Prior to production, all producers were required to participate in "school". This was an intensive two-week workshop,  with the Blackside team and included speakers, consultants, and readings about the Civil Rights movement. Held July 22 to August 2, 1985, it was internally called a "Civil Rights School."

Each day of  school had a theme and a title ; Day 1 : Settings, Part I: Origins of the Movement ; Day 2 : Events, The Law ; Day 3: Settings, Part II: The world, the U.S., the community ; Day 4: Actors: Organizations, organizers, and motivating philosophies ; Day 5: Communications : the media and  Communications: the music ; Day 6: Program I: Montgomery bus boycott and Program II: Little Rock ; Day 7: Program III: Sit-ins and Program IV: Albany ; Day 8: Program V: Freedom Summer and Program VI: Selma ; Day 9: Film screenings ; Day 10: Project day: guiding principles, organizational matters.