Mapping Care Project: The History of Black Nurses in Chicago

Pathbreakers: the first Black students in integrated nursing schools

Lesson Title: Pathbreakers: the first Black students in integrated nursing schools
Subject(s): U.S. History, social studies
Grade: 6-8
Keywords: pathbreakers, integration, bias, prejudice, predominantly white institution (PWI), generation 
Time: 2-4 45 minute class periods
Jump Straight to Activity Plan
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Essential Questions:

Learning Objectives 

Standards:


Introduction:

In this lesson, students will explore oral histories of nurses who were among the first Black students at recently integrated nursing schools. They will explore the experience of being the person(s) to integrate a racist institution and consider the advantages and disadvantages of attending such schools for Black nurses.

These questions remain highly relevant today: the lesson begins with the voices of Black students attending predominantly white institutions (PWIs) today.

This lesson can be a standalone lesson that would fit within units about the Civil Rights Movement, segregation, or healthcare justice. 

Within the Teaching Care sequence, this lesson follows a lesson that describes how Black nurse leaders successfully fought to integrate nursing institutions.
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Activity Plan:

1) Introductory activity:  Being Black at a PWI Today

2) Historical Context: reading or lecture.

3) Social Timeline  students create timeline about the most significant events in nursing history during and after WWII.

4) Oral Histories and Class Discussion

5)Losses and Gains of Integration

6) Exit Activity: Reflective Journalling

Assessments 

Materials

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Introductory Activity

Start class by sharing a piece of media from a Black or person of color (PoC) perspective on the current experience of being at a predominantly-white institution (PWI). This may include a poem, video, piece of art, or another form of media easily accessible to students. 

Some examples:
https://www.teenvogue.com/story/what-its-like-to-be-black-at-pwi 
Being Black at PWI: Advice for Freshman (0:00-4;30 OR 0:00-9:30)
being black at a PWI | Tulane University
Being Black at the University of Texas (includes multiple perspectives)

Ask students to share any reactions or reflections on selected media.

Could use graphic organizer to help students reflect with either a 3-2-1 or Connect-Extend-Challenge strategy.

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If teaching standalone lesson: Explain that today students will be examining the question of integration through the perspective of Black nurses who integrated previously segregated schools. This will provide a different point of view that is often not as studied about the era of integration. 


If teaching within Teaching Care sequence: Explain that in the previous lesson, students learned about how Black nurse leaders and their allies fought to integrate hospitals and nursing schools - today they will consider what the experience was actually like for the Black nurses who entered those previously all-white spaces. 
 

Historical Context 

Have students read either the original or modified summary text about the legal desegregation of nursing schools in the United States (original or adjusted version available here).

The class may read the text aloud or read it individually. If also completing the Social Timeline activity, it may be best to have students read the material within their assigned or chosen groups. 

Social Timeline

Using the passages from the “Integration Years” section of the Mapping Care overview (modified and original versions also here), students will use a blank sheet of paper to construct a short timeline of events/milestones significant to integrating nursing schools and hospitals, from World War Two to the formation of the National Black Nurses Association. Students will work in groups to present key events, discussing what they believe to be their impact on Black nurses and healthcare. Students may access outside resources if computer use is available within the classroom. 

Instructors will then ask students to consider the following questions post-timeline creation: 
Groups will submit their timelines for assessment at the end of class.

Oral Histories Response and Class Discussion

Play the following clip from Phyllis Pelt’s oral history interview  –timestamp 22:04-27:30–in which she describes her experience as a nursing student in a recently integrated college program. We recommend playing all oral history clips twice. A time-stamped transcript is also included at the end of this activity guide. Upon viewing, have students address the following questions in writing and prepare them to share out loud: 

Play the following clip from Dr. Barbara Norman’s oral history interview –timestamp 01:01:32-01:04:06– in which she describes her experience in a recently integrated college program. We recommend playing all oral history clips twice. A time-stamped transcript is also included at the end of this activity guide. Upon listening, have students address the following questions in writing and prepare them to share out loud: 
In addition to responding to prompts, students can be guided into an extensive group discussion about prejudice, biases, and generational change through integration. These topics can also be put into question form as additional prompts for students to consider in discussion.

Examples:
  1. How did the people in the interviews talk about unfair treatment at their schools?
  2. How do the interviews show that people of different ages have different biases or unfair beliefs?
  3. How do the interviews show that people of different ages have changed their beliefs?
  4. Can you think of any unfair beliefs that people of different ages might have today? Give an example.
  5. Are there things your generation believes in that older generations did not? Give an example. Is it a positive belief or an unfair bias?

Losses vs Gains of Integration

Explain to students that often in histories of race in the U.S, integration is seen as a clear victory for racial justice. However, these oral histories have shown the challenges that Black pathbreakers faced in newly integrated institutions that were still predominantly white, in a society that was (and is) still racist. They will take an opportunity now to analyze and consider the losses and benefits of Black nurse integration into predominantly white institutions (PWIs).

They will do this through the use of a chart, which teachers may opt to use as a graphic organizer in preparation for a formative essay.

Can be done individually, in pairs, or groups. Students can simply do this on a piece of paper or a Google Doc, by drawing a T-chart, with one side labelled "losses" and the other "benefits." 

Example of a more complex chart here. 

Guiding questions for students to consider when crafting the chart/graph may include, but aren’t limited to: 
Encourage students to use specific examples from the lessons.
Remind them to consider both personal and broader societal impacts in their charts.
Provide support and feedback as needed, ensuring they understand the distinctions between losses and gains.

Example chart  from Classroom Strategies for Interactive Learning by Doug Buehl
Assessment: Losses vs Gains Chart Rubric 
 

Exit Activity– Reflective Writing 

As a closing assignment, ask students to write reflective journal responses on the theme of resilience in the face of adversity, drawing parallels between the experiences of Black nurses during integration, the media shared at the beginning of class, and their own lives. Encourage them to consider the importance of perseverance, community support, and the responsibility of school leaders in helping students overcome barriers to success. 

 

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