FARE Curricula
Kesa Kivel
Never Give Up!
Ama’s Journey to Freedom on the Underground Railroad
FOR GRADES 5 – 10
A coming-of-age historical fiction set in the 1850s, the FREE 28-minute educational film Never Give Up! Ama’s Journey to Freedom on the Underground Railroad provides excellent, well-researched content on slavery in the United States as well as on everyday acts of resistance by enslaved people.
For Those Teaching the Following Topics:
Slavery
Gender
Interracial Collaboration
The Underground Railroad
The effect of slavery on racism today
Slavery is a topic that often makes students uncomfortable because of the difficult nature of the subject matter. African American and white students may feel particularly uneasy because there’s often a narrow representation of each race as either victim or oppressor. Without minimizing the horrible brutality of slavery and of those who perpetrated it, Never Give Up! presents engaging portrayals of both African Americans and white people bravely resisting slavery. Students watching the film will develop empathy for those who endured slavery, learn about everyday acts of resistance, and be inspired by Ama and her friend Ben to stand up for justice today. For more information, visit nevergiveupfilm.org
The Feminist Art Project gives special thanks to Kesa Kivel for making these educational materials available for publication. For more free social justice resources visit www.kesakivelstudios.org. © Kesa Kivel