Eden C. Stein
Angelou, Maya, Jean Michel Basquiat, and Paul Zakris. Life Doesn't Frighten Me. Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 1993. In this striking picture book, Basquiat has illustrated the poetry of Maya Angelou. It is a great example for students of how poetry and virtual art can work together.
Baldwin, James. Notes of a Native Son. Penguin Books, 2018. While the book is above the comprehension level for most middle school students, excerpts from it, particularly pertaining to Baldwin’s relationship with his father, may be relatable particularly with help from the teacher.
Baldwin, James. "The Giver (for Berdis) by James Baldwin." Poetry Foundation. Accessed 5 1 2001. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/88930/the-giver-for-berdis. This poem would be interesting for students to read when studying the importance of James Baldwin to the Black Panther movement.
BiographyChannel. "Langston Hughes: Leading Voice of the Harlem Renaissance | Biography." YouTube. February 04, 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inP76rkYUso. This is a good concise video for providing middle school students with biographical information on Langston Hughs.
"Bob Dylan The Times They Are A Changin' 1964." YouTube. December 27, 2013. Bob Dylan The Times They Are A Changin' 1964. This song is used as part of a lesson plan which connects to Woodson’s recollections of her grandmother’s noticing of changes coming to the South during the 1960s.
"Civil Rights Music Video "We Shall Overcome" by Peter Seeger." YouTube. January 18, 2016. Civil Rights Music Video "We Shall overcome" by Peter Seeger. This was chosen out of all the available videos of the classic song because it is accompanied by photos of the Civil Rights Movement.
Czikes. "The Jackson 5 - ABC." YouTube. July 20, 2009. The Jackson 5 - ABC. One of the songs Woodson mentions as part of the soundtrack of her upbringing in Brooklyn during the 1970s.
SisumD. "Michelle Obama." National Portrait Gallery. September 12, 2019. https://npg.si.edu/learn/classroom-resource/michelle-obama. A lesson plan related to the famous portrait.
"East 149th Street (Symphony for a Black Girl)." CommonLit. https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/east-149th-street-symphony-for-a-black-girl. This poem is used in the unit to connect to what life was like for Jacqueline Woodson growing up in Brooklyn.
"Emory Douglas." Emory Douglas - 31 Artworks, Bio & Shows on Artsy. Accessed 5 12 2021. https://www.artsy.net/artist/emory-douglas. The artwork of Emory Douglas was essential to the Black Panther movement and demonstrates the power of visual art in social progress movements.
"Gerald Williams, I Am Somebody, 1969." Kavi Gupta Gallery. Accessed 5 12 2021 https://kavigupta.com/content/feature/136/artworks-6180-gerald-williams-i-am-somebody-1969/. The famous work of art along with a poem that inspired it is available at this website. This can also be connected to the Black Panther and Black Power movements.
Erica Gonzales Erica Gonzales Is the Culture and Content Strategy Senior Editor for BAZAAR.com. "Obama to Young Black Americans: "I Want You to Know That You Matter"." Harper's BAZAAR. June 04, 2020. https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/politics/a32759234/barack-obama-george-floyd-speech/. This wonderful speech conveys a message of hope to young Black Americans.
"The First Lady on the Power of Education." National Archives and Records Administration. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2013/11/12/first-lady-power-education-12. Michelle Obama’s speech to young people of Washington D.C.
"Hebru Brantley." Artnet. http://www.artnet.com/artists/hebru-brantley/. Brantley is a great example of a highly successful contemporary Black artist whose works can be viewed while discussing the Black Lives Matter movement.
Jaggme. "Family Affair - Sly & Family Stone (UK#15 USA#01) 1972." YouTube. August 20, 2010. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNQpYz1ztx8&ab_channel=jagg
"KEHINDE WILEY STUDIO KW STUDIO." Kehinde Wiley Studio. https://kehindewiley.com/. Wiley is another excellent example of a highly successful contemporary Black artist whose works can be viewed while discussing the Black Lives Matter movement.
LegacyRecordingsVEVO. "The Five Stairsteps - O-o-h Child (Audio)." YouTube. July 28, 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dguz0IsCuKU&ab_channel=LegacyRecordingsVEVO.This song is also part of the soundtrack of Woodson’s childhood.
"The Liberation of Aunt Jemima." The Berkeley Revolution. January 10, 2021. https://revolution.berkeley.edu/liberation-aunt-jemima/. This striking painting by Betye Saar shows how a stereotyped racist icon can be repurposed for the Black Power change movement, and further connected to the recent decision to finally rid our grocery aisles of this racist propaganda.
MarvinGayeVEVO. "Marvin Gaye - What's Going On (Official Video 2019)." YouTube. September 13, 2019. Marvin Gaye - What's Going On (Official Video 2019). Classic verson of this song.
"MONICA AHANONU." MONICA AHANONU. Accessed 6 26 2021. https://www.mahanonu.com/. Ahanonu is an example of a commercially successful Black female artist whose work with Disney will be familiar to students.
Penguin Middle School. "Jacqueline Woodson Brown Girl Dreaming Author Video." YouTube. August 01, 2014. Jacqueline Woodson Brown Girl Dreaming Author Video. This short video was produced as part of the book launch of Brown Girl Dreaming and is used in this unit in the first lesson to introduce the book and learn a bit about the author.
"Photographic Works - Lorna Simpson Studio." Photographic Works - Lorna Simpson Studio. https://lsimpsonstudio.com/photographic-works. There are multiple works on this preeminent photographer’s website that can be explored by students.
Poppalarge18. "Sam Cooke-Twistin' the Night Away." YouTube. September 01, 2009. Sam Cooke-Twistin' the Night Away. The upbeat video of the King of Soul singing, and dancing is a good one to use in a lesson introducing students to the concept of analyzing music.
Reynolds, Jason, and Ibram X. Kendi. Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-winning "Stamped from the Beginning". Little, Brown, and Company, 2020. An excellent, accessible text for students to read more about this history of racism and social progress movements in the United States.
SamCookeVEVO. "Sam Cooke - A Change Is Gonna Come (Official Lyric Video)." YouTube. January 22, 2016. Sam Cooke - A Change Is Gonna Come (Official Lyric Video) One of the anthems of the Civil Rights Movement.
"Say It Loud- I'm Black and Proud James Brown." YouTube. April 18, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hj1iWqoYEc&ab_channel=HarleyAmbrose.
The video of this popular mantra can be used in conjunction with the Gerald Williams painting and poem that inspired it.
"School Colors." School Colors. https://www.schoolcolorspodcast.com/. This notable podcast produced by Brooklyn Deep follows multiple generations of Brooklynites attempting to obtain quality public education for the children in the context of the New York City teachers strike and other political considerations.
Selyukh, Alina. "Aunt Jemima Will Change Name, Image As Brands Confront Racial Stereotypes." NPR. June 17, 2020. https://www.npr.org/sections/live-updates-protests-for-racial-justice/2020/06/17/879104818/acknowledging-racial-stereotype-aunt-jemima-will-change-brand-name-and-image. This is an updated article on the National Public Radio website that describes the recent decision to remove the names and images of Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben from their products, finally admitting that they are racial stereotypes.
"The Sit-In Movement." CommonLit. https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/the-sit-in-movement. An article at the appropriate reading level with accompanying text-based questions that is used in this unit when Woodson describes witnessing portions of the Sit-In Movement in Greenville.
"The Sunflower Quilting Bee at Arles." Philadelphia Museum of Art. https://www.philamuseum.org/collection/object/90056. A perfect image of the great painting.
SlyATFamilyStoneVEVO. "Sly & The Family Stone - Everyday People (Official Video)." YouTube. October 02, 2013. Sly & The Family Stone - Everyday People (Official Video)
. This song was also part of the soundtrack of Woodson’s childhood and makes an important commentary on cultural life during that time.
SonyAnimation. "Hair Love | Oscar®-Winning Short Film (Full) | Sony Pictures Animation." YouTube. December 05, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNw8V_Fkw28&ab_channel=SonyPicturesAnimation. Hair is one of the motifs on Brown Girl Dreaming and this highly relatable short movie bring the concern many African Americans have about their hair up to the present day.
Supercanadian4. "Sam Cooke Live Twistin' the Night Away 1963." YouTube. June 04, 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yIMt-aZjCo&ab_channel=supercanadian. The legendary singer, songwriter dancing and performing live.
TatanBrown. "Aretha Franklin - Respect [1967] (Aretha's Original Version)." YouTube. October 17, 2008. Aretha Franklin - Respect [1967] (Aretha's Original Version). Classic version of the well-known song.
"The Times They Are A-Changin': The Official Bob Dylan Site." The Times They Are A-Changin' | The Official Bob Dylan Site. Accessed 6 29 2021. https://www.bobdylan.com/songs/times-they-are-changin/. This website has the lyrics to the song used in conjunction with music analysis.
"Untitled (Alabama)." Art Object Page. https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.143140.html. The famous image by Norman Lewis is used to illustrate how visual art can reflect social issues.
"Wadsworth Jarrell, Homage to a Giant, 1970." Kavi Gupta Gallery. https://kavigupta.com/artists/31-wadsworth-jarrell/works/6579-wadsworth-jarrell-homage-to-a-giant-1970/. The extraordinary painting of Malcolm X may be used as part of a text set studying the legendary leader of the Black Panther movement, often misunderstood by those unfamiliar with his history.
"We Shall Overcome." We Shall Overcome. https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/resources-for-educators/classroom-resources/media-and-interactives/media/music/story-behind-the-song/the-story-behind-the-song/we-shall-overcome/. The Kennedy Center webpage reviews the history of its origins as a spiritual through its publication by Pete Seeger and its use by the Freedom Singers during the Civil Rights movement.
Webmaster. "Jean-Michel Basquiat." The Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. July 28, 2018. https://www.basquiat.com/. A source to view paintings by the iconic cultural hero as inspiration for students’ own artistic creations.
Woodson, Jacqueline. Brown Girl Dreaming. Puffin, 2020. The core text for this unit, it is a memoir in verse divided into five parts.
Thecatkeaton. "The Hollies - He Ain't Heavy, He’s My Brother." YouTube. August 26, 2009. The Hollies - He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother. This song was referred to in the memoir and connects to Woodson's experience with her half-brother who suffered from lead poisoning.
Wtf95ify. "Ohio Players - Funky Worm." YouTube. November 21, 2009. Ohio Players - Funky Worm. Referred to as a song that Woodson was not supposed to listen to during her childhood, it is also a cultural icon the meaning of which can be hotly debated by students.