Tupac, LeBron James, Bob Dylan & Two Distant Strangers: Black Lives Matter Study

Here is a wonderful opportunity to explore with your students four powerful popular culture texts:

1. Tupac Shakur's compact and vivid poem, "The Rose that Grew from Concrete" explores the concept of thriving despite economic, racial and social inequities.

2. LeBron James' Instagram post "Shut Up and Dribble" is a rebuttal to an offensive directive to keep dribbling on the court and stay out of race politics.

3. Songwriter, Bob Dylan's masterpiece, "Hurricane," is a protest song documenting the legal missteps and police brutality leading to the false conviction of champion boxer, Rubin "Hurricane" Carter.

4. "Two Distant Strangers" is a short film starring rapper, Joey Bada$$. A young Black man and a White police officer are caught in a cycle of violence in this live action short film. This is a Groundhog Day-style story with a social justice message.

All four resources include teaching notes and a handout with full-text for student notetaking and guided reflection.

Indeed, a powerful bundle of lessons to discuss the importance of Black Lives and to understand the forces that continue oppression.