The Young Lords Grassroots Activism and Social Change - Fighting for Justice, Then and Now
- Balance Learning Resources
- Feb 1
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 2
Grade Level: 6-12
Duration of video: Under 7 minutes
Themes: Multiracial and Multicultural Alliances, Solidarity, Advocacy
Lesson Objectives:
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
Explain who the Young Lords were and their role in civil rights history.
Compare their activism to other civil rights groups like the Black Panthers and NAACP.
Analyze how direct action strategies influenced social change.
Draw connections between past activism and modern social movements.
Lesson Plan: The Young Lords – Grassroots Activism and Social Change
Essential Questions:
Who were the Young Lords, and what did they fight for?
How did their activism compare to other civil rights groups?
What strategies did they use to push for change?
What can we learn from their activism today?
1. Introduction – Warm-Up Discussion (10 minutes)
Engage Students with Open-Ended Questions:
“What do you know about the Young Lords?”
“Have you heard of other civil rights groups that fought for Latino rights?”
“What does activism mean to you? Why do people organize for change?”
Brief Background Overview:
The Young Lords Organization began as a street gang but transformed into a radical civil rights group in the late 1960s.
Inspired by the Black Panther Party, they fought for healthcare, education, housing rights, and against police brutality.
Their activism led to real reforms in marginalized communities, particularly for Puerto Ricans and others in the Latinx community.
2. Video & Discussion (20 minutes)
Introduce the Video (2 minutes)
📢 Teacher Says:"We’re going to watch a short video about the Young Lords and their impact. As you watch, think about their goals, their strategies, and how they compare to other civil rights movements."
Discussion (10 minutes)
Use the following guiding questions to engage students:
What were the Young Lords’ main goals?
How did their actions compare to other civil rights groups like the Black Panthers or NAACP?
What direct action strategies did they use? (e.g., taking over hospitals, sanitation protests, education reform)
What obstacles did they face? How did the government and media react?
What connections can we make between the Young Lords’ activism and modern social movements like Black Lives Matter, immigrant rights protests, or climate justice?
3. Activity: Analyzing the Young Lords’ Actions (15 minutes)
📌 Students will collaborate to analyze the Young Lords’ activism, gaining a deeper understanding of their campaigns.
Instructions:
Divide the class into four small groups.
Assign each group one of the Young Lords’ key activism areas to research and discuss.
Groups will present a short summary to the class (2–3 minutes per group).
Assigned Topics:
Healthcare Activism – The takeover of Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx to demand better medical services.
Education Reform – The fight for bilingual education and more Puerto Rican history in schools.
Housing Rights – Their push for better living conditions in poor neighborhoods.
Police Brutality Protests – Their resistance against police violence targeting Latinos and Black Americans.
Guiding Questions for Group Research & Presentation:
What issue did the Young Lords address?
What actions did they take? (e.g., protests, takeovers, community programs)
What impact did their activism have? (Did they change policies? Raise awareness?)
Can we see similar struggles today? (What modern issues relate to this?)
4. Reflection & Conclusion (10–15 minutes)
Class Discussion:
“What lessons can today’s activists learn from the Young Lords?”
“Do you see any of their strategies used in current movements like immigrant rights protests, or climate justice?”
📌 Final Reflection – Exit Ticket / Homework:
Students will write a short response (1–2 paragraphs) answering:“How did the Young Lords’ activism contribute to broader civil rights struggles?”Please use examples from the lesson to support their answer.
