The Apple Learning Interchange celebrates Black History Month with a variety of specially selected curriculum material. From mathematics to music, African-Americans have made innumerable contributions to the richness of American culture. The resource guides collected here explore those contributions in math, science, sports, literature, civil rights, music and more. Featured lessons cover topics ranging from colonial slavery to famous landmarks to Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech. Stay with us all month long for great resources, quotations, and more - all in honor of Black History Month.

Black History Month for Elementary Students
Although Martin Luther King Day is celebrated in January, Black History Month is celebrated each year in February. This ALI resource guide provides an abundance of material to enhance studies for Martin Luther King Day and Black History Month.

African-American Scientists, Inventors and Explorers
Despite centuries of military subjugation, enslavement, discrimination, and official non-recognition, the African-American citizens of the United States have still managed to contribute to our scientific and technological culture. This ALI resource guide includes biographies of eight specific individuals of note and two indices of African-American scientists and inventors that can be used to do further research.

Introduction to the Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance involved an explosion of the arts--visual arts, poetry, literature, the performing arts, even philosophy. This ALI resource guide attempts to serve as an introduction to the various aspects of the literary, artistic and philosophical features of this burgeoning period of African-American expression.

Selected Resources on Jazz Musicians
The music that we call jazz grew out of the social and cultural revolution of the late nineteenth century. Over time jazz music has changed drastically, and has influenced many aspects of American culture. The links in this resource guide will help students begin to explore the history of jazz and its performers. Resources featured provide historical information on the development of jazz, biographical information about influential jazz performers, analysis of some of the social and cultural aspects of jazz, and some wonderful photographs of jazz musicians.

Martin Luther King: A Resource Guide for Primary Teachers
Although younger students may have difficulty understanding many of the events and speeches related to his life and to the civil rights movement, they will be able to celebrate Dr. King as a leader in our country and as one who did so much to help and encourage African-Americans in the United States. The resources collected here are all appropriate for primary or intermediate students, including a number of sites that feature images, video clips, and sounds. These will be excellent for stimulating discussion about King and civil rights. There is also a very nice timeline illustated and created by an elementary class.

Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad
Harriet Tubman was a "conductor" on the Underground Railroad. This ALI resource guide helps students learn more about her and this very important system that helped slaves escape to the northern states and Canada. Students can find out what the Underground Railroad was like by exploring an interactive journey. Many more links are included in these sites to help expand this topic in your classroom.

Negro League Baseball
Author James Riley summarizes the Negro Leagues: "A world existed for a half-century when the best black players were not allowed to play on the same field with the best white players. During this era of separation, there were two parallel major leagues that co-existed until the eradication of baseball's color line when Branch Rickey signed Jackie Robinson to a Brooklyn Dodger contract. The Negro Leagues showcased some of the greatest baseball talent of all-time and had a special essence that was all its own." This resource guide provides an introduction to this often overlooked chapter in American history.

Selected Resources in American Literature: African-American Authors
From slave narratives to rap, African-American writers represent philosophies and styles as diverse as the writers themselves. This resource guide will help students appreciate this diversity, providing links to several curriculum units as well as other informative resources.

The Legacy of Africa in Math and Science
For tens of thousands of years, Africa was in the center of mathematics history, making contributions that would enrich both ancient and modern understanding of nature through math and science. In more recent times, African-Americans have continued to make invaluable discoveries and other contributions to the sum of human knowledge. This ALI resource guide will lead students on an interesting journey from the work of the first black scientists and mathematicians to the promising discoveries of today's young people whose careers exhibit extraordinary promise.

A Voyage Across America: The Historic Journey of African-Americans in the United States
The story of African-Americans in America is one of struggle and success in the face of obstacles both clearly visible and behind hidden agendas. This resource guide looks at this fascinating story by going back to its beginnings and moving to the present, exploring turning point moments and examining the life of key figures in the civil rights movement.

Selected Resources on the Life and Work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a minister, an orator, a leader, and a hero. His philosophy of nonviolence stirred the compassion of millions of Americans and set the course of the civil rights movement in the United States. This resource guide provides links to various types of information by and about Dr. King, his life and his work, including his papers and speeches, biographical and chronological information, and quotations.

The Underground Railroad System
In this ALI Unit of Practice, students will experience the death-defying journey of traveling along the Underground Railroad through an integrated analysis of literature, history, journal writing and interactive technology.

The Poetic Dreamer
In this ALI Unit of Practice, middle school students will explore the concept of the poetic dreamer through the works of various poets and songwriters, comparing and contrasting the ideas of several different writers, including noted Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes.

The Real World Dreamer
In this ALI Unit of Practice, middle school students will explore the lives and work of various people who have been considered dreamers throughout history and the contributions they have made to society, including civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

A Virtual Tour of African American Historical Sites in Memphis, Tennessee
Integrating social studies, language arts and visual arts, this project enables teachers, students and librarians to engage in a collaborative investigation of topics in local history, as well as the creation of a web page that will expand understanding of the contributions of African-Americans in history of Memphis.

February is Black History Month
This article from the Ghana Review details the importance of Black History Month. The article explains how Black History Month came about through the courage and perseverance of educator Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson in 1926.

Black History, American History
From the Atlantic Monthly's "Flashbacks" series, this article includes links to Dr. King's "Letter" as well as to other articles published in the magazine, including pieces by Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, and W.E.B. DuBois.

African-American Women
From the Special Collections Library at Duke University, this site is an online archival exhibit, with digitized manuscripts and slave letters written by African-American women. Links to related resources are also provided.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change
This is the homepage of the center founded by Coretta Scott King. Provides information about the center, and includes onsite links to a nonviolence glossary, Atlanta landmarks named after King, the King Library and Archives, and more.

Plessy v. Ferguson
"Our Constituion is colorblind and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens. The arbitrary separation of citizens, on the basis of race ... is a badge of servitude wholly inconsistent with civil freedom."

Judge John Marshall Harlan in dissenting opinion on Plessy v. Fergeson, 1896

Creative & Dedicated
"Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better."

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., civil rights leader

"Free at Last!"
"Let freedom ring. And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring - when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children - black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics - will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: 'Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!'"

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., August 28, 1963

Freedom
"Once you have learned to read, you will be forever free."

Frederick Douglass, American abolitionist, orator, journalist and former slave

"I Have A Dream"
"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification - one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers."

The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., August 28, 1963

Play part or all of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech, and let the discussion evolve from the speech content.

Famous African-Americans born in February include social activist and educator Aunt Mary Prout (1801), abolitionist and orator Frederick Douglass (1817), influential educator and intellectual W.E.B. DuBois (1868), singer Marian Anderson (1902), Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes (1902), civil rights leader Rosa Parks (1913), early rock and roller Fats Domino (1928), Pulitzer prize-winning novelist Toni Morrison (1931), baseball great Hank Aaron (1934), stateswoman and educator Barbara Jordan (1936), and noted author Alice Walker (1944).