Celebrate Black History Month in Rennes

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 24 January 2024 > Celebrate

In honour of Black History Month, the Institut Franco-Américain in Rennes has varied events about African-American culture and history. There is music, with a gospel and dance show, Shosholoza, an exhibition and concert on female jazz singers and a bilingual lecture about hip-hop. As well as a conversation with Brooklyn-based Dawnie Walton on her first … Continue reading “Celebrate Black History Month in Rennes”

Videos for Martin Luther King Day

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 12 January 2024 > Shine Bright Collège Shine Bright Lycée Webpicks

Dr Martin Luther King, Jr was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his leadership of the African American civil-rights movement. The Nobel committee has published a series of videos and a lesson plan for using them in class. Perfect for Martin Luther King Day, 17 January this year. You can download the lesson … Continue reading “Videos for Martin Luther King Day”

Emmett Till

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 09 February 2023 > Ready to Use Shine Bright Lycée

You may have never heard his name before, but you’ll never forget it after watching this film or even just the trailer for Till, written and directed by Chinonye Chukwu. These B1 activities explore the heart-wrenching story of 14-year-old Emmett Till who was lynched for misjudging Jim Crow conventions in the 1950s segregated American South. … Continue reading “Emmett Till”

Interactive Civil Rights Timeline

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 03 February 2022 > Ready to Use Shine Bright Collège Shine Bright Lycée

For Black History Month, or any time you want to talk about the civil-rights movement in the U.S., why not use our interactive timeline with some key dates and succinct information about Jim Crow, segregation, Rosa Parks and MLK? You can download the timeline below to use offline.   The timeline could be used in … Continue reading “Interactive Civil Rights Timeline”

Josephine Baker: An Incredible Life

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 26 November 2021 > Ready to Use

Our bioboxes are short “Who Am I?” quizzes to help introduce pupils to famous figures in the English-speaking world.  This one is on Josephine Baker as she enters the French Panthéon. For more information on Baker, see our article. You can download the biobox below to use it offline with your pupils.  

Josephine Baker Enters the Panthéon

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 18 November 2021 > Celebrate

On 30 November, Josephine Baker will become the sixth woman, and the first black woman, to enter France’s Panthéon, where the country honours its greatest heroes. The Franco-American dancer and singer was an active member of the Resistance in WWII and civil-rights activist in the U.S. Freda Josephine McDonald was born into poverty in St … Continue reading “Josephine Baker Enters the Panthéon”

Before Rosa Parks

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 11 October 2021 > What's On

Rosa Parks is known the world over as the African American who refused to give up her seat to a white person on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955. But nine months before Parks, 15-year-old Claudette Colvin did the same thing. She’s the subject of a play (in French), Noire. Maybe the time wasn’t … Continue reading “Before Rosa Parks”

February is Black History Month

Posted by Speakeasy News > Tuesday 16 February 2021 > Celebrate

It’s changed names and format several times since 1924, but February is the month when schools, cultural institutions and the general public celebrate the African-Americans whose stories have often been left out of official history books. The celebration of black history is credited to Dr Carter G. Woodson, an African-American historian with a doctorate from … Continue reading “February is Black History Month”