American Civil Rights: Primary Sources [Hardcover]

Phillis Engelbert (Editor), Elizabeth Des Chenes (Editor)

Book Description

Age Level: 11 and up | Grade Level: 6 and up

Presents fifteen documents, including speeches, autobiographical text, and proclamations, related to the civil rights movement and arranged in the categories of economic rights, desegregation, and human rights.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 6 Up-Overviews of the history and current status of civil rights of various racial, ethnic, and other groups in the U.S. The Almanac examines discriminatory laws and practices past and present, social movements, and legislation. The first volume covers the civil rights of African and Asian Americans, while the second volume covers Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, and selected immigrant and nonethnic groups (women, lesbians and gay men, and people with disabilities). Biographies profiles 23 men and women from different backgrounds who have promoted the cause of civil rights. Primary Sources features 19 excerpted documents (articles, autobiographical essays, declarations, government documents, poems, and speeches) organized into thematic sections: "Desegregation," "Economic Rights," and "Human Rights." Each volume includes captioned black-and-white photographs; sidebars highlighting related events, issues, or documents; cross-references; bibliographies; and Web sites. Additional explanatory notes often appear in the wide margins. Bold headings and subheadings facilitate use. The uniqueness of this set lies in the range of people covered. Students will find it an excellent resource for reports and interesting reading.-Dana McDougald, Cedar Shoals High School, Athens, GA

Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Two of a proposed three-volume set (a primary sources volume will appear later), the Almanac and Biographies share almost identical time-line and "words to know" sections. Both volumes attempt to cover the subject worldwide, from ancient times to the present, yet both suffer from generalizations, poor editing, and careless scholarship.Biography has a more specific focus; it presents "30 men and women who made an impact . . . on slavery or who were profoundly affected by it." Alphabetically arranged from Afonso I of Kongo to Denmark Vesey, it is an attractive work whose text is sprinkled with black-and-white photos and sidebars. "Further reading" at the end of each entry includes books, periodicals, and Web sites. Controversial issues, such as Sally Hemings' relationship to Thomas Jefferson, are fairly presented, and descriptions of sex in slavery, such as Haksun Kim's experience as a Japanese "comfort woman," are appropriate for sixth grade and older.However, limiting coverage to these 30 individuals is problematic. Evidently they were chosen to present as broad a picture of slavery as possible, but why St. Patrick and not Dred Scott or Roger Taney? The connection between slavery and individuals like Sacagawea and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn is not always made clear, and mixing biblical and historical accounts is sure to confuse young readers further. The Almanac volume is divided into 12 chapters, most of which discuss slavery in the U.S. The more than 100 photos and maps, adequate bibliography and indexing, and information current to 1999 should have made this volume a winner. Unfortunately, its value is diminished by inconsistencies (Nebuchadrezzar is the form used in the text but Nebuchadnezzar is used in the index) and oversimplifications. There are several references to the "five 'slave societies' in the history of the human race" (Ancient Greece and Rome, Brazil, Cuba, and the U.S.) but no real explanation of why these particular five are identified as such. There is no mention of slavery in Mayan, Incan, and Aztec societies.There is nothing comparable at the middle-school level that provides such a worldview on slavery, but these volumes are disappointing additions to an always-popular topic. RBB
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 11 and up
  
• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: UXL; 1 edition (July 23, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787631701
• ISBN-13: 978-0787631703
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,866,235 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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