Teaching Fr. Coughlin's Social Justice

Unit 1: Using Primary Documents

Lesson 1: How to read and examine Social Justice

Recommended Time Required

One or two class periods.

Procedures

1. Using the "Historical Materials Worksheet," have the students listen to a present-day speech by a politician or public figure of your choice and let them record their ideas. Have the students listen to a clip of a speech by Adolph Hitler (remind them not to get stuck on the language) and emphasize the tone and delivery style. Again, let them record their ideas on the sheet. Finally, play a clip of Fr. Coughlin and repeat as with the earlier clips.
2. Discuss with the students what makes these speakers' styles similar or different using the questions from the worksheets. Make sure to emphasize that the purpose of the speech and the persona of the person has a major impact on how that person will deliver a message, and the medium it is delivered over also has a major influence. If you use YouTube, have the students consider whether the speaker ever expects to have their words used again in a different context outside of what it was originally intended.
3. Have the students visit the site "1930s in Print" at the University of Virginia's site

   Let them explore how the different publications on the site work with art, style, and where available, content. Have the students use the "Historical Materials Worksheet" to record their observations.

   Then have the students examine the Social Justice files and continue to use the worksheet. Make sure that they specifically look at the cover art from the various years, and then examine the following several articles for the specific content they contain:

   • April 17, 1936, Vol.1, No.6, pg.16, "Father Coughlin's Weekly Letter: To the District Officers"
   • June 5, 1936, Vol.1, No.13, pg.16, "Father Coughlin's Weekly Letter: Why I Cannot Support the New Deal."
   • November 28, 1938, Vol.2A, No.22, pg.7,10, "From the Tower: Persecution: Jewish and Christian"
   • also use Sept. 14,1936, Vol.2, No.8,pg.4 "Is Fr. Coughlin a Jew-Baiter?" for comparison.

   Make sure to have the students assess what is the change in tone and what kinds of additional information would they need to find in order for this document to make sense to them.

   • What are Coughlin's major themes?
   • How does he use language?
   • How does he also use religion to justify and support his positions?
   • Why would his identity as a man in a position of religious authority also lend credibility to his assertions?

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