Mrs. Jackson's Letter
Focusing on Details: Spotlight
All documents and text associated with this activity are printed below, followed by a worksheet for student responses.Introduction
Look closely at the document and answer the questions underneath.Name:
Class:
Class:
Worksheet
Mrs. Jackson's Letter
Focusing on Details: Spotlight
Examine the documents included in this activity and write your response in the space provided.
- How was the author of this letter aware of what was happening to people in Selma, Alabama?
- What emotions does this author have?
- What is her motivation for writing?
- What can you speculate about how much and what kind of attention the media gave to Bloody Sunday?
Your Response
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Activity Element
Conclusion
Mrs. Jackson's Letter
Focusing on Details: Spotlight
- Do you think Mrs. Jackson's letter was effective?
- How could you find out?
Your Response
Document
Letter from Mrs. E. Jackson in Favor of Voting Rights
3/8/1965
Mrs. E. Jackson wrote to the House Judiciary Committee the day after Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama. She was reacting to scenes of police brutality during a voting rights march that many Americans witnessed on television news programs. The interlined handwriting in pencil is likely that of House Judiciary Chairman Emanuel Celler, who was Mrs. Jackson's representative in Congress and an active supporter of voting rights legislation in the House.
This primary source comes from the Records of the U.S. House of Representatives.
National Archives Identifier: 2173239
Full Citation: Letter from Mrs. E. Jackson in Favor of Voting Rights; 3/8/1965; Bill Files, 1903–1968; Records of the U.S. House of Representatives, ; National Archives Building, Washington, DC. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/mrs-e-jackson-in-favor-of-voting-rights, April 26, 2024]Letter from Mrs. E. Jackson in Favor of Voting Rights
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Letter from Mrs. E. Jackson in Favor of Voting Rights
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