Film Resources
Bring Clara's Fruit into your classroom, community center, or place of worship. These free resources are designed to help educators, facilitators, and community leaders explore the life and legacy of Sister Clara Muhammad and spark meaningful conversation after a screening. Whether you're teaching a lesson on American history, leading a study circle, or hosting a community screening, these materials offer a starting point for learning, reflection, and dialogue across generations.
Smithsonian Learning Lab Collection
Clara's Fruit is featured on the Smithsonian Learning Lab, the Smithsonian's platform for educators and learners. The collection brings together materials that explore the story of Sister Clara Muhammad, who founded the first Muslim private school system in the United States in the 1930s, at a time when removing children from public schools was illegal and African American families faced constant threats to their safety and dignity. Her courageous decision to educate her own children grew into a national movement, and the schools she inspired continue to shape generations of students today. Educators can use the collection as is or adapt it to fit their own lessons, grade levels, and learning goals.
Explore the Smithsonian Learning Lab Collection →
Discussion Guide
Planning a screening or group conversation? Our Discussion Guide offers everything you need to host a thoughtful post-film dialogue. Inside, you'll find recommended event formats, from film panels and expert Q&As to small group and story-sharing sessions, along with tips for preparing speakers and ground rules that help every participant feel respected and heard. The guide also highlights the film's core themes, including activism and social justice, identity and beliefs, and Islamic education and advocacy, and offers reflection and panel questions to deepen the conversation. Finally, it shares ways for your audience to stay involved, such as completing a post-screening feedback form or contributing to the Clara's Fruit oral history collection, which preserves the stories of former students, teachers, and staff of the University of Islam, Sister Clara Muhammad Schools, and Mohammed Schools.