This month, EDSITEment celebrates the moral vision of Martin Luther King and offers new lessons on the role of the NAACP in American history, politics, and culture:
• Birth of a Nation, the NAACP, and the Balancing of Rights 
On February 8, 1915, The Birth of a Nation made its premiere in Los Angeles at Clune’s Auditorium. Although it was praised for its artistic and technical innovations, the film’s treatment of the Civil War and Reconstruction and of the African Americans who had been freed from slavery proved highly controversial.
• NAACP’s Anti-Lynching Campaigns: The Quest for Social Justice in the Interwar Years
During the years 1909 to 1939, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People sought passage of anti-lynching legislation. Although this proposed legislation failed to become law, much can be learned by examining the NAACP’s anti-lynching campaign about how Americans in the interwar period understood the federal system, interpreted the Constitution, and responded to calls for social justice.
Finally be sure to check out these NEH professional opportunities for 2010 Summer Seminars, Institutes, and Landmarks for K–12 teachers. Topics range from the “Arabic Novel” to “Shakespeare.” Join your colleagues in a two to six-week project that takes place in the United States or abroad and also deepens your understanding of the humanities. Stipends help defray travel and living expenses.
