"Rivers of Change" examines the history of the struggle by black women to end the practice of racial segregation in the United States of America and their un-ending quest to gain full rights of citizenship. More specifically, it reveals the role of some remarkable women from Montgomery, Alabama, who in 1956, in the face of certain danger showed such remarkable courage and strength of character that their actions brought about an end to Jim Crow Segregation in the United States. These women gave our nation gifts, gifts that have not been fully appreciated. They gave us the gift of non-violent methods to bring about social change. These women gave the nation an opportunity to fulfill the true meaning of its creed by extending the rights of citizenship to all citizens: “We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal . . . .” They gave the nation an opportunity to correct century old wrongs enforced and upheld by the judicial, executive, and legislative branches of government at every level. The “Rivers of Change” documentary and the “More Than a Bus Ride” curriculum guide are a way of saying thanks.  

Suggestions for use:    The “Rivers of Change” documentary covers a range of issues including a brief history of constitutional law, origin of the freedom amendments, and a detailed look at the 14th amendment (sections 1 and 5).  

             "More Than a Bus Ride" provides a framework for teachers and students to gain a better understanding of and an appreciation for the role women played in ending Jim Crow Segregation. The curriculum guide provides an opportunity to examine the history of Jim Crow and the transformative Reconstruction Era. Another key component of the guide examines constitutional laws enacted at the national level to protect the rights of citizens and how social action in support of legal action brought about enforcement of these laws.  The landmark Supreme Court cases of Dred Scott, Plessy v Ferguson, Brown v Board of Education of Topeka Kansas, and Browder v Gayle are the legal lenses that will be used to examine how the rights of African American citizens were addressed at various times in our nation’s history. The relationship of the court cases is synonymous with a horse and rider. Think of the rider as amendments to the U.S. Constitution enacted to ensure that all citizens enjoy the rights and privileges of citizenship. The horse, represents the demands of some citizens to maintain a segregated society. The rider may place a bit in the horse's mouth, but that does not stop the horse from trying to go in other directions.  Sometimes, the rider needs a whip.

Goals: We have all read, heard about and even laughed at some of the issues addressed in the popular book Lies My Teacher Told Me.  The documentary Rivers of Change and the More Than A Bus Ride curriculum guide seeks to correct a major historical wrong and correct yet other lies our teachers told us. Historians have perpetuated the myth that the actions of Mrs. Rosa Parks and the success of the Montgomery Bus Boycott ended segregated seating on intra city buses and that Brown v Board ended segregation in the United States of America.  With out a doubt, both of these were nation-changing events.  Events, that shook this nation to its core and caused us to take a hard look at the values we espoused as a leader of the free world.  But the event that actually ended segregation is the Browder v Gayle lawsuit.  Browder v Gayle barely gets a nod from historians and is seldom mentioned in textbooks.  Browder v Gayle ended segregated seating not only on intra-city buses but ended segregation in every area of life.  The lawsuit virtually opened the doors of citizenship to all citizens.  In 1955, there was more at stake than a seat on the bus.  The entire future of a race of people and the life of a nation were on the “bus-line.”  This cataclysmic era in the history of the United States and the State of Alabama was about an opportunity to participate fully in the political, social, and economic affairs of this nation. The right to sit down and discuss community, state, and national affairs with and as elected officials was on the “bus-line.”  Seats in movie theaters, congress, state legislatures, the governor’s mansion, the judicial bench, restaurants, schools, libraries, jury boxes, concert halls, boardrooms, and at discussion tables in all walks of life were on the “bus-line.”

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