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Case File#1: The Psychology of Brown v. Board of Education
Background: The husband-and-wife team of Drs. Kenneth and Mamie Phipps Clark brought the issues of racial identity and self-esteem to the forefront of the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court arguments. Few attempts at bringing psychological studies as evidence before the Supreme Court had been made prior to the Clarks’ work with Brown v. Board of Education and its associated cases. The Clarks’ study of how African American children perceived themselves through the eyes of segregation made a powerful statement before the court. The question they raised was, “does segregation cause psychological harm?” Your team task is to: Learn about the lives and work of the Clarks. Identify some of the tests used by the Clarks to determine how African American children see themselves. Identify where the studies were conducted. Identify which of the five cases association with Brown v. Board of Education included evidence gathered by the Clarks’ study. Identify some of the arguments against the Clarks’ theories. Determine as a group whether segregation was harmful to African Americans’ psychological well-being. Team Member #1: Internet Researcher Your task is to study the websites provided in your "virtual case file” to learn about the psychology of Brown and gather data to answer your team’s task questions. You will also be responsible for most of the digital images and text that will be used in you team’s PowerPoint presentation to the rest of the class. Fill in the missing data from your case file with information gathered from the internet. Click here for your “virtual case file”. Team Member #2: Primary Document/Library Researcher Your task is to study the primary documents and secondary library resources to gather information for your team’s project. You have a case file packed with reproduction primary documents and library materials which will provide enough information to fill in the enclosed worksheet. You will also assist in collecting and analyzing information for your team presentation. Team Member #3: Museum Exhibit Researcher Your task is to study information from the exhibits and audio-visuals provided in the museum galleries to complete the worksheet provided in your case file. You will also be responsible for gathering and analyzing information to complete your team presentation. Next > Photo provided by Library of Congress