TEKS & Objectives

7.7.D. describe and compare the civil rights and equal rights movements of various groups in Texas in the 20th century and identify key leaders in these movements

We will examine the social and political conditions that gave rise to the civil rights movement.

I will identify a key figure of the civil rights movement in the United States.

1. Review vocabulary and complete assignment.

Boycott to refuse to buy, use, or participate in something as a way of protesting

Civil rights The rights of citizens to political and social freedom and equality.

Discrimination Treating people unfairly based on their perceived or actual membership in a group or category

Justice The idea that people should be treated fairly

Empathy The ability to imagine and share someone’s feelings and perceptions

Vocab activity

2. Read article.

Rosa Parks was a brave woman who lived in Montgomery, Alabama. One day, she got on a bus after a long day at work. Back then, buses were not fair. Because of discrimination, Black people had to sit at the back of the bus. If the bus got full, they had to give up their seats to white people.

On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat. She believed in justice, which means fairness for everyone. Her brave action led to her arrest, but it also started something big: the Montgomery Bus Boycott. A boycott is when people stop using something, like buses, to show they disagree with unfair rules.

The boycott lasted for over a year. Black people stopped riding the buses to show that the rules were unfair. Instead, they walked, carpooled, or found other ways to get to work and school. They worked together to fight for their rights.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. became famous as a leader during the boycott. He gave speeches and helped organize peaceful protests. He taught people to have empathy, to imagine how it felt to be treated unfairly, and to work together to make changes.

After over a year of the boycott, the rules changed. The buses in Montgomery became fairer, and Black people no longer had to sit at the back. Rosa Parks and Dr. King showed the world how to stand up to discrimination and fight for justice peacefully.

Today, we remember Rosa Parks and Dr. King as heroes who helped change unfair laws and inspire others to keep working for fairness.