This last week we looked at Empathy. I want my students to have historical empathy. If they don't love history that is fine, but you have to respect it! It has taken a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to get where we are today. I want my students to understand historical people and events.
So we looked at historical empathy through the Civil Rights Movement and the Children's Crusade. I wanted them to get it, really get it. So my students read an article describing the world of Jim Crow South. They were shocked! Most students did not know how bad it really was! So when I showed them this documentary they got it on a much deeper level:
Not the documentary we watched. I couldn't find it, but this was just has good.
Again the whole point was Empathy, and I asked them could they do this? Could they imagine themselves doing it? Some did say yes, but most said no. I include myself in the no. I really don't think I could. Knowing about the dogs and hoses. It makes me think what issue is so important to me that I would put my life in danger? I really don't know.
Hoses turned on Children during the Children's Crusade. The water pressure was so strong it would rip the clothes from your body and cut your skin!
The Children's Crusade was a success. Many people we're hesitant because they didn't want to put the children of Birmingham in danger. But it woke the nation up to the cruelty of segregation. Bolstered by the courage of the Children JFK took on the cause.
We ended with this poem/song. What many said to me is if we did not read the article about segregation, watch the documentary, and have our discussions they would not get this poem on the level they did get it. It meant so much more!
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