In 1915, African American newspaper editor and activist William M. Trotter waged a battle against D.W. Griffith’s notoriously Ku Klux Klan-friendly blockbuster fictional film, "The Birth of a Nation," which unleashed a fight still raging today about race relations and representation in the media, and the power and influence of Hollywood. A century later, the documentary video "The Birth of a Movement" features discussions with Spike Lee, Reginald Hudlin, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and DJ Spooky (who created a new score and remix of the Griffith film), as well as numerous clips from the "…

In his six-hour series, AFRICA’S GREAT CIVILIZATIONS, Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. takes a look at the history of Africa, from the birth of humankind to the dawn of the 20th century. "This is a breathtaking and personal journey through two hundred thousand years of history, from the origins, on the African continent, of art, writing and civilization itself, through the millennia in which Africa and Africans shaped not only their own rich civilizations, but also the wider world." Visit www.pbs.org/show/africas-great-civilizations. Monday-Wednesday, February 27-March 1, 2017, 9:00-…

George Washington’s Mount Vernon has released a free, feature production, "A More Perfect Union: George Washington and the Making of the Constitution."   While America proved victorious in the Revolutionary War, it was far from certain that this new nation would survive, let alone thrive in the world.  "A More Perfect Union" looks at the causes leading to the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, the many compromises included within the document, and the challenges in ratifying the constitution.  Throughout the presentation, viewers will learn about the vital role that George…

The National Constitution Center (NCC) and iCivics launched a new digital site called WeLoveTheConstitution.org - where Americans can share their thoughts about the U.S. Constitution and what they value most about the document.  Videos at this website feature, among many others, * Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg; U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), John Boozman (R-AR), Susan Collins (R-ME), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI); * U.S. Representatives Diane Black (R-TN), Judy Chu (D-CA), Mike…

Looking for a lesson plan that will launch young people into imagining themselves as agents of change? "Kids in Birmingham 1963" shares its second ready-to-go lesson, "What would YOU do?: The 1963 Birmingham Children's Crusade." Students read brief interview statemets from four people, black and white, who were youth in Birmingham at the time of the march. Today's students reflect on whether they would have joined -- or not. Visit http://kidsinbirmingham1963.org/class-room. The lesson, designed by classroom teachers Beth Jimerson and Casey Kelly, uses primary source material. It benefits…

"Resistance 101 " is a free introductory lesson, allowing students to “meet” people from throughout U.S. history who have used a range of social change strategies. The lesson features activists from the 1800s-present, including Dave Archambault II, Ella Baker, Anne Braden, Fannie Lou Hamer, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, Fred Korematsu, Linda Sarsour, Emma Tenayuca, and many more. View this resource at www.teachingforchange.org/resistance101 This Teaching for Change (www.teachingforchange.org) lesson is based on the format of a Rethinking Schools (www.rethinkingschools.org) lesson called "Unsung…

A new miniseries, "Victoria," which began on Sunday, January 15th at 9/8c, is hosted by MASTERPIECE on PBS. The six-episode drama follows Queen Victoria (played by Jenna Coleman) from the time she becomes England’s monarch in 1837 at the age of 18 through her relationship with her first prime minister, Lord Melbourne (Rufus Sewell), and her courtship and marriage to Prince Albert (Tom Hughes).  (It is expected that in ensuing years, the Victoria series will cover her full reign.) The screenwriter is Daisy Goodwin, who first started reading the Queen’s diaries as a student at Cambridge…

In the Mix is the Emmy-Award-winning PBS documentary series for school classrooms, middle grades through college. Several programs deal with diversity and dispel stereotypes, topics that are so important now in American society.   In the Mix is glad to offer NCSS members a discount on any DVD title ($40 instead of $70) + $8 shipping per order) in a package that includes performance rights and discussion guides. Some relevant program topics include: “dealing with differences”; racism”; “teen Immigrants”; and “media literacy.”   The latest catalog is online at www.castleworks.com, and excerpts…

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