The Legacy of Executive Order 9981 on the Vietnam War

Previous knowledge: Teachers should familiarize students with the causes and general progression of American involvement in the Vietnam War including the Vietnam War draft before the start of the draft lottery in December 1969. Other previous information on the Civil Rights Movement would be helpful, but not necessary in setting the stage for the lesson. 

Lesson progression

1. Teachers will introduce the lesson with the essential question, “How impactful and effective was Truman’s Executive Order #9981 on American society by the time of the Vietnam War?” 
2. Teachers will have students individually read Executive Order #9981. Then, students will share with a shoulder partner their summary of the executive order. Teachers will lead a short discussion highlighting the year of the executive order and Truman’s reasoning behind the order. Previous knowledge of the Civil Rights Movement can also be addressed in the discussion, especially the importance of Martin Luther King, Jr. to the Civil Rights Movement. 
3. Distribute the “Beyond Vietnam” Speech to students whether through an online medium or printed copies.
4. Teachers should introduce the context of the “Beyond Vietnam” speech by giving the following information. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave this speech at Riverside Church in New York in April 1967. This was near the height of American soldiers being sent to Vietnam and during the presidency of Lyndon Johnson. Additionally, teachers should tell students Vietnam War - the first “integrated” war and a testing ground for  Executive Order #9981. Other pertinent information can be given as well – Frontlines of Vietnam = full integration (fighting common enemy) and rear bases shows a more segregated societal dynamic. (This information is in the Google Slides presentation.) 
5. Teachers should direct students to the following excerpt from the speech beginning with “I come to this platform tonight to make a passionate plea to my beloved nation.” through “When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered.”
6. Students can either read the speech as a whole group or listen to King give the speech himself via the audio recording. Teachers should stop the speech at different points to help students with comprehension of the speech. 
7. Upon completion of the speech excerpt teachers should prompt the students with the essential question, “How impactful and effective was Truman’s Executive Order #9910 on American society by the time of the Vietnam War?”