Civil Rights Hero Independent Project
Greetings Parents,
As you know students have been working on a Project Based Learning Unit about the
Voting Rights Act of 1965. We are in middle of our STEM project, whereby student
groups are reconstructing the Edmond Pettus Bridge in order to accommodate over a
million marchers from all over the world planning to attend monthly tours in honor of
the Selma Voting Rights March of 1965.
The final phase of our PBL is an independent research project. Students must choose a
Civil Rights Leader to research and create a presentation about. A suggested list of
leaders follows, but students are free to choose anyone (local, national, famous, or
unknown—it could even be someone in your own family).
Projects are due Wednesday, January 20, 2016 but can be completed and turned
in prior to Winter Break 
Civil Rights Leaders (Heroes)
Hosea Williams
Andrew Young
Ralph Abernathy
Medgar Evers
Fannie Lou Hamer Coretta Scott King
Joseph Lowery
Jo Ann Robinson
Bayard Rustin
C.T. Vivian
James Reeb
Diane Nash
Amelia Boynton Robinson
Ella Baker
James Farmer
John Lewis
J.L. Chestnut
Roy Wilkins
James Orange
Ida B. Wells
James Forman
James Meredith
Annie Lee Cooper
James Bevel
Marie Foster
Project Guidelines:
Choose one of the presentation formats:
1. Poster board or tri-fold display board
2. Powerpoint or prezi
3. Wax Museum Presentation (Student dresses as historical figure and gives 3
minute speech about him/herself in character)
Projects should answer the 5 W’s: Who, What, When, Where, Why, How
 Who is your civil rights hero (name, occupation, family background)?
 What was your hero’s contribution(s) to the Civil Rights Movement?
 When did your hero make his or her contribution (time period, dates)?
 Where did your hero make his or her contribution? (City, state, place)?
 Why do you think this person was important to the Civil Rights Movement?
Civil Rights Hero Independent Project
Directions:
Choose a Civil Rights Hero from the list below or pick someone else
that you know or have heard of.
Civil Rights Leaders (Heroes)
Hosea Williams
Andrew Young
Ralph Abernathy
Medgar Evers
Fannie Lou Hamer Coretta Scott King
Joseph Lowery
Jo Ann Robinson
Bayard Rustin
C.T. Vivian
James Reeb
Diane Nash
Amelia Boynton Robinson
Ella Baker
James Farmer
John Lewis
J.L. Chestnut
Roy Wilkins
James Orange
Ida B. Wells
James Forman
James Meredith
Annie Lee Cooper
James Bevel
Marie Foster
Project Guidelines:
Choose one of the presentation formats:
a) Poster board or tri-fold display board
b) Powerpoint or prezi
c) Wax Museum Presentation (Student dresses as historical figure and gives 3 minute speech
about him/herself in character)
Research:
Projects should answer the 5 W’s: Who, What, When, Where, Why, How
1. Who is your civil rights hero (name, occupation, family background, childhood)
2. What was your hero’s contribution(s) to the Civil Rights Movement?
3. When did your hero make his or her contribution (time period, dates)
4. Where did your hero make his or her contribution? (City, state, place)
5. Why do you think this person was important to the Civil Rights Movement?