Group Three Materials

Group Three Materials

Civil Rights in Danville, VA
  • Protestors

    Protesters of all backgrounds gather to speak out for civil rights. c. 1960s.
  • On April 2nd, 1960, black residents of Danville protested the segregated library system that barred them from entering the community library (now the DMFAH main building).
    This would be one of the first main events in a long string of fights to secure rights for people of color in the Dan River Valley area.

Watch the video below to hear about a Danville resident’s own experience with the Danville Civil Rights movement.

Use the worksheet below as a guide for your analysis. Remember: ask difficult questions, and understand that people writing sources are biased, too.

Worksheet

  • NYT
  • Document One

    This newspaper article from July 10, 1960, discusses Marceo Conrad Martin’s attempts to further black citizens’ rights to access local parks in Danville.

    Outside knowledge: The Danville population has a very large African-American population, and this was certainly also true in 1960. What does it mean for there to be only one park available to this community? What does the size of the park tell you?

    What does this tell you about the world in which he lived? About the newspaper? About Danville in 1960?

    Remember: Use the source guidelines to help analyze this source.

  • Document Two

    This is an article from The Washington Post published on August 27th, 1960. It discusses a KKK rally within Danville.

    What can you learn about the environment in Danville from this clipping? About the KKK’s attitude towards public interaction or recognition? About the newspaper that published this clipping?

    Remember: Use your source analysis worksheet to help guide you.

  • Document 3
  • Document Three

    Note: While the content of this document includes difficult and racially charged hate speech, it is important to remember that people used such language. As a result, it has been marked out, but not entirely removed.

    This poem discusses the events of the civil rights movement in Danville, Virginia. What individual events can you identify? How does it relate to the last two sources?

    Who is the intended audience? What is the tone of this piece? What is its importance as a source?

    Expressive pieces like this source offer information on emotions, perceptions, and narratives that we might not otherwise hear.