The NEW Avoice Women of the CBC Lesson Unit is NOW AVAILABLE!

Women of CBC Lesson Unit Avoice is excited to announce the launching of our NEW Women of the CBC Lesson Unit! This one-of-a-kind interdisciplinary lesson plan allows educators to teach students using the major accomplishments of African-American women legislators. They play instrumental roles in crafting legislation and addressing domestic and international issues such as civil rights, education and health care. Through this unique curriculum, students will discover the work of these women as Members of Congress and their passion to improve the lives of all Americans.

Partnered with the Avoice Women of the CBC Exhibit, the Women of the CBC Lesson Unit is an effective and informative way for educators to diversify their curriculums while encouraging students to embrace civic engagement. Visit the Avoice Women of the CBC Lesson Unit today!

Avoice Announces the Passing of Representative Donald M. Payne (NJ-10)

Representative Donald M. Payne

With sadness, Avoice announces the passing of Representative Donald M. Payne (NJ-10). Rep. Payne was the first African American elected to Congress from New Jersey. During his 12 terms in Congress, Rep. Payne was a staunch advocate for Africa and civic issues involving working families and senior citizens. He was the highest ranking Democrat on the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights and served on the Education and the Workforce Committee.

Elected chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation in 2010, Rep. Payne made a huge impact on the Avoice project. He participated in Avoice's public forums and events. He readily encouraged members to preserve their papers and share their history with staff, interns and constituents.

In 2009, Rep. Payne participated in the first Avoice In Action event to talk about the legacy of the CBCs role in foreign affairs policy. He will be missed but his legacy lives on through Avoice and CBCF.

Watch this Avoice in Action interview as Representative Donald M. Payne discusses lessons he learned from his father, his journey to Congress and his experience as a United Nations delegate.

Avoice Resource For Educators!

Student Photo

Visti the Avoice For Educators Section for a collection of lesson units featuring classroom activities, vocabulary lists, worksheets, timelines, bibliographies and other resources for teachers. Each unit is designed to meet national educational standards and draws on the extensive primary sources in the Avoice collection to give teachers a way to incorporate digitized documents, photos, video and other online resources into their classroom history, social studies, political science and environmental science lessons.

Check out the three lesson units available now:

The Voting Act of 1965

The Anti-Apartheid Movement

The Environmental Justice Movement

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More Avoice Exhibits:

additional information and links.

Origins of the CBC

Trace the history of the CBC with an in-depth look at exactly how, when and why the Caucus was initially formed.

Voting Rights Act

Learn how the CBC has spent years fighting tirelessly to protect the voting rights of underrepresented people

MLK, Jr. Holiday Bill

Look back at how the CBC led the charge for the creation of a federal holiday honoring the civil rights hero.

Anti-Apartheid Movement

Look back at how the CBC led the charge for the creation of a federal holiday honoring the civil rights hero.

Women of the CBC

Read about the important role that African American women played in the advancement of healthcare.

Environmental Justice

Learn how members of the CBC have been at the forefront of the Environmental Justice Movement.

Education Policy

Explore CBC involvement in U.S. education policy and Elementary and Secondary Education Act milestones.