In 1968 following the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., Iowa teacher Jane Elliott developed a classroom exercise in the effects of prejudice by separating her third-grade class into two groups by eye color. Through a series of contrived narratives, the two groups became at odds with each other, exhibiting such volatile behavior reminiscent of racial tensions so common in the news. The effects of the exercise seemed to instill a sense of empathy among the students for what it felt like to be marginalized or oppressed. While it can only offer insight into what oppressed populations truly feel, it was a powerful exercise that was able to be modified for use with other populations including businesses, correctional facilities, and college campuses. Each iteration yielded the same lessons that decades later seem just as necessary, if not more.

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