Resource Library
Find compelling classroom resources, learn new teaching methods, meet standards, and make a difference in the lives of your students.
We are grateful to The Hammer Family Foundation for supporting the development of our on-demand learning and teaching resources.
Introducing Our US History Curriculum Collection
Draw from this flexible curriculum collection as you plan any middle or high school US history course. Featuring units, C3-style inquiries, and case studies, the collection will help you explore themes of democracy and freedom with your students throughout the year.
"I Knew I Had to Give Him the Talk"
Mamie Till-Mobley shares an account of "the talk" she had with her son Emmett Till shortly before he journeyed from Chicago to Mississippi in 1955.
Segregation and Precipitating Events
This excerpt from an FBI investigation of the murder of Emmett Till describes some of the Southern norms that were created to enforce white supremacy.
Mississippi Miscegenation Laws
This document lists in chronological order the evolution of Mississippi miscegenation laws between 1865 and 1942.
The Brown Decision
This document gives students the immediate historical context of the Till murder by summarizing the segregationist reaction to the Brown decision and the emergence of White Citizens’ Councils in Mississippi.
Quotes from the Mississippi Constitutional Convention 1890
This source includes quotes from delegates at the 1890 Mississippi Constitutional Convention asserting the desire to create a government to uphold white supremacy.
60 Minutes: The Murder of Emmett Till
In 2004, 60 Minutes correspondent Ed Bradley reported on the 1955 murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till.
The Murder of Emmett Till
This PBS documentary details how the murder and the trial of Emmett Till helped mobilize the civil rights movement.
Defining Confirmation Bias
Reporters and media professionals define the term “confirmation bias,” and discuss its effect on how people approach and evaluate news and other information.
Combating Confirmation Bias
Reporters and media professionals give suggestions for how to avoid our own biases when we consume news.
Mamie Till-Mobley Chooses to Hold an Open-Casket Funeral
Mamie Till-Mobley describes why she insisted on an open-casket funeral. She told the funeral director, “Let the world see what I’ve seen”.
Myrlie Evers-Williams Reflects on the Impact of Emmett Till’s Murder
Civil rights activist and leader in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) reflects on the impact of Emmett Till’s murder.