Black Her-Story

In honor of Black History Month, this page outlines a lesson plan for middle school, that will be both engaging and informational

The main objective of this webpage is to provide educators of middle school students (grades 6-8) with an outline of a lesson about Black Women in the United States of America.

Lesson Resources

• Septima Poinsett Clark
• Bernice Violanthe Robinson
• Shirley Ann Jackson
• Lyda D. Newman

Lesson Plan

Civil Rights Activist

This section will focus on two African American women from Charleston, South Carolina who were major contriuters to the Civil Rights Movement in the south.

Septima Poinsett Clark: Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Septima Clark traveled the United States as an activist in the Civil Rights Movment. Her biggest contribution was in the south. Where she was part of starting an institution in her home town, alongside her first cousin Bernice Robinson, that helped African Americans learn to read and write in order to vote in major elections.

• Birth/Death: May3,1898/December 15,1987
• Education
• Career
• Short Video

Bernice Violanthe Robinson: Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Bernice saw where her community needed her and stepped into the role. She left the south to live in New York for some years in pursuance of a career in entertainment. While there Bernice noticed how life differed there from back home in South Carolina. Robinson soon returned to Charleston and saw that living for African Americans were not as progressive than in the North.

• Birth/Death: February 7,1914/September 3,1994
• Education
• Career
• Short Video
• One Page Assignment: Students will create a flyer from the mid 1900's for "The Progressive Club" , the location where Clark and Robinson held classes to prepare African Americans to vote. Teaching reading and writing skills.

Inventors

In this section, you will be introduced to two African American Women Inventors and Pioneers.

Shirley Ann Jackson:
Born in Washington, DC, Shirley studied graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Theoretical Physics, and a Ph.D in Nuclear Physics from MIT. Putting her down in history as the first African American woman to obtain a Doctorate Degree from MIT and the second African American woman to earn a Ph.D in Physics in the Nation!.

• Birth: August 5,1946
• Education
• Career
• Short Video
• One Page Assignment: Students will create a Magazine Cover with 5 important facts about Shirley Ann Jackson

Lyda D Newman:
Born in Ohio around 1885, Lyda was an revolutionary inventor of the hair brush design at age 13 in 1898.She was also an activist of woman's suffrage.

• Birth/Death: ?/?/1885- ?/?/????
  Newman's exact birth and death dates are unknown
• Education
• Career
• Short Video
• One Page Assignment: Students will create an instagram advertisement for Lyda D Newman's patented hair brush design at the age of 13. Or have the students create a poster for Women's Rights

This webpage was created for the purpose of an assignment for Webster University EDTC 5550