Hazel Dell has partnered with the Central Illinois African American History Museum to bring traveling exhibits that will be on display in the school foyer area. There will be a different exhibit each month.
The exhibit this month is Black Lives Matter. This exhibit was chosen because we just celebrated the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and his historical impact on the Civil Rights Movement through his use of peace protests. The Black Lives Matter Exhibit documents the peaceful protests that were held at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield during the summer of 2020. Springfield Youth organized the protests as a means of bringing awareness of how one person's abuse of power led to the death of another human being.
This exhibit demonstrates how young people can organize and use their voices to bring about the changes they want to see in our country. Please feel free to read the accompanying articles from the State Journal-Register and the highlights of how these young people gained the respect of the local law enforcement and Senator Dick Durbin for how they used their voices peacefully to expose some injustices that were happening in our country.
This exhibit can be used to make the connections to how youth and young adults are instrumental in the Civil Rights Movement of yesterday and today.
The picture book Let the Children March by Monica Clark Robinson is a great accompanying resource. This book illustrates the impact of the Children’s Crusade in Birmingham, Alabama, during the 1960s Civil Rights Movement and how the children used their voices to implement change.
As we continue to Cultivate Joy in Learning, it is important that our students know their significance in society and that their voices matter.