This Blog is a resource tool for the students taking the "FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES" elective at Westborough High School, Westborough, Massachusetts.
Monday, September 24, 2012
PERIOD 7 - THE CHILDREN'S MARCH
Today, you watched the documentary, The Children's March. Please post any thoughts you have about the film.
40 comments:
James Harrold, P7
said...
I feel as though this documentary was an amazingly important peice of history. It was uncut, and nothing was left out. The kids that took part in the march, and jailings were amazingly couragous, and in the end, changed the quality of life for blacks everywhere. It was a classic in every nations history, the struggle of class, the need of the strong to dominate the weak. I feel as though each part of the documentary shows the true colors of the 1950's. It astounds me that that level of racism was still so prevalent even into the 1950's.
I think the film presented the children and African Americans in the brightest light for their couragous actions and determination. Despite the immense amount of violence and pain they suffered, they maintained the peaceful movement they established from the begining without retaliation. As the movie said, the children "broke the backbone of Birmingham" and made changes to the legislation and social conduct of the town. I really appreiciated the positive confidence that the childrens had throughout the journey as seen by their singing, dancing, and willingness to go to jail.
I agree with James that it is shocking to realize the events and actions we witnessed in the film only accured in the last century. My parents and grandparents were accustomed to this in their everyday life so the subject should hit home harder than it seems. It just doesn't feel possible for this to have occured in the country of the United States because our vision is almost tunnel-vision. There exists many flaws in our history but it opens up our eyes to prejudice that still exists to this day.
The documentary we watched really opened my eyes to the cruel violence prejudice people were willing to go through just to be able to feel superior over someone else. I was really shocked when President Clinton told Martin Luther King Jr. that the kids should not partake in the movement, if they didn’t take place in it, it would have lasted longer and spun even farther out of control. I really applaud the children for standing strong and following what they believed was right. There positive attitude helped keep their spirits up and show the world that they would not feel inferior to others.
I agree with Amy Lightbody's comment on how the children were responsible for breaking the prejudice attitudes in our nation. Children are portrayed as innocent human beings and when the country saw how they were being treated it really kicked in how cruel African Americans were being treated.
This film was very eye opening to the racism that we once had in America. I thought it was very smart that Martin Luther King JR used the kids to get peace. He knew that the kids had almost nothing to lose and that there were the only option. The kids were very brave and looked at this in a positive light. One part that I really thought was horrible was that even though the kids did nothing wrong they were still sprayed with hoses and had dogs let loose on them. I also wondered if the firemen were doing what they were doing under their own will or if they had higher officials demanding them to do it.
I agree with Alisa on this one the kids took all of the weight or injustice and racism on their shoulders because they knew that they were the only way that laws could get changed. I wonder how long it would have taken for things to change if the children didn’t take any initiative and let the adults do it?
I have seen many documentaries on segregation before but this film really showed the violence and cruelty that the children had to go through. It is so sad to think that this was the way it was before and that kids at a young age were being arrested.It is also sad because the jails were not well kept and children were suffering there. I thought that they had stayed strong for what they wanted and eventually they had made a change on segregation. I knew that they were treated badly but this film really showed me really how much worse it was for them.
I agree with David if the kids had not done anything would it still be going on years later.I also agree with Alyssa about how the president said that the kids should not have joined this would have made it last longer, and no one knows what would have happened if the children did not take a stand.
Watching this documentary, I was surprised how horribly African Americans were treated in the not so distant past even within my parents lifetime. Possibly the most unsettling part about the documentary was that the racism and violence was extremely blatant and on top of that retaliation of peaceful protests was taken out on helpless children. Neither the police department nor the fire department of Birmingham could ever justify their gross crimes against humanity.
I think that Dr. King was incredibly smart in using children as their "secret weapon". No one ever suspected that kids could make such an impact, when in reality, they made a worldwide statement. I thought it was really brave of the children to willingly go to jail to stand up for what they believe in. I agree with Amy in the fact that prejudice such as this occurred just a few years ago. As I was watching the documentary, all I could think of was my parents and how they were alive for all of the segregation. I had always thought that segregation was years passed us and existed only in my grandparents generation. It's incredible how far we've come in such a short number of years.
I think that this was a very inspiring film, and it was a very good portrayal of how badly racism was in the south. Not only racism but segregation and physical and emotional actions towards African-American adults and children. This film really opened my eyes to what was going on back then and how poorly African-Americans were treated. Also how the white people didn't care if they were harming children or adults. Aside from abuse and racism I found this film to be a good portrayal of the children's courage, determination, and will to survive among the white people and to also try and gain their rights and freedom
I agree with Alyssa that had it not been for the children of Birmingham it could have been years before the civil rights movement advanced in Birmingham since the adults were not willing to risk their jobs. Seeing as Dr. King had so much riding on Birmingham the civil rights movement as a whole could have been stopped at a grinding halt had it not been for the Children's March.
As a side note to Alyssa's comment the president at the time was President Kennedy not President Clinton.
I agree with what Alyssa said that it was good that the children participated in the march. It definitely had an impact on the white people, and I also agree with what she said the if the children didn't participate the abuse and punishments would have lasted longer, and would have gotten much harsher.
I think that this was a worthwhile documentary to watch because it covered all of the events that happened in Birmingham. I knew the general idea of what happened before the film, but seeing the footage from the Children’s March and listening to people that participated in it talk made it more personal. I could see where they were coming from and understood exactly what happened and how they felt about it because they explained it in their own words. Watching and hearing that information made the events more realistic than anything I’ve read in a textbook and it definitely impacted me more significantly too.
Adding on to Ben’s comment, I was surprised when I realized that this had gone on when my parents were alive. The pro-segregation mentality that was around seems like something that should have happened a long, long time ago in our country’s history, but remembering that it didn’t happen centuries ago is a little scary. I also agree with Ben when he says that there is no justification for what happened at the Children’s March. The actions taken against the children were completely unprovoked, and I probably wouldn’t want to believe that it happened in our country unless I read/heard/watched something about it because it was so horrible of them to do.
I was really surprised about how much impact the Children’s March had on the Civil Rights movement. I have heard about it, but I never knew that it was one of the main reasons for the desegregation of the country. It made me so sad to see so many white firemen, police officers, and other officials spraying kids down with fire hoses and hurting them, all while they were peaceful and innocent. It is one thing to hurt and abuse adults, but children cross the line. Society frowns upon hurting children and no matter the cause, all children are seen as to be protected from dangers. I agree with Olivia in that this documentary really highlighted the cruelty the children faced, and it didn’t soften it. It made it seem even more unbelievable and gut wrenching, and thinking about the sacrifices that the kids made for their rights is really incredible.
The first thing which stuck out to me was the violence shown. The use of the dogs and the fire hoses, and how they were utilized on the kids protesting, is something which I doubt would happen today. The mindset of widespread racism, as well as how all the film was captured in black and white, proves just how much has changed since then. However, there still is racism out there in the world, and although Martin Luther King Jr. did a great, good deed in defeating the racism in Birmingham, racism and prejudice is still in existence in our world.
And I side with Mia in terms of agreeing that the violence shown was unacceptable, and the fact that it was aimed towards children made it even worse. It's hard to imagine something of that nature happening in the U.S. nowadays.
Before watching this I never realized how many kids helped with the protests in Birmingham. I knew kids helped but not that many kids. That was a surprise to me. Kids did a lot of the work pushing for rights in Birmingham. They were the ones that got through to the whites. Seeing the racism at that time did not surprise me. My grandfather used to tell me stories of how bad racism was against blacks. He knew it very well because he was black and had to live with all this racism.
I agree with Mia that I never knew kids had such a big impact on the civil rights movement. I only knew a little bit about kids in the movement. The Children’s March was much larger than I had thought.
I agree with James that this film is an important piece of history, for if it was not document, Americans would not be able to regretfully reflect on their past, and be able to prevent it from ever happening again. I thought the march and bravery of the children was incredibly important to the movement as a whole. The African Americans made a point to show that they were no longer afraid of the white men and by doing this, they helped the country segway into the Civil Rights Act. It just shows that the people who seem the least powerful, such as the children, in a situation such as this one can make such as large difference in the country as a whole.
I thought the documentary was very eye opening, I personally hadn’t realized how many kids had taken part in the children’s march, and how violent the police retaliation had been. I couldn’t believe the police brought dogs and fire hoses out to use on kids.
It was horrifying to see how the Birmingham police and firemen used hoses and dogs because the children were seen as a threat. Without the children taking a stand and willing to go to jail, they wouldn't have been given their freedom
I agree with James that it is shocking that racism was so high only 50 years ago. To us students it seems like ages ago only because we didn't live through it.
Unfortunately, I was only able to catch the end of the film in class. I think that the film demonstrates a courageous by the African American children. Thousands of children were thrown in jail, yet they still continued in the fight for their freedom. I never knew that the protests in Birmingham were so heavily kid populated. It's such a powerful statement to see that so many kids actually were involved in this movement.
I think the film showed how determination and positive attitude can take one past any obstacle presented to them. Blacks were determined to gain freedom and continued to follow the non-voilent ideals of Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi. I also think that the Birmingham event forever changed many people's perception about blacks. For example, the peaceful march changed caused many to wonder if Blacks were really as violent as they were portrayed to be. At the end of the day, Birmingham demonstrations were just one of the many events that changed people's views forever.
I agree with James that the level of racism was so high in the 1950s. Around the world, US is viewed as a nation made up of different cultures that appreciates each other and where everyone is free to believe what they want. Its had to believe that less than 50 years ago, it was the opposite.
I agree with Nancy that it was horrifying to see the abuse of the Birmingham police on the African American people. I cant even imagine that level of segregation and racial injustice.
This film really opened my eyes as to how powerful, us kids, have on the outcome on our future. As well as the power to influence those around us to make a difference and change what is wrong in our world. Before watching this movie, I knew that these events occurred but I didn’t know the great affect it has on the Civil Rights movement. As I was watching the video, I tried putting myself in the shoes of an young African American girl. But it was hard for me to that because I could never be able to put myself through all the violence and racism they went through. The courage those children had, was unbelievable. I feel like they should get all the credit for the Civil Rights movement getting passed because without them, those knows what could have happened.
I agree with what to Sarah Masters said about how watching and hearing made the events more realistic than anything reading a textbook. For me images last longer in my head than words on a page, which has a greater impact on me. Broadcasting these events on T.V. made the African Americans efforts more effective and helped them gain the support from the outside world.
I liked this video because of how it shows that children can change the nation. They may not run the country or even vote of how it should be run but they can change it like they did in this video. The country needs to be made to listen to the children because they are the future. Only the children know what they want in the future and it’s the only way the country can get better. These children knew what they wanted and they went out and changed it to make their future brighter.
I agree with everything that James said. What those kids did I don’t think could be done again. The amount of courage shown in this and the amount of racism that was present was just unbelievable. I am just so thankful that the country is not this bad anymore.
After watching this film I realized that White Americans were completely wrong in many aspects. The biggest is they thought that blacks were another species rather than human. The power that one large group of people can have by making a movement and doing something about a horrible situation is amazing. We have talked all year about the power a group of people can have, well in this case it was for something good and it took a while, but it worked and opened the eyes of the entire country. But the even more amazing part of this was that children made the movement a success. It just shows that children can open the eyes of anybody.
After watching this film I realized that White Americans were completely wrong in many aspects. The biggest is they thought that blacks were another species rather than human. The power that one large group of people can have by making a movement and doing something about a horrible situation is amazing. We have talked all year about the power a group of people can have, well in this case it was for something good and it took a while, but it worked and opened the eyes of the entire country. But the even more amazing part of this was that children made the movement a success. It just shows that children can open the eyes of anybody.
I thought it was extremely gutsy for these black children to potentially sacrifice their own life and go to jail in order to end segregation. The fact that small children from elementary schools to the teens in the high schools were courageous enough to fight back against the “separate but equal” laws and demonstrate peacefully to end segregation. I was extremely captivated by their fortitude and motivation to get the freedom they deserved. I believe it was wrong for the Birmingham Fire Department to bring out the fire hoses but the black community reacted peacefully and non-violent which demonstrates the will to change the laws without violent tactics. This march was a very smart idea since it attracted the media and even the President.
I agree with Tony when he stated that we need to listen more to the children. They are our future and we want them to live in a pure world of peace and non-segregation and give them a bright future.
40 comments:
I feel as though this documentary was an amazingly important peice of history. It was uncut, and nothing was left out. The kids that took part in the march, and jailings were amazingly couragous, and in the end, changed the quality of life for blacks everywhere. It was a classic in every nations history, the struggle of class, the need of the strong to dominate the weak. I feel as though each part of the documentary shows the true colors of the 1950's. It astounds me that that level of racism was still so prevalent even into the 1950's.
I think the film presented the children and African Americans in the brightest light for their couragous actions and determination. Despite the immense amount of violence and pain they suffered, they maintained the peaceful movement they established from the begining without retaliation. As the movie said, the children "broke the backbone of Birmingham" and made changes to the legislation and social conduct of the town. I really appreiciated the positive confidence that the childrens had throughout the journey as seen by their singing, dancing, and willingness to go to jail.
I agree with James that it is shocking to realize the events and actions we witnessed in the film only accured in the last century. My parents and grandparents were accustomed to this in their everyday life so the subject should hit home harder than it seems. It just doesn't feel possible for this to have occured in the country of the United States because our vision is almost tunnel-vision. There exists many flaws in our history but it opens up our eyes to prejudice that still exists to this day.
The documentary we watched really opened my eyes to the cruel violence prejudice people were willing to go through just to be able to feel superior over someone else. I was really shocked when President Clinton told Martin Luther King Jr. that the kids should not partake in the movement, if they didn’t take place in it, it would have lasted longer and spun even farther out of control. I really applaud the children for standing strong and following what they believed was right. There positive attitude helped keep their spirits up and show the world that they would not feel inferior to others.
I agree with Amy Lightbody's comment on how the children were responsible for breaking the prejudice attitudes in our nation. Children are portrayed as innocent human beings and when the country saw how they were being treated it really kicked in how cruel African Americans were being treated.
This film was very eye opening to the racism that we once had in America. I thought it was very smart that Martin Luther King JR used the kids to get peace. He knew that the kids had almost nothing to lose and that there were the only option. The kids were very brave and looked at this in a positive light. One part that I really thought was horrible was that even though the kids did nothing wrong they were still sprayed with hoses and had dogs let loose on them. I also wondered if the firemen were doing what they were doing under their own will or if they had higher officials demanding them to do it.
I agree with Alisa on this one the kids took all of the weight or injustice and racism on their shoulders because they knew that they were the only way that laws could get changed. I wonder how long it would have taken for things to change if the children didn’t take any initiative and let the adults do it?
I have seen many documentaries on segregation before but this film really showed the violence and cruelty that the children had to go through. It is so sad to think that this was the way it was before and that kids at a young age were being arrested.It is also sad because the jails were not well kept and children were suffering there. I thought that they had stayed strong for what they wanted and eventually they had made a change on segregation. I knew that they were treated badly but this film really showed me really how much worse it was for them.
I agree with David if the kids had not done anything would it still be going on years later.I also agree with Alyssa about how the president said that the kids should not have joined this would have made it last longer, and no one knows what would have happened if the children did not take a stand.
Watching this documentary, I was surprised how horribly African Americans were treated in the not so distant past even within my parents lifetime. Possibly the most unsettling part about the documentary was that the racism and violence was extremely blatant and on top of that retaliation of peaceful protests was taken out on helpless children. Neither the police department nor the fire department of Birmingham could ever justify their gross crimes against humanity.
I think that Dr. King was incredibly smart in using children as their "secret weapon". No one ever suspected that kids could make such an impact, when in reality, they made a worldwide statement. I thought it was really brave of the children to willingly go to jail to stand up for what they believe in. I agree with Amy in the fact that prejudice such as this occurred just a few years ago. As I was watching the documentary, all I could think of was my parents and how they were alive for all of the segregation. I had always thought that segregation was years passed us and existed only in my grandparents generation. It's incredible how far we've come in such a short number of years.
I think that this was a very inspiring film, and it was a very good portrayal of how badly racism was in the south. Not only racism but segregation and physical and emotional actions towards African-American adults and children. This film really opened my eyes to what was going on back then and how poorly African-Americans were treated. Also how the white people didn't care if they were harming children or adults. Aside from abuse and racism I found this film to be a good portrayal of the children's courage, determination, and will to survive among the white people and to also try and gain their rights and freedom
I agree with Alyssa that had it not been for the children of Birmingham it could have been years before the civil rights movement advanced in Birmingham since the adults were not willing to risk their jobs. Seeing as Dr. King had so much riding on Birmingham the civil rights movement as a whole could have been stopped at a grinding halt had it not been for the Children's March.
As a side note to Alyssa's comment the president at the time was President Kennedy not President Clinton.
I agree with what Alyssa said that it was good that the children participated in the march. It definitely had an impact on the white people, and I also agree with what she said the if the children didn't participate the abuse and punishments would have lasted longer, and would have gotten much harsher.
I think that this was a worthwhile documentary to watch because it covered all of the events that happened in Birmingham. I knew the general idea of what happened before the film, but seeing the footage from the Children’s March and listening to people that participated in it talk made it more personal. I could see where they were coming from and understood exactly what happened and how they felt about it because they explained it in their own words. Watching and hearing that information made the events more realistic than anything I’ve read in a textbook and it definitely impacted me more significantly too.
Adding on to Ben’s comment, I was surprised when I realized that this had gone on when my parents were alive. The pro-segregation mentality that was around seems like something that should have happened a long, long time ago in our country’s history, but remembering that it didn’t happen centuries ago is a little scary. I also agree with Ben when he says that there is no justification for what happened at the Children’s March. The actions taken against the children were completely unprovoked, and I probably wouldn’t want to believe that it happened in our country unless I read/heard/watched something about it because it was so horrible of them to do.
I was really surprised about how much impact the Children’s March had on the Civil Rights movement. I have heard about it, but I never knew that it was one of the main reasons for the desegregation of the country. It made me so sad to see so many white firemen, police officers, and other officials spraying kids down with fire hoses and hurting them, all while they were peaceful and innocent. It is one thing to hurt and abuse adults, but children cross the line. Society frowns upon hurting children and no matter the cause, all children are seen as to be protected from dangers. I agree with Olivia in that this documentary really highlighted the cruelty the children faced, and it didn’t soften it. It made it seem even more unbelievable and gut wrenching, and thinking about the sacrifices that the kids made for their rights is really incredible.
I was absent for this assignment.
The first thing which stuck out to me was the violence shown. The use of the dogs and the fire hoses, and how they were utilized on the kids protesting, is something which I doubt would happen today. The mindset of widespread racism, as well as how all the film was captured in black and white, proves just how much has changed since then. However, there still is racism out there in the world, and although Martin Luther King Jr. did a great, good deed in defeating the racism in Birmingham, racism and prejudice is still in existence in our world.
And I side with Mia in terms of agreeing that the violence shown was unacceptable, and the fact that it was aimed towards children made it even worse. It's hard to imagine something of that nature happening in the U.S. nowadays.
Before watching this I never realized how many kids helped with the protests in Birmingham. I knew kids helped but not that many kids. That was a surprise to me. Kids did a lot of the work pushing for rights in Birmingham. They were the ones that got through to the whites. Seeing the racism at that time did not surprise me. My grandfather used to tell me stories of how bad racism was against blacks. He knew it very well because he was black and had to live with all this racism.
I agree with Mia that I never knew kids had such a big impact on the civil rights movement. I only knew a little bit about kids in the movement. The Children’s March was much larger than I had thought.
I agree with James that this film is an important piece of history, for if it was not document, Americans would not be able to regretfully reflect on their past, and be able to prevent it from ever happening again. I thought the march and bravery of the children was incredibly important to the movement as a whole. The African Americans made a point to show that they were no longer afraid of the white men and by doing this, they helped the country segway into the Civil Rights Act. It just shows that the people who seem the least powerful, such as the children, in a situation such as this one can make such as large difference in the country as a whole.
I thought the documentary was very eye opening, I personally hadn’t realized how many kids had taken part in the children’s march, and how violent the police retaliation had been. I couldn’t believe the police brought dogs and fire hoses out to use on kids.
Like James and Amy I also found the fact that this extreme racism was prevalent within the last 70 years hard to believe.
It was horrifying to see how the Birmingham police and firemen used hoses and dogs because the children were seen as a threat. Without the children taking a stand and willing to go to jail, they wouldn't have been given their freedom
I agree with James that it is shocking that racism was so high only 50 years ago. To us students it seems like ages ago only because we didn't live through it.
Unfortunately, I was only able to catch the end of the film in class. I think that the film demonstrates a courageous by the African American children. Thousands of children were thrown in jail, yet they still continued in the fight for their freedom. I never knew that the protests in Birmingham were so heavily kid populated. It's such a powerful statement to see that so many kids actually were involved in this movement.
I think the film showed how determination and positive attitude can take one past any obstacle presented to them. Blacks were determined to gain freedom and continued to follow the non-voilent ideals of Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi. I also think that the Birmingham event forever changed many people's perception about blacks. For example, the peaceful march changed caused many to wonder if Blacks were really as violent as they were portrayed to be. At the end of the day, Birmingham demonstrations were just one of the many events that changed people's views forever.
I agree with James that the level of racism was so high in the 1950s. Around the world, US is viewed as a nation made up of different cultures that appreciates each other and where everyone is free to believe what they want. Its had to believe that less than 50 years ago, it was the opposite.
I agree with Nancy that it was horrifying to see the abuse of the Birmingham police on the African American people. I cant even imagine that level of segregation and racial injustice.
This film really opened my eyes as to how powerful, us kids, have on the outcome on our future. As well as the power to influence those around us to make a difference and change what is wrong in our world. Before watching this movie, I knew that these events occurred but I didn’t know the great affect it has on the Civil Rights movement. As I was watching the video, I tried putting myself in the shoes of an young African American girl. But it was hard for me to that because I could never be able to put myself through all the violence and racism they went through. The courage those children had, was unbelievable. I feel like they should get all the credit for the Civil Rights movement getting passed because without them, those knows what could have happened.
I agree with what to Sarah Masters said about how watching and hearing made the events more realistic than anything reading a textbook. For me images last longer in my head than words on a page, which has a greater impact on me. Broadcasting these events on T.V. made the African Americans efforts more effective and helped them gain the support from the outside world.
I liked this video because of how it shows that children can change the nation. They may not run the country or even vote of how it should be run but they can change it like they did in this video. The country needs to be made to listen to the children because they are the future. Only the children know what they want in the future and it’s the only way the country can get better. These children knew what they wanted and they went out and changed it to make their future brighter.
I agree with everything that James said. What those kids did I don’t think could be done again. The amount of courage shown in this and the amount of racism that was present was just unbelievable. I am just so thankful that the country is not this bad anymore.
After watching this film I realized that White Americans were completely wrong in many aspects. The biggest is they thought that blacks were another species rather than human. The power that one large group of people can have by making a movement and doing something about a horrible situation is amazing. We have talked all year about the power a group of people can have, well in this case it was for something good and it took a while, but it worked and opened the eyes of the entire country. But the even more amazing part of this was that children made the movement a success. It just shows that children can open the eyes of anybody.
After watching this film I realized that White Americans were completely wrong in many aspects. The biggest is they thought that blacks were another species rather than human. The power that one large group of people can have by making a movement and doing something about a horrible situation is amazing. We have talked all year about the power a group of people can have, well in this case it was for something good and it took a while, but it worked and opened the eyes of the entire country. But the even more amazing part of this was that children made the movement a success. It just shows that children can open the eyes of anybody.
I thought it was extremely gutsy for these black children to potentially sacrifice their own life and go to jail in order to end segregation. The fact that small children from elementary schools to the teens in the high schools were courageous enough to fight back against the “separate but equal” laws and demonstrate peacefully to end segregation. I was extremely captivated by their fortitude and motivation to get the freedom they deserved. I believe it was wrong for the Birmingham Fire Department to bring out the fire hoses but the black community reacted peacefully and non-violent which demonstrates the will to change the laws without violent tactics. This march was a very smart idea since it attracted the media and even the President.
I agree with Tony when he stated that we need to listen more to the children. They are our future and we want them to live in a pure world of peace and non-segregation and give them a bright future.
I was absent for this assignment.
I was absent for this assignment.
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