Activity: Repairing the Past

Objective: To encourage students to think critically about potential ways to repair the legacies of slavery and Jim Crow laws in order to create a more just and equitable society.

Materials Needed:

- Handouts with background information on the legacies of slavery and Jim Crow laws
- Markers and large paper or poster board
- Small groups for discussion

Instructions:

1. Begin the activity by providing students with some background information on the legacies of slavery and Jim Crow laws. Discuss with the students how these historical injustices continue to impact society today.

2. Divide the class into small groups and assign each group a different aspect of the legacies of slavery and Jim Crow laws to focus on (e.g. economic inequality, education, criminal justice system, etc.).

3. In their groups, students should discuss and brainstorm potential ways to repair the damage caused by these historical injustices in their assigned aspect. Encourage students to think creatively and realistically about solutions.

4. After giving students some time to brainstorm, have each group share their ideas with the class. As a class, discuss the feasibility and potential impact of each idea.

5. As a culminating activity, have the class come back together and create a collective list of actionable steps that could be taken to repair the legacies of slavery and Jim Crow laws. Have students create a visual representation of these steps on the large paper or poster board.

6. Hang the poster board in the classroom as a reminder of the important work that still needs to be done to create a more just and equitable society.

Extension: To further engage students in thinking about reparations for the legacies of slavery and Jim Crow laws, you could have students write letters to their local government officials advocating for specific reparative actions.