The Moton School Story: Children of Courage is the museum’s central program offering—introducing K–12 students to the Moton Museum’s permanent exhibition. The Moton School Story has been adapted to be accessible for each age range.
K-3
TARGET AUDIENCE: Grades K–3
SOLS COVERED: K.2, K.3, 1.2, 1.10, 2.11, 2.12
Ed Eagle, Moton Museum’s feathered ambassador, introduces grades K–3 to the Moton School Story. He explains how the school was built, what community helpers were involved, and how students helped their classmates. This program ends with the Brown decision and then opens into a question-and-answer period.
Virginia Studies/ US II
TARGET AUDIENCE: Grades 4–6
SOLS COVERED: VS.9C, USII.9A
This program begins with introducing the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson court case and its implications. Students learn how Plessy impacted educational opportunities within the Commonwealth. The program then shifts its focus to Prince Edward County and the story of the students at Moton High School. Students will analyze photographs while investigating Jim Crow school conditions. The program ends by introducing two other court cases: Griffin v. County School Board of Prince Edward County and Green v. County School Board of New Kent County. These two cases are vital to understanding the fight to desegregate and preserve public schools.
Civics
TARGET AUDIENCE: Grades 7–9
SOLS COVERED: CE.3, CE.10, CE.13
This program begins by asking students to consider perspectives within history. Students will then engage with the Moton School Story from school origins, the 1951 strike, Brown decision, and subsequent court cases. This program provides opportunities for students to ask questions and explore how local and state governments reacted to the Supreme Court’s desegregation decisions—comparing how the law was written to how it was enforced.
High School
TARGET AUDIENCE: Grades 10–12
SOLS COVERED: VUS.13B, GOVT.8, GOVT.10
This program addresses Moton High School history alongside national Supreme Court desegregation in education cases. The Earl Warren Supreme Court addressed and answered the question of whether the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court decision infringed upon citizens’ 14th Amendment right to “equal protection under the law” clause. The program uses Moton High School’s story as a case study for the Supreme Court’s role in preserving public education and desegregating schools.