High School Program for Humanities and English Classes
For classes visiting the Kennedy Library, “the Rhetoric of the Civil Rights Movement in the Early Sixties” uses primary sources to help students explore the persuasive techniques of civil rights advocates and segregationists during this period. During the first half of their three-hour visit, students analyze the rhetorical techniques used in a September 13, 1962 speech by Governor Ross Barnett of Mississippi to the people of Mississippi, a portion of Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail, and John F. Kennedy’s June 11, 1963 address to the nation on civil rights. They not only focus on the rhetoric of each of these men, but also discuss their language in the context of the civil rights battles of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Following the classroom portion of their visit, students explore the Museum and make connections between their discussions and specific exhibits in the galleries. For more information, contact Nina Tisch at nina.tisch@nara.gov. The program accommodates between 20-50 students.