Nov. 24, 2014: Today, President Obama is awarding a posthumous Medal of Honor to James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner. These three men were civil rights activists and participants in “Freedom Summer,” an historic voter registration drive in 1964. Their murder at the beginning of Freedom Summer galvanized the attention of the nation to the evil of racial oppression and the righteousness of their cause.
White House Announcement of Medal of Honor Awards
Resources for teaching about Freedom Summer:
The Foundations of Freedom Summer: Close Reading
History Explorer Podcast: Fighting for My Rights: June Johnson
What Was "Freedom Summer"? (Video)
Freedom Summer Digital Collection (Primary Sources and Photos)
Freedom Summer and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Game)
50 Years Ago, Freedom Summer Began By Training For Battle
Singing for Freedom (Two Days of Curriculum)