Everyone loves fairy tales--the easily identifiable villain, the flawless hero and, of course, the happily ever after. So it is not surprising that teachers of the civil rights movement often skip the more confusing or distasteful aspects of that era, such as the dissension among black leaders and the racism that was widespread then, even among moderate white Southerners. Fairy tales have a place in one's culture, but when history's thorns are pruned until the past becomes just another story, educators are doing a disservice to both their students and themselves. In this article, the author contends that educators should not sugarcoat history in teaching the civil rights movement. Students deserve the full truth about both the racial bias that caused it and the steps toward freedom.