Theoharis discusses the relationship between the Civil Rights Movement and Black Lives Matter. How is the national narrative of the Civil Rights Movement used to discredit Black Lives Matter?

Students should discuss how the national narrative of the Civil Rights Movement has been weaponized against contemporary activities. Examples of this could include the idea that contemporary activists are not living up to their predecessors and the idea that the Civil Rights Movement was inevitable and widely supported.

Theoharis writes about the three tools of polite racism. What are they and how are they used?

Students should be able to identify the three tools of polite racism: language, the use of government bureaucracy and policy, and discourses that posit the "dysfunctional" cultural adaptations of Black people. They should also provide examples of how each tool has been historically used. For example, they may discuss how the language of...