Overview
The American Civil Rights Movement: 1945-1968 is a topic series tailored specifically to the new NSW Modern History syllabus for Year 12. It charts the emergence of the modern American civil rights movement from the early twentieth century and examines the major campaigns, tactics and leadership of the post Second World War era to the emergence of Black Power movements in the late 1960s. The book also examines the influence of Martin Luther King Jnr on other civil rights movements in the United States and in Australia, South Africa and the United Kingdom.
The text is closely aligned with the new Stage 6 History Syllabus and incorporates classic and recent historical interpretations, with regular and relevant visual text.
NelsonNet resources available*
Teacher Resources:
• Teaching programs
Student Resources:
• Worksheets
• Weblinks
• NelsonNetBook
*Complimentary access to NelsonNet is available to teachers who use the accompanying student book as a core resource in their classroom. Contact your local education consultant for access codes and conditions.
1 The Origins of the Civil Rights Movement (1865-1945)
2 ‘We shall overcome’: Creating the Modern Civil Rights movement (1945 - 1957)
3 ‘You won’t see me at the back of the bus’ (1955–1960)
4 ‘A change is gonna come’: The Freedom Rides/ (1961–1963)
5 ‘Mississippi Goddam’: The Mississippi Freedom Summer (1963–1965)
6 I’m black and I’m proud’: Black Power (1966–1971)
7 Legacies and influences of Martin Luther King and the American Civil Rights Movement
Sarah Mirams has taught history in secondary and tertiary settings, worked as an education officer for cultural and heritage institutions, and has contributed to numerous textbooks for secondary students. Sarah is the author of Nelson’s successful Twentieth Century History 1900–1945 for VCE Unit 1 and Twentieth Century History 1945–2000 for VCE Unit 2. She is also the author of Nelson Modern History titles, Civil Rights in the United States of America and co-author of Australia 1918-1950s, to be released next year. Sarah now works as an independent historian.
Jonathon Dallimore currently teaches modern history at Smith’s Hill High School, Wollongong, and lectures in history methods at UNSW. He is an HTANSW board member, frequent contributor to Teaching History and a regular presenter of workshops.
Reference sections include profiles of key figures and groups, definitions of central concepts and terms, and summaries of major documents.
Source studies appear frequently throughout each chapter and are combined with questions and activities to aid students’ evaluation and interpretation of evidence from the past.
Information boxes contain extended discussions of key events, concepts and historical developments, many also include questions and activities.
Each chapter includes a brief chapter conclusion, summary and suggestions for further resources.
End-of-chapter activities incorporate a rage of historical understandings and skills, essay questions, and research tasks to consolidate students’ understanding and offer opportunities for extension and revision.