Book

Warriors Don't Cry

Melba Pattillo’s autobiographical account of the integration of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, explores not only the power of racism, but also ideas of justice, identity, and choice.

Last Updated: May 12, 2020

Book

Language

English — US

Subject

Civics & Citizenship
History
Social Studies

Democracy & Civic Engagement

Following the landmark 1954 Supreme Court ruling Brown v. Board of Education, Melba Pattillo became a warrior on the front lines of a civil rights firestorm. Warriors Don’t Cry is her autobiographical account of the integration of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957. This book explores not only the power of racism, but also such ideas as justice, identity, and choice. Facing History & Ourselves has published a study guide to accompany this book.

View or download the Warriors Don't Cry study guide

Warriors Don't Cry

Date of Publication: February 1994

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Lesson

Students explore the potential negative impact of images through the social media protest #IfTheyGunnedMeDown and develop a decision-making process for choosing imagery to represent controversial events.

National President of Black Lawyers for Justice, carries a picture of Michael Brown as he leads demonstrators on a march.

Lesson

Students explore how identity impacts our responses to other people and events by examining a cartoon and analyzing an opinion poll from a week after Ferguson.

Lesson

Students examine how identity and biases can impact how individuals interpret images and experience the challenge of selecting images to represent news events, particularly connected to sensitive issues.

People hold hands in prayer in the parking lot of convenience store that was looted and burned after Michael Brown was shot by police in Ferguson, Mo.

Lesson

Students establish a safe space for holding sensitive conversations, before introducing the events surrounding Ferguson, by acknowledging people's complicated feelings about race and creating a classroom contract.

Lesson

Students explore the role of social media in Ferguson, apply information verification strategies to social media posts, and develop strategies for becoming critical consumers and sharers of social media.

Peaceful demonstrators gather in Ferguson, Missouri, in the aftermath of Michael Brown’s death.

Lesson

Students create a plan for enacting change on an issue that they are most passionate about using the 10 Questions Framework.

Person holding a sign at a Global climate change strike

Lesson

Students review the First Amendment, understand the importance of a free press, and consider how that freedom can conflict with other societal needs through journalists’ experiences in Ferguson.

Newspaper front page featuring story about protests and police in Ferguson.

Lesson

Students identify the responsibilities of citizen watchdogs, summarize strategies for combatting confirmation bias and responsibly consuming and sharing news and information, and complete a culminating essay.

Lesson

Students define explicit, implicit, and confirmation bias, and examine why people sometimes maintain their beliefs in the face of contradictory information.

Lesson

Students review the US Department of Justice report, revisit how confirmation bias impacts our understanding of events, and consider how to bridge the gap in understanding that often surrounds events like Ferguson.

Darnell Taylor marches with his daughter, Lauren, 4, on his shoulders down Market Street to Kiener Plaza as part of a march against police violence downtown St. Louis, Mo., on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2014. (AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Cristina Fletes-Boutte)

Lesson

Students experience the challenges to reporting objectively by writing a news piece and watching a video about how journalists counteract bias in the newsroom.

Lesson

Students begin thinking about civic engagement in terms of their own passions and identities as they are introduced to the 10 Questions Framework.

High school students participate in class.

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The resources I’m getting from my colleagues through Facing History have been just invaluable.

— Claudia Bautista, Santa Monica, Calif

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Warriors Don't Cry

At a Glance

Language

Subject

Warriors Don't Cry

Borrow

You might also be interested in…

#IfTheyGunnedMeDown

The Impact of Identity

The Power of Images

Preparing Students for Difficult Conversations

Social Media and Ferguson

10 Questions for the Future: Student Action Project

The Importance of a Free Press

Citizen Watchdogs and the News

Confirmation and Other Biases

Hands Up, Don't Shoot!

How Journalists Minimize Bias

Getting to Know the 10 Questions

Warriors Don't Cry

At a Glance

Language

Subject

Warriors Don't Cry

Borrow

You might also be interested in…

#IfTheyGunnedMeDown

The Impact of Identity

The Power of Images

Preparing Students for Difficult Conversations

Social Media and Ferguson

10 Questions for the Future: Student Action Project

The Importance of a Free Press

Citizen Watchdogs and the News

Confirmation and Other Biases

Hands Up, Don't Shoot!

How Journalists Minimize Bias

Getting to Know the 10 Questions

Inspiration, insights, & ways to get involved