Civil Rights, Interstate Commerce, and the Heart of Atlanta Motel Case
3:27
Grades: 7 - 12
Video Description: Federal Magistrate Judge Shirley Padmore Mensah describes the interstate commerce issues related to the Heart of Atlanta Motel case that challenged the constitutionality of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Court’s rationale for deciding as they did.
Type of Video: Segment*
Unique Video ID: Civil Rights-85**
Quick Ideas for Using the Video:
- Use the example provided in the video to inspire student research to find other examples of “test cases” used to determine the constitutionality of other federal legislation. What did the Court decide in those cases? Do students agree or disagree with the decision? Why or why not?.
- What is student reaction to the interstate commerce issues addressed by Judge Mensah? What do they agree or disagree with and why?
To learn more about the Civil Rights Act of 1964, check out the full program this segment is edited from: Constitution Day The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Its Current Implications 1.
*Segment videos are short excerpts edited from interviews or interactive programs that offer flexible and differentiated ways to use the rich content included in the full-length conversation.
**The unique Video ID can be used to quickly locate a single video in the ET collection. This search function is designed to let teachers assign students to watch a specific video and have only that video appear as a search result. Just click on Search and choose “By Video ID.” Then type in the Video ID as it appears above. Be sure to include the dash.
