U.S. History

Supreme Court | In Their Own Words: Muhammad Ali

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Trace the history of Muhammad Ali’s draft evasion appeal with the Supreme Court in this excerpt from In Their Own Words: Muhammad Ali. The NAACP sues the New York State Athletic Commission, arguing that the ban on Ali is discriminatory. Ali loses a fight in New York to Joe Frazier, but he wins a victory in the Supreme Court, which overturns his conviction for draft evasion.

World War II Veteran James Robert Mell -  Major, Army Air Corps | Georgia Oral History

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James R. Mell, born in South Carolina in October of 1923, had already received his pilot's license, when he elisted in the Army Air Corp, but he still had to go back to flight school. Mr. Mell was subsequently shipped out to Europe where he spent the remainder of the war. He discusses having his gun stolen in Casablanca, fishing with the sailors in Corsica, and keeping his cool during a near-fatal mission over the Poe River in Italy.

1964: "The Importance of the Civil Rights Act"

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Learn about the impact of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, often considered one of the most influential laws in U.S. history, in this video from American Experience: “1964.” It not only ended segregation in public places, it altered the “southern way of life” and created a new America. Although Lyndon Johnson celebrated its passage, he knew that it would bring sweeping and sometimes challenging changes to society. This resource is part of the American Experience Collection.

Roads to Memphis: They Didn't Treat Us As A Man

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The call of striking sanitation workers for humane working conditions and fair pay drew Martin Luther King to Memphis, Tennessee. Video from, American Experience: "Roads to Memphis."

Silver Linings: The Early Days of Idaho's Silver Valley | Mining

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Stretching 40 miles through the heart of northern Idaho, Silver Valley is a time capsule of the West. Deep within its valley walls, empires rose...and sometimes fell. The KSPS documentary Silver Linings: The Early Days of Idaho's Silver Valley explores how the region's past has shaped what the Silver Valley is today.

Help students explore the development of the mining towns in Silver Valley and analyze the cultural, economic, and political impacts of mining in this region with these video segments and accompanying learning guide. Visit KSPS Education for additional educator resources.

Made in L.A.: Examine Labor Practices in the Garment Industry

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This lesson is designed to be used in conjunction with the film Made in L.A., a film that follows the struggle of three Latina immigrants working for fair labor conditions in Los Angeles's garment factories. Note: This film has bilingual subtitles throughout and is fully accessible to English and Spanish speakers. This lesson compares current conditions in the garment industry with those at the turn of the 20th century.

Haitian Carnival | The African Americans

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This video from The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross explores the culture and ideas that passed throughout the Black Atlantic and how it continues to inflect our traditions.

The US Government's Education of Native American Children

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Treaties between the US government and Native tribes promised an education to Native American children. The experience of the schools was often harsh, especially for the younger children who were separated from their families. Video from American Experience: “We Shall Remain: Wounded Knee.”

Saving A Lost Language

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Students learn about the link between Cherokee language and culture. By 2000 BC, Cherokee language and culture spread throughout the North Carolina Mountains. It was almost lost to history, but now Western Carolina researchers are working with the Eastern Band of Cherokee to study, preserve and grow the language once again.

World War II Veteran Wallace Goe  - Chaplain, Navy | Georgia Oral History

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Wallace C. Goe had just graduated from seminary when he decided to enlist. Though he had just been accepted into Yale for his Ph.D., Mr. Goe decided it was more important to provide spiritual guidance as a chaplain for the American troops. Mr. Goe shares stories about getting shelled while riding on an amphibious tractor, performing funerals for Pacific natives, and how fate intervened on numerous occasions to save his life.

U.S. History

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