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TEACHER'S GUIDE: Smith v. Allwright (1944)

TEACHER'S GUIDE: Smith v. Allwright (1944)

This lesson focuses on two main ideas:

 

  • Texas’s all-White primaries disenfranchised Black voters.
  • The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Smith v. Allwright (1944) expanded the rights of Black citizens.

PROCEDURE

Introduction (15 minutes)

  1. To connect to prior learning, teachers may ask students to recall how Black voters were disenfranchised following Reconstruction (such as poll taxes, literacy tests, grandfather clauses, and use of violence/intimidation).
  2. Explain that students will be learning about the Supreme Court’s decision in Smith v. Allwright (1944), which declared all-White primaries to be unconstitutional. Play the video clip.
  3. As a class, discuss the lesson’s essential questions and thinking questions. This could be done via a whole-group discussion or using a think-pair-share format.

Extension (30 - 120 minutes)

Complete the supplemental extension activities with students, as you see fit.

Summative Assessment (30 minutes)

Have students apply their newfound knowledge by using the Claim, Evidence, Reasoning (CER) framework to analyze the lesson and support their responses using evidence from the video and activity resources. 

 

  • Option 1: Write a clear claim about the impact of the Supreme Court’s decision in Smith v. Allwright. Use evidence and information from the video and lesson activity resources to support your claim, and explain how your evidence shows the significance of the decision.

 

  • Option 2: Develop a claim explaining how the Smith v. Allwright decision fits into a broader historical context of expanding voting rights throughout the 20th century.

 

 

Summative CER Rubric

Use the provided rubric to evaluate students’ work.

 

No Response

Score Point 0

Not There Yet

Score Point 0.5

Beginning To

Score Point 0.75

Yes

Score Point 1.0

The claim is missing.The claim is incorrect or irrelevant.The claim partially takes a position on the topic or issue addressed within the prompt.The claim takes an appropriate position on the topic or issue addressed within the prompt.
There is no type of evidence in the response.The evidence is irrelevant or does not support the claim.The evidence partially supports the claim and demonstrates some understanding of the topic or text, using appropriate sources.The evidence supports the claim and demonstrates a strong understanding of the topic or text, using appropriate sources.
There is no use of words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and to clarify the relationship between the claim and evidence.Use of words, phrases, and clauses fails to show or explain any relationship between the claim and evidence.Scientific words, phrases, and clauses used lack cohesion but partially clarify the relationship between the claim and evidence.Appropriate scientific words, phrases, and clauses are used to create cohesion and to clarify the relationship between the claim and evidence.

Reflection (10 minutes)

Have students complete a reflection in response to the following prompts:

  • How did the Smith v. Allwright decision help fulfill the promise of our nation’s founding principles?
  • Why is it important to learn about the Smith v. Allwright decision?

STANDARDS

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Reference

Becoming Thurgood: America’s Social Architect

A film clip from Becoming Thurgood: America’s Social Architect was used in this lesson. Continue to watch the full documentary to hear Thurgood Marshall tell his own story through a rare eight-hour oral history that serves as the documentary’s foundation.

 

Resources