Introduction
Imagine
yourself as a young child or teenager.
Martin Luther King, Jr., comes knocking on your door early one morning.
He asks you to take part in the Children’s Crusades. You know you risk going to
jail or perhaps, even worse. You know you should ask your parent’s permission
first, but you really want to be a part of this movement, and you are afraid
they will say no. What would you do? In the 1950s and 1960s, many children were
asked to make this decision (King 2005). Unfortunately, not long ago, the
United States was a much different place than it is today. African-Americans
were still not seen as equal citizens. Often times, they were mistreated and
put down just because of the color of their skin. Almost every restaurant,
shop, library, telephone booth etc. was segregated. The Deep South was much
stricter with their segregation laws than the North. A small town in Alabama
even had a library which forbid children’s books that were about black and
white rabbits in the same story (Levine, 1993). Can you imagine living like
this today? Can you imagine blacks and whites not being able to eat together at
restaurants? What about white and black children not being able to play
together on the playground? Sadly, that was the reality for quite some time in
the United States.
We have probably all learned about the Civil Rights Movement at some point in our elementary, middle, or high school careers. However, besides little Ruby Bridges who was one of the first African American children to attend an all-white school, do you remember learning much about the children and their roles during these times? I know I don’t. Many times, we seem to forget that children lived through these horrible times, as well. Children were also asked to put their lives at risk to fight for freedom and equality. Many children stood up for their rights and were severely injured, incarcerated, or even killed (King, 2005). It was a very dangerous time for many people including children.
These are all questions that will be explored in the digital museum exhibit. While you are reading this, think about all the brave and courageous children during this time period and how different America would be today if they had not stood up for what they believed in.
We have probably all learned about the Civil Rights Movement at some point in our elementary, middle, or high school careers. However, besides little Ruby Bridges who was one of the first African American children to attend an all-white school, do you remember learning much about the children and their roles during these times? I know I don’t. Many times, we seem to forget that children lived through these horrible times, as well. Children were also asked to put their lives at risk to fight for freedom and equality. Many children stood up for their rights and were severely injured, incarcerated, or even killed (King, 2005). It was a very dangerous time for many people including children.
These are all questions that will be explored in the digital museum exhibit. While you are reading this, think about all the brave and courageous children during this time period and how different America would be today if they had not stood up for what they believed in.