Part Three: Rethinking the Role of Youth in the Children's Crusade
Activity/Instructions
In a class discussion, share reactions and thoughts about the role youth played in the Birmingham movement. Were students familiar with the Children’s Crusade, or had they only learned a King-centered version of Birmingham? How does this change their perception of King, the movement, and the role of youth?
Ask students where they would place themselves on the “dividing line,” after learning about the Children’s Crusade.
A group of African American high school students participating in the Children's Crusade in Birmingham, Alabama. May 1963. (image courtesy of Bob Adelman and Magnum Photos.)