About this course: The Modern Civil Rights Movement is a significant landmark in United States history. This movement was a struggle for human rights directly challenging the nation to extend its democratic principles to African Americans and all peoples. This course sheds light on the often overlooked strategic planning that supported the direction of the events and is told by a voice intimately involved in the organization of movement—Dr. Bernard LaFayette, Jr. Topics include the history of the campaigns, the different coalitions and groups, philosophy and methods of nonviolent direct action, and the contemporary application of nonviolent conflict transformation. The course hosts several guest speakers, including Andrew Young, Reverend C.T. Vivian, Henry "Hank" Thomas, and Constance Curry. Upon completion of this course, learners will be able to: ● Discuss the contributions and involvement of civil rights activists and leaders in the Civil Rights Movement (CRM) campaigns in the United States. ● Examine the chronology and phases of the Movement and CRM campaigns. ● Recognize and characterize the diverse activist groups involved in the CRM. ● Discuss Martin Luther King Jr.’s philosophy of nonviolence from a historical perspective. ● List and define the principles and strategies of nonviolence. ● Examine organizational and social change applications related to nonviolence. ● Identify the role of nonviolence in modern activism along with additional resources to broaden knowledge of principles of nonviolence. ● Recognize the application of nonviolence theories to activism, current issues, and everyday life.
Taught by: Bernard LaFayette, Jr. , Civil Rights Leader
| Commitment | 5 weeks of study, 1-3 hours/week |
| Language | English, Subtitles: Spanish |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
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A beutiful course- From Freedom Rides to Ferguson: Narratives of Nonviolence in the American Civil Rights Movement.
This is a historical event that keeps updating itself every day. History as it is happening! And we are so very lucky to have the very protagonists of these historical events here, teaching this course at Coursera. People from everywhere in the world can now learn about this.
I am 68 years old and remember this era quite vividly. It is very enlightening to hear these events described by those in the thick of things. It gives me better understanding of their thought process, their issues, and the complexity of the issues. This is all applicable today as we see a resurgence in bigotry and violence against those who are different. It is something we must all fight against at all times.
Amazing course. Thank you for sharing!
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This was a wonderful course that I would suggest to anyone at all. It's so important to know the story and the struggles and bravery of those who non violently fought for equality and did not settle for life as it was for them by uniting with others who were like minding and focusing also on those common goals and not differences that may have been among them. Also learning about the organizing that took place and the elders of the movement leading the way and realizing the importance of education and leading those younger who wanted to participate etc... As an individual, a community, nation, and world there is so much to learn from this course.