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Civil rights leader Malcolm X now appears in many history books and has been the hero of a feature film, but very few sources actually delve into the forms of leadership and resistance to oppression that Malcolm X advocated in the last year of his life.

The title “Before Rosa Parks” loosely links a number of lessons that discuss African-American women who were active in the fight for civil rights before the 1950s. This lesson highlights Frances Watkins Harper, who challenged power structures in the South by talking to free former slaves about voting, land ownership and education—and fought segregated public transportation.

This collection of primary resources and corresponding activities sheds light on the endurance of peaceful protesters in Montgomery, Ala., who overturned an unjust law.