The American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (ABA YLD) is proud to present the 2009-2010 Public Service Project, They Had a Dream Too: Young Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. The project is designed to educate 11th and 12th grade students about the civil rights struggles that have occurred since the 1950s and to inspire them to become future leaders.
The project centers on a 28-minute film that highlights the Civil Rights Movement and the courageous acts of young people that made a profound impact on history. It features historic events such as the Sit-In Movement, freedom rides, marches, protests, and voting rights. A written curriculum guide is provided to assist educators in implementing the project and includes discussion questions and activities for educators to use with their class. The film is narrated by renowned civil rights leader and NAACP Chairman, Julian Bond.
Originally produced by the Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA), the ABA YLD adopted They Had a Dream Too: Young Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement with the goal of implementing the project on a national level. Through the help of more than 300 young lawyer affiliates, the ABA YLD sets out to educate today’s youth about the law and to inspire them to become leaders in their communities.
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Join the ABA YLD at its National Conferences
At each national conference, the ABA YLD will visit local institutions and implement the project. Additionally, a CLE program focused on civil rights through the eras will be presented to educate young lawyers.
The YLD kicked off its 2009-2010 public service project, “They Had a Dream Too: Young Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement” at the YLD Fall Conference. The kick off events included:
- More than 120 children from 2 Birmingham schools participating in project implementations.
- Over 100 young lawyers marching “for a better towmorrow.”
- 200+ young lawyers attending the film-screening and related program in historic Kelly Ingram Park.
Media Summary
Broadcast and Online Video:
- CBS
- Additional CBS Segment – The segment aired on Oct. 23 on the 6 a.m. news.
- Fox
- The Birmingham News – Video
Print/Online News Clips:
ABA YLD Midyear Meeting
February 4-6, 2010
Disney Dolphin/Swan | Orlando, FL
Spring Conference
May 13-15, 2010
Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort | St. Thomas, VI
ABA YLD Annual Meeting
August 5-7, 2010
The Palace Hotel | San Francisco, CA
Affiliate Implementation
Join the ABA YLD in implementing They Had a Dream Too: Young Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. YLD encourages its Affiliates to develop new and engaging ways to implement the project.
Below are resources to assist in initiating the project.
- Ideas for Implementing
- Sample Script
- Project Talking Points
- Project Q&A
- Presentation to Teachers
- They Had a Dream Too Standards Correlation (as of 9/18/09)
- National and State Education Standards regarding Civil Rights (as of 9/18/09)
- Birmingham Pledge
Questions? Contact Renee Lugo, Renee.Lugo@americanbar.org or (312) 988-5626.
| Meet the Team | |
| Co-Coordinators | |
| Keathan Frink Fort Lauderdale, FL | Kara Nyquist Anchorage, AK |
| Members | |
| Maggie Carr Laurel, MD | Tyronia Morrison Atlanta, GA |
| Maha Jweied Washington, DC | Christina Vassiliou Trenton, NJ |
| Chris McCarty Knoxville, TN | Timothy White Jackson, MS |
| Amy Meynig New Orleans, LA | |
They Had a Dream Too: Young Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement was produced by the Texas Young Lawyers Association and made possible by a grant from the Texas Bar Foundation.
