Broadcasting Human Rights

In this activity, you will:

• look at an image meant to shed light on a social injustice in the U.S. during World War II
• research and create an announcement about a contemporary civil rights issue

• Multiple Parts

• Video camera or audio recorder
• Paper
• Pencils
• Tripod (optional)
• Research Organizer—Broadcasting Human Rights (Google Slides). Print, download, or type directly into the chart by making a copy.

Look at a 1942 Photograph of Japanese American Children

The American photographer Dorothea Lange used her camera to document what she had observed about the circumstances of incarcerated Japanese Americans during World War II, and to communicate her outrage about an injustice.

The image above is one example of a photograph that Lange took during this time in US history. Visit Explore Pledge of Allegiance, Raphael Weill Elementary School, San Francisco to read about it and answer the related questions. You’ll use this example as inspiration for the next step.

Research an Issue for a Public Service Announcement

Public service announcements (or PSA’s) are messages meant to inform or educate the public. They can take many forms, from a radio clip, a social media post, a poster, photograph, or video.

Throughout US history, there have been many groups of people who fought for equal rights and fair treatment. Identify and research a group affected by civil rights issues. Use online or print news sources for your research. Topics could include racial profiling, deportations or hate crimes.

• Fill out the Research Organizer—Broadcasting Human Rights (Google Slides).
• Find 3–5 important facts about the issue you selected. Why does it matter? Who does it affect? What happens if people don’t pay attention to it?

Make Your PSA

Know Your Audience

Who are you trying to reach? Other students? Parents? Teachers? Community members? Think about what would matter to them.

Create Your Message

Decide on ONE main thing you want people to know about. Keep it simple and clear.

Plan Your Hook

How will you grab people’s attention in the first few seconds? Think about something surprising, emotional, or interesting.

Show Why It Matters

Use your research to help people understand why they should care. Pick your strongest facts or most powerful story.

Suggest an Action

Tell your audience exactly what they can do about this issue. Make it something specific and doable.

Choose the Format

Decide how you’ll share your message: a video, audio recording, poster, or something else. Think about what works best for your message and audience.

Create and Practice

Make your PSA and practice it. Does it fit in 30-60 seconds? Is your message clear?

Present Your PSA

Present it to friends or classmates. You may also wish to provide a copy of your PSA to the organization you highlight, post it online, and/or share it with public TV and radio stations.

 in general, the expulsion of foreigners from a country or place.

The forced relocation of Japanese Americans to camps during World War II.

Abbreviation for ‘public service announcement’—messages meant to inform or educate the public. They can take many forms, from a radio clip, a social media post, a poster, photograph, or video.