Bringing the Moore Family Legacy to Life for BPS Students
What began as a call-to-action to right a wrong from many decades ago has become a new piece of curriculum centered around the legacy of Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore. The Moore’s were former BPS educators and civil rights activists who were unjustly fired from their teaching positions in 1946 near the beginning of the Civil Rights movement. Sadly, they were assassinated on Christmas Day in 1951 when a bomb that was planted beneath the bedroom floor of their home in Mims, Florida was detonated. They were the first and remain the only married couple killed during the Civil Rights movement.
In collaboration with The Moore Cultural Complex Board and The Brevard Federation of Teachers, The School Board of Brevard County voted unanimously in favor of approving the Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Legacy Curriculum and resolution on February 23, 2021. This ruling ensures that the legacy of the Moore’s will be taught to all Brevard Public School students through a comprehensive curriculum which includes an 8th grade field trip to the Moore Cultural Complex in Mims, Florida. Additionally, this resolution provides a posthumous recognition of Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore as BPS Teachers Emeritus. “I am honored to be a part of restoring he rights and dignity of such dedicated inspirational leaders as the Moore’s. I wrote my senior thesis at Florida State University on Harry T. Moore’s legacy and contributions almost a decade before I moved to Brevard. I am so proud that I was able to be a part of reversing the injustice they received seventy years ago” said Matt Susin, former BPS teacher and recently re-elected School Board Member for Brevard County Public Schools.
“This curriculum was carefully crafted to develop thought-provoking lessons that merged the focal points of honoring the lives and legacy of Harry T. and Harriette Moore while enriching critical thinking and literacy skills in our student body” said Frank Dinda, BPS teacher and member of the Moore Legacy Curriculum taskforce. “Extensive research and meticulous planning culminated in the creation of a curriculum rooted in age-appropriate, standards-based lessons that celebrate the legacy of Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore.”
“This is one of the most lasting honors that could be bestowed on anyone, that their legacy and life will be shared with all students in our public schools” said William “Bill” Gary, Moore Cultural Complex Board President. When asked about the hope for instituting the Moore curriculum into BPS classrooms will do to celebrate their legacy and enhance awareness of the importance of civil rights right here in our community, Dr. Danielle McKinnon, BPS Director of Equity and Diversity replied “The contributions to education, civility, and civil rights made by Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore were both courageous and inspiring at a time in our country where adversities prohibited the ability for many Americans to attain a feeling of belonging and value. The Moore Legacy curriculum will serve as an asset to both student learning and employee professional development across the district as we uphold our respect of local history and knowledge, recognize the contributions made by African Americans, and commemorate the myriad of diverse experiences and events in American history year-round.
With the new curriculum set to begin in classrooms across the district in early 2022, Dr. Mark Mullins, Superintendent for Brevard Public Schools said, “Brevard Public Schools is committed to in creating an environment of inclusion and diversity where our differences are celebrated and recognized as foundational in our efforts to be a community that exemplifies unity, care and respect for others.”
The exciting new curriculum is in alignment with State curriculum standard and learning goals. The following grades and courses will have material about the Moore legacy as part of their lessons in the study of the civil rights movement in America:
- 4th Grade – Florida History
- 7th Grade Civics
- 8th Grade US History
- 10th Grade US History
- African American History Elective
To learn more about the Moore legacy, or the developed curriculum, please visit https://www.brevardschools.org/Page/18220.
