0.00 — 7.25

The programme opens by showing Martin Luther King’s famous ‘I Have A Dream’ speech, followed quickly by scenes from his funeral. The programme then moves on to describe the extent of racial bigotry and discrimination which was prevalent in the Southern States of the USA in the 1950s and 1960s. The interviewees make the point that whites were brought up to regard black people as inferior. This is an important and interesting discussion issue for teachers to explore. They could stop the tape at numerous points in the programme and raise the question of whether the actions taken against the Civil Rights protesters were understandable even if they were not justifiable.

7.25 — 11.45

The rest of the section charts Martin Luther King’s rise within the Civil Rights movement, via the Alabama Bus Laws and the desegregation of public buildings in Birmingham, Alabama. It is moving and gripping footage. Students should be encouraged to try to empathise with both sides in the dispute. They should also be made aware of the way in which King used peaceful means to protest but also to discredit the opponents of his movement. There are important lessons for citizenship here as well as for students of history.

6.45 — 10.00

This part of the programme is arguably even more powerful than the previous section. Again, the power of peaceful protest is demonstrated in the most impressive possible way. There is also an inkling given of King’s personal importance within the movement. This section also tries to balance the story by explaining, again without justifying, the position taken by many Southern whites. The footage of Ku Klux Klan, Confederate flags and swastikas is terrifying. Students need to consider what kind of culture and environment generates such a reaction to a movement for basic civil rights led by an individual who espoused non-violence.