Klarman, Michael. From Jim Crow to Civil Rights. New York: Oxford UP, 2004. Print.
This is definitely a resource for teachers to use. Klarman's book outlines the history of the Supreme Court and its rulings from the
Plessy
Era to the Civil Rights Movement. Klarman gives excellent background about the cases, their rulings, and their background. For some students, selected readings will be constructive. The whole book is definitely too much reading for students and won't benefit them at this time. Careful selection would prove beneficial for students in some cases but that is the extent that it might prove useful for them.
Kluger, Richard. Simple Justice. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2004. Print.
This is one of the great works about the
Brown v Board
case. The book presents excellent background into the factors and actors that helped America reach the point of breaking the Segregation system. Parts of this book will be excellent to use in class however it does require the teacher to be very selective about which parts are pulled so as to not overwhelm students. For teachers, this is a great resource and good background and information about this monumental case in American history.
Loury, Glenn, et al. Race, Incarceration, and American Values. Boston: MIT Press, 2008. Print.
This book is based off a lecture and could be appropriate resource to help show students the importance of courts in today's world. This book outlines today's Civil Rights battles especially as it relates to the justice system. Loury's writing is simple and clearly illustrates how injustice continues to riddle our current system. Several students could benefit from reading this or parts of this book particularly if they why do Civil Right matter or if Civil Rights is over. Being able to show what change is still need or what struggles are still on-going will help students in and beyond the classroom.
Moran, Rachel, and Devon W. Carbado, eds. Race Law Stories. New York: Foundation Press, 2008. Print.
This book can be an incredible useful resource for teacher and students. This book, a collection of essays about different cases involve race and discrimination and law, holds a great collection of information about each case. While these essays do contain some difficult and new vocabulary for students, the writing is generally clear enough that students will be able to understand it and learn from it. This resource can be invaluable for you and your classroom.
Ogletree, Jr., Charles. All Deliberate Speed: Reflections on the First Half-Century of Brown v. Board of Education. New York: Norton, 2005. Print.
This book is also a teacher resource. It goes into depth about the strategies that the NAACP used to dismantle Segregation in the south. The book also connects the work of the NAACP to the current struggles and the recent Michigan Rulings about Affirmative Action. In this sense, this book is incredibly useful as it connects the challenges of
Brown
and
Brown II
to the modern day struggles. This can also help you and your classroom understand the connections of these struggles for today.
Patillo Beals, Melba. Warriors Don't Cry. Abridged. New York: Simon Pulse, 1995. Print.
This is an excellent student and teacher resource for learning about Desegregation and the people who lived through it. The book follows the live of Melba, one of the Little Rock Nine, as she faces discrimination, racism, and danger inside and outside of school. Melba's adversities include dealing with many people upset about integration, but they also include those of the average teenage girl. Students will relate to this book whether the whole thing or selections as Melba's voice is authentic and even includes her own diary from that time.