Greetings

Welcome to the monthly newsletter for Mississippi educators with stories and resources for teaching about the Civil Rights Movement and labor history.

National History Day in Mississippi

On March 22, 2015, five student entries were awarded a Local Mississippi History Award at the annual Mississippi History Day competition.

Teacher Fellowship


Selma in Kosciusko Jessica Dickens, a teacher in the Kosciusko School District and Civil Rights Movement teacher fellow, introduced Stepping into Selma: Voting Rights History and Legacy Today to her 10th grade class. Read more.	Mississippi Teacher Fellowship: Apply by May 1, 2015 Mississippi public middle and high school teachers are invited to apply for the Mississippi teacher fellowship program with a focus on the Civil Rights Movement and labor history. Read more.

Classroom Resources

Boll Weevil Lesson Plan

During the late 1890s and early 1900s, an insect called the boll weevil made its way from Texas to the cotton plantations of the Mississippi Delta. This lesson explores how the defense used by elite Mississippi planters to combat the boll weevil was shaped by racism and classism.

Learning Opportunities

	Oral History Teacher Award Do you know a primary or secondary school teacher who does a wonderful job of incorporating oral history in the classroom? If so, please nominate that teacher (or yourself) today. (The last award was given to a Mississippi teacher.) Deadline: April 17. More information.
	Mississippi Jubilee: From Slavery to Freedom A celebration of the end of the Civil War will include a keynote presentation on "Enslaved Women and the Civil War in the Mississippi Valley," performances, a fantastic selection of workshops, and tours. The events will take place from April 15-17, 2015, in Jackson. More information.
	Mississippi Library Association Conference Save the date: The Mississippi Library Association is holding its annual conference on October 20-23, 2015. More info here.
	African-American Treasures/MSU This exhibit, representing a portion of The Kinsey Collection, contains authentic and rare art, original and facsimile artifacts, books, documents and manuscripts that tell the often untold story of African American achievement and contribution. It will be on display March 21 - June 20, 2015, at Mississippi State University.
	Association of African American Museums Conference The 2015 AAAM Annual Conference will be held in Memphis, TN from August 4-7, 2015, and hosted by the National Civil Rights Museum. More info here .
	Teaching Mississippi's Complex History The Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) will host a weeklong teacher workshop on teaching Mississippi history through primary source documents and artifacts from June 22-26, 2015. Participants will spend time in the state archives library researching and identifying primary source documents to be used in classroom lessons created by attendees. Deadline: April 15, 2015. For more information or an application packet, contact MDAH education staff.
	Pike County "Undoing Racism/Community Organizing" Workshop Sponsored by The People's Institute for Survival and Beyond, May 8-9, 2015, in Magnolia, MS. This workshop is for progressive activists, including students, in Pike County to explore issues of race and racism in community organizing. More information and registration form here. Space limited so register soon! ($100 scholarships available.)
	Mississippi Teacher Fellowship on Civil Rights Movement and Labor History Mississippi public middle and high school teachers are invited to apply for the Mississippi teacher fellowship program with a focus on the Civil Rights Movement and labor history. Apply today.

Recent Events and Related News

Civil Rights Veterans Conference

The Veterans of the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement held their 10th annual conference in March on the campus of Tougaloo College. There were powerful keynote presentations, workshops, and conversations for all ages. Read more.

Parent Engagement Project

"Let no educator, parent or advocate ever say parents don't care about how their children do in school. Most really do, and given the right chance, will do all they can to help." Continue reading.

Contact

For More Information

We welcome Civil Rights Movement teaching stories and photos from Mississippi teachers to feature in this monthly e-newsletter.

To learn more, submit stories, or share comments, write to project director Julian Hipkins III. Hipkins is also available to offer teacher workshops in Mississippi schools and pre- or in-service programs. Learn more here.

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This monthly e-newsletter is produced by Teaching for Change with funding from

the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Open Society Foundations.