This Blog is a resource tool for the students taking the "FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES" elective at Westborough High School, Westborough, Massachusetts.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
PERIOD 7 - THE CHILDREN'S MARCH
You recently watched the documentary, The Children's March. Please post any thoughts you have about the film.
40 comments:
Margo Murphy
said...
This documentary was very moving and powerful. I was amazed that children had the courage to walk to Birmingham just to get arrested. Children realized that they needed to do something because their parents couldn't because they might lose their jobs or have their house burned or bombed. They had no idea what the police officers were going to do, they might have brought out fire hoses to break up the crowd, but all they were thinking about were creating awareness for how bad problems were in Birmingham. The children took charge and responsibility of Martin Luther King's plan and succeeded in getting the public's attention.
I think it was very interesting and creative for Mrs. Ellis to run and document this test. It proves what children are capable of absorbing from society and how they form harsh opinions. By putting them in the shoes of someone less superior, the children are able to understand what it feels like to be different and what the black people go through every day based on something as simple as the color of their skin. By implementing this lesson in children that young, it will hopefully shape how they, and the upcoming generations learn to treat others and not judge based on looks.
The Children's March was very strong, it took a lot of courage for the children to get up and walk out, knowing what they were about to do and where they were going. Watching the children go out and fight for their freedom meant something special, they wanted to help and realized that was a way to stand up for themselves. During that time, they were treated very poorly, and the children could have been seriously injured when they marched, but that did not stop them. Every child mattered and they knew it was the right thing to do, and possibly the only chance they would get to step in.
What stood out to me most about this documentary was how brave the children were. I was surprised at how young some of them were. The children did such a great job of protesting peacefully and I think that they showed that not just adults can make a difference but kids can as well.
I believe the children showed tremendous strength in marching in Birmingham, they didn't know exactly what would happen to them if they did and not many adults were willing to participate.
I agree with what Kelsey said. I thought that it was amazing that the children took the opportunity to stand up for what they believed was right despite the fact that they were putting themselves in a potentially dangerous situation. This definitely showed how courageous and strong they were.
This documentary was extremely interesting to me. I cannot imagine living in a place where there was such an extreme level of discrimination, especially as a child. I feel the children of Birmingham were very courageous and determined. I found it shocking that only the children volunteered to essentially break the law.I think this is because of children's lack of fear and sense of reality that adults posses. I can only imagine the sense of accomplishment, excitement, and pride the children were feeling when they were singing in the church and marching to the police. I feel this documentary proved that it was not only the adult figures like Martin Luther King Jr. but the children as well who were determined to fight against the law for their rights to be free in the United States.
I agree with what Emily is saying. It was shocking to me to see that all the hundreds of children remained peaceful and joyful throughout the process of their arrest. Their bravery was surprising, for the police could have done extremely harsh things to them. I agree that this documentary does show that not just adults can make a difference and work together for a common interest.
The video of "The Children's March" really was a poweful video to watch. I agree with Kelsey when she explains that the children had a lot of courage to get up and do what they did, even knowing the consequences that came about it. They were young and brave, proving to everyone they had what it took to make a difference in the lives of the black community.
This documentary was very interesting and I was surprised at how brave all those children were.They didn't know if they would get hurt or even killed but that didn't stop them. I think they had so much courage to stand up for what they believe was right and worth fighting for. Also during this they were smiling and they stayed peaceful throughout this entire process which really stood out to me. I think this was a very interesting and powerful documentary to watch.
I agree with what Sarah said that it wasn't only the figures like Martin Luther King Jr who stood up for their rights but so did the children. They were a very big part of this fight for their rights.
This documentary was very moving. Seeing the hundreds of children march for their rights was so uplifting because it proved that even young people can stand up for their deserved liberties. It struck me as very brave for all of them to do so knowing they would be punished severely. But the desire to stand up for one’s rights sets off a powerful spark, one that can make an act as powerful as this one come to life.
What interested me the most about the film was how the children really got a taste of what it was like to stand up for what they believed in. I feel like no one will ever be able to tell any of those kids they can't do something.
I was very shocked when watching this documentary. I was very proud of those kids for what they did, willingly getting arrested, that isn't something that most people would be immediately up for doing. This took them a lot of guts, and i really admire them for what they did.
I agree with what Margo said. The children did something that the parents were too afraid to do, and in realizing that, the kids decided to take a stand and do whatever it took to get their freedom
I agree with Margo’s point about how the “children realized that they needed to do something because their parents couldn't because they might lose their jobs”. The children not only wanted to protest on their own, but also because they wanted to protect their parent’s reputations.
The Children's March was an uplifting film. I applaud those children for having such bravery and determination when it seemed there was hardly any hope for their cause. The children had a plan for change, and they dropped everything, got up, and became the change.
I agree with Sarah Connors, in that I cannot imagine living in a world where extent of discrimination is acceptable. It amazes me that this was going on while my father was 15 years old! I am happy to see that our country has come much farther than that by now.
I thought that this documentary was extremely interesting. I think that people often stress the importance of children in communities and the world for reasons like this. Often time’s adults are afraid to do things because of the lives that they have built but children may be more willing to put their lives on the line for something, especially something that they believe in. When all of the children poured out onto the streets from the church it gave me goose bumps because of the energy that they had and the willingness of putting themselves in danger for the good of everyone else.
I agree with Emily, I think that the strength of the children was shown in this documentary. I loved how empowering it was: anyone can make a difference in the world, there isn’t an age limit on making a change.
I thought that the first half of the movie was very moving and inspirational. Many of the parents of the children that marched to Birmingham didn't want their children to go, but the fact that so many kids showed up that day was very moving and powerful. They were so brave to take a leap of faith in doing so especially since it was in Birmingham, which was known as the "biggest and baddest" city in the South. This shows that their rights were so important to them that they risked their lives and joined together in order to make a point and fight for themselves.
I thought the Children's March was a very uplifting and powerful document. It showed that children back then had a lot of strength, bravery, and courage just to help out their parents. I dont think kids today would initiate such a powerful movement, which is why i think its so amazing that back in the 60's, children were capable of creating such a compelling movement, despite being arrested. I also thought it was crazy how the police were so eager to arrest as many colored kids as possible. Today, something like this would never be able to occur. Overall, i thought this document was very moving and worthy.
I agree with what Emily said. I thought that it was so brave for the children to walk to Birmingham like they did, especially since it was nicknamed "Bombingham". I also agree that it showed that not just adults could protest and fight for their rights, and that their rights were so important to people of all ages.
I agree with what Sarah said about how accomplished and proud the kids felt for what they did. And they should be, they risked their lives to get their voices heard, so i think they deserve every right to sing, chant, and be as happy as they wanted while marching
I agree with Kelsey. The March took extreme bravery and I know many kids today would not do what those kids did. It was probably much easier for the kids to do what they did since there were so many of them; not one particular person was singled out. However, the amount of courage it took is shocking and amazing.
This documentary made me feel so uplifted and moved. I agree with Margo that it took tremendous courage for these kids to walk and defy everyone when they knew that there was a great possibility that they could get hurt.It made me realize that we don't have to wait until we are adults to make a difference in the world because we have the ability now, as kids. I felt so proud just watching and I know that this was a great display of bravery and determination in society then to fight for equality. Even the children knew that they had an important part to play.
I was fascinated by this film. I thought it was incredible what Mrs. Elliot did and it was very real. I liked how she had both sides of the class experience being both powerful and the victims and that the students were actually able to grasp the concept of racism. I like how she told us that one student shared "a King died last night." Even though the student may have been confused by the name, the student realized that this man's message was important and worthwhile to listen to. Also, I though that this experiment was very ahead of the time and taught the kids a valuable lesson without being too trying.
The Children's March was inspiring, because it really focuses the attention on the youth, the future of the society. I think it was very powerful what they did, knowing that they would get in trouble to make their point. By having children implement this effort, it allowed for a large media coverage and the goal of spreading awareness of about the brutalities in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963.
These children were so dedicated to bring awareness to the world about discrimination, segregation, and how horribly blacks are treated. They lied to there parents or ignored their warning for them not to participate in D Day but the reasons that they were doing this for, were worth fighting for.
Children, from my experience working with them, tend to view things in black and white. They are quick to absorb ideas, rather spongy in their curiosity (especially the young ones), and it's both fascinating and heartbreaking to see how they could be motivated for certain causes. The Children's March was a strongly uplifting example--young, fiery, optimistic, and with a strong sense of justice, having the children lead the march was a brilliant idea. Few obligations or consequences really followed aside from the hosing, which was convenient...but their unwillingness to cower in the face of injustice stood out.
Mrs. Ellis' eye color discrimination test was a stark and uncomfortable look at how easy it was to convince children to discriminate against others through arbitrary differences. It's easy to say "Oh, I'm above all that" but we underestimate our own capacity to follow such notions; we make our own little groups, our own little divisions, and all the while we look upon many other groups in disdain. Sometimes there's a legitimate reason for it--I, for one, will never be able to respect a racial supremacy group--but the line between that and simple unfounded prejudice becomes increasingly blurry in this age of supposed enlightenment.
I agree with Nicole in that age doesn't matter when making a change in the world. It's best done by children, I think, because many adults are weary and jaded from their experiences. Still, under the right circumstances anyone can change the world; whether it is for better or for worse will ultimately be up for debate, but I like to think much of it has been for the better.
The children's march gave hope to all of the children and adults in the African American society. The children didn't believe that the march would be so famous. The children didn't know how much support they would have when the idea of the march was thought of. That is what made the children's march so inspiring in my opinion.
I agree with what Koya said when he stated that the children's march was up lifting. It definitely helped the confidence of all of the African American people.
I think that this documentary was very revealing to the fact that - and I consider this to be true - children are very often the cornerstone of society. I think that we often lose sight of the kind of influence that children are able to have upon adults and society as a whole. In society, children's thoughts and opinions are often cast aside because they are deemed unimportant or invalid, but I think that children are extremely effective in getting a message across and sending a wake-up call to society. The nonviolent nature of this protest is also very inspiring, because I think that people - especially adults - often feel that violence and war is the only way for a society to get what they want. But the nonviolent protests of not only the civil rights movement but of many movements throughout history are so effective because the people who oppose are not acting as the antagonists in the conflict, and the greater meaning of the movement becomes more clear when the cloud of violence is removed.
I agree with many students in saying that the courage of the children who marched is remarkable. I also agree with Koya in speaking about the impressionability of children as a major factor in increasing the momentum of the protests.
40 comments:
This documentary was very moving and powerful. I was amazed that children had the courage to walk to Birmingham just to get arrested. Children realized that they needed to do something because their parents couldn't because they might lose their jobs or have their house burned or bombed. They had no idea what the police officers were going to do, they might have brought out fire hoses to break up the crowd, but all they were thinking about were creating awareness for how bad problems were in Birmingham. The children took charge and responsibility of Martin Luther King's plan and succeeded in getting the public's attention.
I think it was very interesting and creative for Mrs. Ellis to run and document this test. It proves what children are capable of absorbing from society and how they form harsh opinions. By putting them in the shoes of someone less superior, the children are able to understand what it feels like to be different and what the black people go through every day based on something as simple as the color of their skin. By implementing this lesson in children that young, it will hopefully shape how they, and the upcoming generations learn to treat others and not judge based on looks.
The Children's March was very strong, it took a lot of courage for the children to get up and walk out, knowing what they were about to do and where they were going. Watching the children go out and fight for their freedom meant something special, they wanted to help and realized that was a way to stand up for themselves. During that time, they were treated very poorly, and the children could have been seriously injured when they marched, but that did not stop them. Every child mattered and they knew it was the right thing to do, and possibly the only chance they would get to step in.
What stood out to me most about this documentary was how brave the children were. I was surprised at how young some of them were. The children did such a great job of protesting peacefully and I think that they showed that not just adults can make a difference but kids can as well.
I believe the children showed tremendous strength in marching in Birmingham, they didn't know exactly what would happen to them if they did and not many adults were willing to participate.
I agree with what Kelsey said. I thought that it was amazing that the children took the opportunity to stand up for what they believed was right despite the fact that they were putting themselves in a potentially dangerous situation. This definitely showed how courageous and strong they were.
This documentary was extremely interesting to me. I cannot imagine living in a place where there was such an extreme level of discrimination, especially as a child. I feel the children of Birmingham were very courageous and determined. I found it shocking that only the children volunteered to essentially break the law.I think this is because of children's lack of fear and sense of reality that adults posses. I can only imagine the sense of accomplishment, excitement, and pride the children were feeling when they were singing in the church and marching to the police. I feel this documentary proved that it was not only the adult figures like Martin Luther King Jr. but the children as well who were determined to fight against the law for their rights to be free in the United States.
I agree with what Emily is saying. It was shocking to me to see that all the hundreds of children remained peaceful and joyful throughout the process of their arrest. Their bravery was surprising, for the police could have done extremely harsh things to them. I agree that this documentary does show that not just adults can make a difference and work together for a common interest.
The video of "The Children's March" really was a poweful video to watch. I agree with Kelsey when she explains that the children had a lot of courage to get up and do what they did, even knowing the consequences that came about it. They were young and brave, proving to everyone they had what it took to make a difference in the lives of the black community.
This documentary was very interesting and I was surprised at how brave all those children were.They didn't know if they would get hurt or even killed but that didn't stop them. I think they had so much courage to stand up for what they believe was right and worth fighting for. Also during this they were smiling and they stayed peaceful throughout this entire process which really stood out to me. I think this was a very interesting and powerful documentary to watch.
I agree with what Sarah said that it wasn't only the figures like Martin Luther King Jr who stood up for their rights but so did the children. They were a very big part of this fight for their rights.
This documentary was very moving. Seeing the hundreds of children march for their rights was so uplifting because it proved that even young people can stand up for their deserved liberties. It struck me as very brave for all of them to do so knowing they would be punished severely. But the desire to stand up for one’s rights sets off a powerful spark, one that can make an act as powerful as this one come to life.
What interested me the most about the film was how the children really got a taste of what it was like to stand up for what they believed in. I feel like no one will ever be able to tell any of those kids they can't do something.
I agree with Margo, the courage of those kids was astonishing and it was amazing to see what they could do id they put their minds to it.
I was very shocked when watching this documentary. I was very proud of those kids for what they did, willingly getting arrested, that isn't something that most people would be immediately up for doing. This took them a lot of guts, and i really admire them for what they did.
I agree with what Margo said. The children did something that the parents were too afraid to do, and in realizing that, the kids decided to take a stand and do whatever it took to get their freedom
I agree with Margo’s point about how the “children realized that they needed to do something because their parents couldn't because they might lose their jobs”. The children not only wanted to protest on their own, but also because they wanted to protect their parent’s reputations.
The Children's March was an uplifting film. I applaud those children for having such bravery and determination when it seemed there was hardly any hope for their cause. The children had a plan for change, and they dropped everything, got up, and became the change.
I agree with Sarah Connors, in that I cannot imagine living in a world where extent of discrimination is acceptable. It amazes me that this was going on while my father was 15 years old! I am happy to see that our country has come much farther than that by now.
I thought that this documentary was extremely interesting. I think that people often stress the importance of children in communities and the world for reasons like this. Often time’s adults are afraid to do things because of the lives that they have built but children may be more willing to put their lives on the line for something, especially something that they believe in. When all of the children poured out onto the streets from the church it gave me goose bumps because of the energy that they had and the willingness of putting themselves in danger for the good of everyone else.
I agree with Emily, I think that the strength of the children was shown in this documentary. I loved how empowering it was: anyone can make a difference in the world, there isn’t an age limit on making a change.
I was absent for the second part of the movie.
I thought that the first half of the movie was very moving and inspirational. Many of the parents of the children that marched to Birmingham didn't want their children to go, but the fact that so many kids showed up that day was very moving and powerful. They were so brave to take a leap of faith in doing so especially since it was in Birmingham, which was known as the "biggest and baddest" city in the South. This shows that their rights were so important to them that they risked their lives and joined together in order to make a point and fight for themselves.
I thought the Children's March was a very uplifting and powerful document. It showed that children back then had a lot of strength, bravery, and courage just to help out their parents. I dont think kids today would initiate such a powerful movement, which is why i think its so amazing that back in the 60's, children were capable of creating such a compelling movement, despite being arrested. I also thought it was crazy how the police were so eager to arrest as many colored kids as possible. Today, something like this would never be able to occur. Overall, i thought this document was very moving and worthy.
I agree with what Emily said. I thought that it was so brave for the children to walk to Birmingham like they did, especially since it was nicknamed "Bombingham". I also agree that it showed that not just adults could protest and fight for their rights, and that their rights were so important to people of all ages.
I agree with what Sarah said about how accomplished and proud the kids felt for what they did. And they should be, they risked their lives to get their voices heard, so i think they deserve every right to sing, chant, and be as happy as they wanted while marching
I agree with Kelsey. The March took extreme bravery and I know many kids today would not do what those kids did. It was probably much easier for the kids to do what they did since there were so many of them; not one particular person was singled out. However, the amount of courage it took is shocking and amazing.
This documentary made me feel so uplifted and moved. I agree with Margo that it took tremendous courage for these kids to walk and defy everyone when they knew that there was a great possibility that they could get hurt.It made me realize that we don't have to wait until we are adults to make a difference in the world because we have the ability now, as kids. I felt so proud just watching and I know that this was a great display of bravery and determination in society then to fight for equality. Even the children knew that they had an important part to play.
I was absent for The Childrens March video
I was fascinated by this film. I thought it was incredible what Mrs. Elliot did and it was very real. I liked how she had both sides of the class experience being both powerful and the victims and that the students were actually able to grasp the concept of racism. I like how she told us that one student shared "a King died last night." Even though the student may have been confused by the name, the student realized that this man's message was important and worthwhile to listen to. Also, I though that this experiment was very ahead of the time and taught the kids a valuable lesson without being too trying.
The Children's March was inspiring, because it really focuses the attention on the youth, the future of the society. I think it was very powerful what they did, knowing that they would get in trouble to make their point. By having children implement this effort, it allowed for a large media coverage and the goal of spreading awareness of about the brutalities in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963.
I agree with Sarah Connors, and believe that the children fighting for their rights just gave it that much more of an impact.
These children were so dedicated to bring awareness to the world about discrimination, segregation, and how horribly blacks are treated. They lied to there parents or ignored their warning for them not to participate in D Day but the reasons that they were doing this for, were worth fighting for.
Children, from my experience working with them, tend to view things in black and white. They are quick to absorb ideas, rather spongy in their curiosity (especially the young ones), and it's both fascinating and heartbreaking to see how they could be motivated for certain causes. The Children's March was a strongly uplifting example--young, fiery, optimistic, and with a strong sense of justice, having the children lead the march was a brilliant idea. Few obligations or consequences really followed aside from the hosing, which was convenient...but their unwillingness to cower in the face of injustice stood out.
Mrs. Ellis' eye color discrimination test was a stark and uncomfortable look at how easy it was to convince children to discriminate against others through arbitrary differences. It's easy to say "Oh, I'm above all that" but we underestimate our own capacity to follow such notions; we make our own little groups, our own little divisions, and all the while we look upon many other groups in disdain. Sometimes there's a legitimate reason for it--I, for one, will never be able to respect a racial supremacy group--but the line between that and simple unfounded prejudice becomes increasingly blurry in this age of supposed enlightenment.
I agree with Nicole in that age doesn't matter when making a change in the world. It's best done by children, I think, because many adults are weary and jaded from their experiences. Still, under the right circumstances anyone can change the world; whether it is for better or for worse will ultimately be up for debate, but I like to think much of it has been for the better.
The children's march gave hope to all of the children and adults in the African American society. The children didn't believe that the march would be so famous. The children didn't know how much support they would have when the idea of the march was thought of. That is what made the children's march so inspiring in my opinion.
I agree with what Koya said when he stated that the children's march was up lifting. It definitely helped the confidence of all of the African American people.
I think that this documentary was very revealing to the fact that - and I consider this to be true - children are very often the cornerstone of society. I think that we often lose sight of the kind of influence that children are able to have upon adults and society as a whole. In society, children's thoughts and opinions are often cast aside because they are deemed unimportant or invalid, but I think that children are extremely effective in getting a message across and sending a wake-up call to society.
The nonviolent nature of this protest is also very inspiring, because I think that people - especially adults - often feel that violence and war is the only way for a society to get what they want. But the nonviolent protests of not only the civil rights movement but of many movements throughout history are so effective because the people who oppose are not acting as the antagonists in the conflict, and the greater meaning of the movement becomes more clear when the cloud of violence is removed.
I agree with many students in saying that the courage of the children who marched is remarkable. I also agree with Koya in speaking about the impressionability of children as a major factor in increasing the momentum of the protests.
I was absent during this video
I was absent for this assignment.
Post a Comment