Marion Butts Collection:
African American Elected Officials

Objectives: Students will gain an understanding of the importance of African Americans in government, their struggle to be a part of the political process, and the qualifications of specific candidates running for office.

Social Studies TEKS:

• TEK 7.21C Organize and interpret information from outlines, reports, databases, and visuals including graphs, charts, timelines, and maps
• TEK 7.7C Trace the civil rights and equal rights movements of various groups in Texas in the 20th century and identify key leaders in these movements.
• TEK 7.21A Differentiate between, locate, and use primary and secondary sources such as computer software, databases, media and news services, biographies, interviews, and artifacts to acquire information about Texas.

Suggested Time:

Approximately 2-4 class periods (depending upon the depth of the projects)

Materials & Resources:

• Primary source sets for each candidate
• Poster-board or butcher paper
• Markers, crayons, or colored pencils

Student Project:

• The teacher will put students in heterogeneous groups of 3-4 students. Each group will be assigned a candidate running for office. The students will become the campaign committee for this candidate.
• Each group must complete the following for the campaign
• Poster & Slogan
• Speech or platform for the candidate outlining his or her qualifications
• Have each group present to the class.

Discussion Questions:

• What made each candidate qualified to run for office?
• Why is it important to have African Americans elected officials?
• How does this process relate to the Constitutional principle of republicanism

Extension Activities:

• Have students hold a press conference for their candidates. The group presenting should have a student act as Press Secretary, and the Candidate. The rest of the class should be the press corps, ready to ask questions.