The Watson's Go To Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis takes place during a time of great racism.  I think it is a great book for students to read.  It deals with family, friends, acceptance, bulling, apperance and racism.  If I were to use this in a classroom I would follow it with a discussion on what it means to be racist and prejudice.  The church was blown up because the white people did not want the blacks in their schools.  I would ask my students how they feel about that  and if they think it still exists today.  I would also talk about accepting those who look and act differently than others.  Kenny had a lazy eye that made him look different and some of the other children made fun of him and beat him up.  But physical differences are not the only ones we need to be aware of, studens need to be tolerant of religion, ethnicity, and exonomic status.  This book opens up conversation for a variety of topics and I think it is wonderful.