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We commemorate this Fourth of July in the shadow of assaults on our human rights and bodily autonomy from those who do not uphold the values of democracy. We recognize that these efforts to strip away our rights are a backlash to positive social justice movements. Let us commit together to the movement for justice and democracy.

Voter suppression is not a thing of the past. It’s essential that students learn to identify it in history—and in this current election cycle. Including insight from Carol Anderson, John Lewis and others, these resources can help you teach about the Voting Rights Act, the historic back-and-forth fight for voting rights, the ways voter suppression manifests today and the ways young people are demanding better of the democratic process.

“Democracy is not a state. It is not some high plateau that we struggle to reach so we can finally settle down to rest. Democracy is an act. It is an act that requires participation, organization and dedication to the highest principles. It is an act, and a series of actions that require us to continuously verify our commitment to civil rights and social justice at every challenge.”
— Rep. John Lewis

To mark the anniversary, teach a more complex version of this historic milestone and the civil rights movement. LFJ has resources to help. Listen to this podcast episode and watch this webinar—based upon our guide by the same title—to help students delve deeper into the history of Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott. For additional context, students can discuss Browder v. Gayle, an often unheard-of civil rights case that overturned segregated public transportation in the South.

As we mark the 58th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery march and witness the current assault on voting rights, particularly those rights of Black citizens, it’s imperative to connect the not-so-distant past to the present. These LFJ resources—including an interactive digital platform created in conjunction with the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research—can help remind us all of the sacrifices made in the name of democracy, provide context for the present, and inspire our continuing fight for justice.

Martin Luther King Jr. is the most iconic figure of the Civil Rights Movement, but the narrative around his life and work is often oversimplified in classrooms and public discourse. We invite you to expand the narrative and teach a more complex and comprehensive view of Dr. King and a more honest history of the United States. Check out these Learning for Justice resources to better understand King’s strategies and goals, the context of the movement for equality and civil rights, and the work that remains to be done.