; ;

Nina: Jazz Legend and Civil-Rights Activist Nina Simone

Starting with Nina Simone singing a lullaby to her baby, the story is told as if Nina were telling her child about the role of music and segregation in her early life. The white and black keys are a metaphor of the relationship between white and black Americans. At 12 years old, Nina showed her resolve when she refused to play when her mother was made to leave the front row of her concert when white people arrived. The story-like quality and the short concise message make this complex concept accessible to younger children. It reinforces the fact that the struggle for civil rights involved many amazing leaders from all walks of life.