1. Students, in preparation for class should complete the Pre-Reading on Fannie Lou Hamer (located under Materials #1).  Questions to complete along with the reading:

• What inspired Fannie Lou Hamer to get politically involved? 
• What was Freedom Summer?
• What happened at the Democratic National Convention in 1964?  

2. Do Now.
Asking student to respond to the reflect on the following quote “There is one thing you have got to learn about our movement. Three people are better than no people.” - - Fannie Lou Hamer. Teacher should facilitate discussion between students and their interpretation of the quote. Connections to modern day protests should be encouraged as a thread line through American History.  

3. YouTube Video.
Teacher should show PBS American Experience Video (Materials #6).  Teacher should reveal the question before showing the 4-minute video. Question for consideration: “Why did President Lyndon Johnson not want the American people to hear Fannie Lou Hamer’s testimony to the Democratic Party? What does this reveal about the testimony, President Johnson and Fannie Lou Hamer?”  

4.  Inform students they will collaboratively read the testimony which compelled President Johnson to create an impromptu press conference. The transcript is included below. As a formative assessment, students will complete the following: What role did activists play in securing African-Americans’ full voting rights? (1-2 sentences/35 words). A sentence frame, a support tool for struggling students, is included below to help each child complete the formative assessment:  

Sentence frame: Activists like Fannie Lou Hamer [used this tactic] and revealed [message] in order to [purpose] 

If this is intended to be a two day lesson, this could be used as an exit ticket.  

5. Jigsaw activity. 
Students should be put in groups of 3-4 and they will read one of three speeches collaboratively which are located below. For their speech, students should prepare to discuss a) the gist or main ideas of the speech, b) rhetorical devices used to move Americans on the issue of civil rights, c) a powerful line that resonated with the group. After the groups have completed this, they should be reconfigured so each group has all three speeches to share. Given students an appropriate length of time to share out so students have the key ideas from all three speeches.  

6. Closing Discussion. 
The following questions are provided to help students with their final assessment on this lesson:

• What resonated with you about the words of Hamer? How was she able to gain supporters in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement? 
• Why do you think activists like Hamer are less likely to be discussed in American history courses as compared to Martin Luther King Jr, Rosa Parks, or Malcolm X?  
• In terms of democratic participation, do you think the goals of Hamer have been fulfilled?