In Solidarity: Southern Jews and the Civil Rights Movement | The Center for Jewish-Inclusive Learning Portal

Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History

Topics

Jewish American Heritage
Jewish History

Summary

The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s fought for racial equality in the United States, facing fierce resistance from those defending segregation. Even among supporters, there were mixed feelings about how quickly and broadly change should happen. In Birmingham’s Jewish community, many wrestled with the tension between standing up for justice and protecting their own safety. In the years since, they have reflected more critically on their role during that time.

In this lesson from the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in partnership with the Temple Beth El Civil Rights Experience, students will reflect on the roles individuals take on in social change movements and the tensions between deeply held values and the personal risks such involvement can bring. Using the Jewish community in Birmingham, Alabama, as a case study, students will examine primary sources to better understand the community’s actions.

The lesson ends with prompts for students to write a letter to themselves ten years in the future. In this letter, they will give advice for how to be a global change agent, understand the different roles and responsibilities of social change, appreciate risks that may arise, and how to be guided by values for change.

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