Durham’s history of activism is shaped by courageous people responding to racism and oppression through organizing, collective action, and building supportive communities.

Curriculum Resources

Explore the stories of activism through the StoryMaps. Then click on the button below for each module’s accompanying curriculum resources.

These resources can be adjusted to your needs. Simply make a copy of the file and make it your own. 

Each of the six thematic modules contains:

  • StoryMap with images, text, and geographic information 

  • Guided Notes with fill-in-the-blank and comprehension questions to chunk & break down the material

  • Graphic Organizer to organize student notes on each theme by event

  • Digital Interactive Notebook with primary sources and questions for student responses

  • Lesson Plan with whole group activities and extension worksheets

In addition, there is a Primary Source Guide with further primary sources for each event and module. 

If you create your own materials to use with the modules that you would like to share, please feel free to add them to this folder.

To understand what content is in each module, reference the chart below: 

Resilience

Healthcare, Lincoln Hospital/Community Center, Stanford Warren Library, Durham Triumvirate, Education, Bookmobile, Integration, Immigrant Rights, La Coopeartiva Latina Credit Union, Financial Education, Latinx

Persistance

Desegregation, Durham Public Schools, Hillside, DSA, NAACP, Legal Action, White Supremacy, Carolina Theatre, Durham Bulls, Arts, Entertainment, Protest, Nonviolent Direct Action, Boycott, Farmworkers Rights, Union

Pain

Discrimination, Injustice, Police Brutality, Student Activism, Duke, Allen Building, Occupation, Anti-War Protests, Black Power, Civil Rights Movement, Orangeburg Massacre, Assassination of MLK Jr., White Supremacy, LGBTQ+ Liberation, Hate Crime, Homophobia, Vigil

Collective Action

Protest, Strike, Boycott, Picketing, Sit-In, Howard Johnson, Segregation, Integration, White Supremacy, Nonviolent Direct Action, Desegregation, Government, Housing Justice, Tenant Rights, Women Activists, Supreme Court, Public Housing, Student Activism, Anti-War Protests, Vietnam War, Napalm, the Draft

Solidarity

KuKlux Klan, White Supremacy, Diversity, Intersectionality, Vigil, Counter Protest, Protest, Nonviolent Direct Action, Durham YWCA, Women’s Center, feminism, Segregation, Women Activists, Class Conflict, Women’s Rights, Lesbians, LGBTQ+, Activism, Community, Immigrants, Immigrant Rights, Latinx

Joy

Celebration, March, Protest, Homophobia, Black Christmas, Economic Boycott, Parade, Hayti, Drag Show, LGBTQ+, Activism, Latinx, Intersectionality, Pride Parade, Anti-LGBTQ+Hate Crimes, Discrimination, Conservative Backlash, Community Organizing, Liberation

A Firebrand’s Guide: Durham’s History of Activism was made possible through generous funding from the Josiah Charles Trent Memorial Foundation.

This project was created by consultants Kate Borchard Schoen and Frances Starn with support from the Pauli Murray Center for History and Social Justice.