foster open dialogue by setting clear guidelines for respectful communication. This creates a safe space for students to share views honestly.
Invite students to relate timeline milestones to their lives or communities. Making history personal helps deepen understanding and empathy.
Incorporate speeches, photos, or news clips from featured events. Analyzing real materials helps students authentically engage with history.
Model how to ask open-ended questions about the timeline. Questioning leads to deeper discussions and helps students explore multiple perspectives.
Pause after discussing each event to ask, "How did this change society?" Reflection cements learning and helps students see the timeline's ongoing relevance.
Key milestones in racial justice since 1965 include the passage of the Voting Rights Act (1965), the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (1968), the founding of the Black Lives Matter movement (2013), and events such as the election of Barack Obama (2008) and the George Floyd protests (2020). Each of these events marked significant progress or turning points in the fight for equality.
Students should choose 5–10 major milestones, list each event’s title and date in chronological order, write a brief 1–3 sentence description, and create an illustration that represents each event with relevant scenes or figures.
Examples include the Voting Rights Act (1965), the Fair Housing Act (1968), the LA Riots (1992), the election of Barack Obama (2008), and the Black Lives Matter movement (2013). These highlight pivotal moments in modern racial justice history.
Encourage students to use clear, relevant images such as protest scenes, symbolic objects (like ballots or signs), and key historical figures to visually capture the significance of each milestone on their timeline.
Learning about racial justice milestones helps students understand ongoing struggles for equality, recognize the impact of activism, and appreciate the progress and challenges that shape American society today.