Lesson 33: March: Book One, The March on Nashville City Hall

Think-Pair-Share

Have students take out March: Book One with their annotations, along with their homework from the previous lesson. Lesson 32 Homework: Students were instructed to read pp. 111–121 and write a one-minute essay, summarizing the events in the concluding pages of March. Transition students into partners. After providing think time, instruct students to share a few responses with a partner and then lead a brief whole-class share out.

Say these Directions: Take out March: Book One with your annotations and your homework from the previous lesson. Follow the Think-Pair-Share routine and work with a partner to discuss the question:

• Ask: How does Lewis address the conflicting viewpoints of “Black leadership”? (p. 111)

  • Lewis shows tension between student activists and some older Black leaders. On p. 111, the mayor’s committee proposes “partial integration,” which Lewis describes as “partial segregation,” making the students feel betrayed. This disagreement shows a conflict over strategy between the “generations” because two “black committee members” support the mayor’s ideas, and the younger generation does not. Lewis also continues to show a conflict between the generations when Thurgood Marshall says you should accept help. At that point, Lewis realizes that their “revolt” was against “traditional Black Leadership” and segregation and discrimination because the older Black leaders were okay with accepting “partial integration,” and the younger generation wanted a complete end to segregation.

Connection to Today’s Learning

• Say: Today, we will analyze how Lewis connects people, ideas, and events in the final pages of March. We will track these connections and determine the central ideas Lewis develops about leadership, strategy, and change, paying attention to how specific moments and details shape his point of view.

Word Relationship

Target Words: progressive, conservative

Say these Directions: Read these sentences from March:

• "Much like Nashville itself, Mayor Ben West had a relatively progressive reputation on race. It did not, however, necessarily mean he was willing to risk his job and reputation to help." (p. 109)

• "The NAACP is too conservative—we must tap into our greatest resource, a people no longer the victims of racial evil, who can act in a disciplined manner to implement the constitution." (p. 112)

Determine Word Meanings: Explain to students that progressive and conservative are related to each other in that they have opposite meanings.

• Say: Work with your partner and use the context of the sentences to answer the question: What are the meanings of progressive and conservative?

  • Progressive means “supporting new ideas and changes to improve society,” and conservative means “preferring to keep traditions and avoid big changes.”

Discuss the Words: Lead a whole-group discussion about the meaning of each word and how their connotations are often used in opposition.

• Say: Work with your partner to create a word relationship sentence using the meaning of both words.

  • In March, some leaders seem progressive because they support changes toward racial equality, but others are described as conservative because they prefer slower, more traditional approaches to change.

Lead a whole-group share out of the word relationship sentences students created using progressive and conservative.

Connection to Today’s Learning

• Say: Today, we will use these word relationships to sharpen our analysis of the final pages of March. We will examine how Lewis’s word choices help explain different approaches to leadership and strategy and how those differences influence the events and outcomes in the movement.

Part A: Close Reading and Partner Discussion (RI.8.2, RI.8.3) (15 minutes)

Transition the students into partnerships to reread and discuss the conclusion of March.

Say these Directions: Reread pp. 111–116 and discuss the following text-specific questions with your partner:

• What central ideas are further developed in Jim Lawson's keynote speech at the conference when he states, “We must tap into our greatest resource, a people no longer the victims of racial evil, who can act in a disciplined manner to implement the constitution”? (p. 112)

  • Lawson develops the idea that change comes from organized, disciplined action led by ordinary people who utilize their agency. He argues students can move from being treated as victims to being active citizens who use nonviolence to demand equal rights (p. 112).

• How does the brief transition back to the 2009 presidential inauguration support Lewis's storytelling in this part of the text?

  • The shift to 2009 shows that the civil rights work and sacrifices in 1960 helped create long-term change. It helps Lewis connect past events to the later outcome of President Obama’s inauguration so readers see the movement’s long-term impact beyond the Nashville protests (pp. 111–112).

• Ask: How is the bombing at the Loobys’ house a pivotal moment for the Civil Rights Movement in Nashville?

  • The bombing is meant to “intimidate” leaders, but it propels the community to act together (p. 116). The students respond by organizing quickly, contacting city leaders, and marching, which shows their commitment and resolve to stand against this kind of “violence” and to make their voices “heard” (pp. 115–116).

• Say: As you discuss, focus on how central ideas are developed through connected events. Avoid listing multiple ideas without explaining how they work together.

Part B: Close Reading and Whole-Class Discussion (RI.8.2, RI.8.3) (15 minutes)

Transition students out of their partnerships.

Say these Directions: Reread pp. 117–121 independently. Join the class discussion and share your answers to these text-specific questions:

• Ask: How does the march on City Hall to confront Mayor West represent central ideas further developed in this part of the text? What textual evidence supports the development of those central ideas?

  • The march shows collective action and moral pressure because thousands gather and directly demand an end to segregation from the city’s leader (pp. 117–118). The speakers appeal to Mayor West about the violent “behavior” of bombing the Loobys’ house and ask that he use the “prestige” of his office to “end discrimination,” and he finally answers “yes” (pp. 118–119), showing that organized protest can force public accountability. The march also further develops the central idea of commitment to nonviolent protest as the protestors march peacefully and repeatedly ask Mayor West to “stop racial discrimination” (pp. 118–119).

• Ask: How does Lewis's storytelling on pp. 117–121 illustrate the impact of the Nashville student movement within the Civil Rights Movement?

  • Lewis shows the Nashville movement’s impact by highlighting their organization and commitment to end segregation through nonviolent protest. His storytelling, through narration, dialogue, and images, shows that the march is successful and that downtown stores serve Black customers for the first time (p. 120). He also connects the local action of the Nashville student movement to national leadership when Dr. King comes to Nashville and recognizes the “great movement” there (p. 120), showing Nashville’s influence in the greater events of the Civil Rights Movement.

Transition students into reflecting on their learning from the lesson by completing a Quick Write response.

Quick Write

Say these Directions: Write a one-to-two-sentence response to the following question:

• Ask: What is one way in which Lewis's storytelling on pp. 117–121 illustrates the impact of the Nashville student movement within the Civil Rights Movement?

  • Lewis shows the movement’s impact by highlighting how organized student action forces public leaders to respond. After thousands march to City Hall and press Mayor West to support integration, the text shows a concrete change when downtown lunch counters begin serving Black customers for the first time, proving the protests led to real results (pp. 117–121).

Introduce the homework to complete before the next lesson:

Reflect on the following question:

• What is fact versus interpretation?

Respond to the question in your Journal.