If young people are to make the vision of a just and peaceful world a reality, we must give them the tools to build a strong multiracial democracy—and those tools include an accurate, comprehensive and inclusive history of the United States. We are thrilled to introduce Teaching the Civil Rights Movement, our newest curriculum, which begins in 1877 with Reconstruction and continues the narrative of the movement for equality and civil rights to the present. At this critical moment in which states and districts are attempting to censor discussions of race and racism in U.S.
From an early age, each of us must navigate numerous social institutions, many of which were designed to perpetuate centuries-old inequities. For us to move in those spaces with power and agency, civic knowledge, skills and dispositions are essential. But alarming trends reveal a sharp decline in civics competency among adults in the United States, and participation in places that bring people together to solve common problems has withered, too. Civics education needs a critical social justice lens so people can fulfill the potential of a multiracial and inclusive democracy.
When it comes to investing in racial justice in education, we believe that the South is the best place to start. If you’re an educator, parent or caregiver, or community member living and working in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana or Mississippi, we’ll mail you a free introductory package of our resources when you join our community and subscribe to our magazine.