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Introduction

Dear Teacher,

We are pleased to provide you with this teacher’s guide designed to accompany the National Museum of American History’s exhibition Separate Is Not Equal: Brown v. Board of Education. The guide was created through a generous gift from Morgan Stanley, and is the result of the dedicated efforts of classroom teachers, museum educators, historians, and curators. Separate Is Not Equal: Brown v. Board of Education marks the 50-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s groundbreaking decision that ended legal segregation in the United States. Using objects, images, and video presentations, the exhibition portrays the struggle for social justice leading up to and following the Court’s ruling on the Brown case. Also discussed is the decision’s impact on today’s society.

In this teacher’s guide, your class will find primary-source activities, suggestions for student-centered research, and bibliographic materials that highlight other teacher materials, books, websites, and historic sites that feature the Brown v. Board case.

Please keep in touch with us, either through the Internet or by writing the Department of Education and Public Programs, Smithsonian Institution, P.O. Box 37012, National Museum of American History, Behring Center, MRC 603, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012, and let us know your thoughts.

Best Regards,

Brent D. Glass Director	Nancy McCoy Assistant Director for Education and Public Programs
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY, BEHRING CENTER

Connections to National History Standards for Grades 5–12

UNIT ONE
Civil War and Reconstruction 1850–1877
Industrial United States 1870–1900
Modern America 1890–1930
Era 5 3A/B/C; Era 6 2B; Era 7 3A

UNIT TWO
Modern America 1890–1930
Great Depression, World War II 1929–1945
Postwar United Sates 1945-Early 1970s
Era 7 3A/C; Era 8 1B; Era 9 4A

UNIT THREE
Postwar United States 1945-Early 1970s
Era 9 4A

UNIT FOUR
Postwar United States 1945-Early 1970s
Era 9 4A

UNIT FIVE
Postwar United States 1945-Early 1970s
Era 9 4A

UNIT SIX
Postwar United States 1945-Early 1970s
Era 9 4A