“The reality of racism must be honestly confronted for our society to build a more equitable future for all children.” —Ivory A. Toldson, Ph.D.
Students notice when Black history is taught only in February, but they deserve to learn this American history year-round. These resources emphasize engaging students' communities and lived experiences, including how you can incorporate local stories in lessons—and move Black history from the margins to your everyday curriculum.
Current events may be hard to grapple with as multiple historically Black colleges and universities faced bomb threats, Minneapolis police fatally shot Amir Locke, and many states and districts continue to ban teaching inclusive books and talking about race. Amidst these aggressions, we want to remind Black educators to practice self-care—and all educators to elevate the importance of Black students’ experiences and their mental health. These resources can help.
This week, Black History Month will come to a close and Women's History Month will begin. Students notice when their history is recognized only during heritage months, so in this edition of The Moment, we're sharing a reminder that it’s vital to teach all our history year-round, along with resources to celebrate two trailblazing Black women in your classroom.
As we celebrate Pride by honoring queer trailblazers, we want to especially uplift Black and Brown trans women and gender nonconforming people of color who led liberation movements nationwide. Out of the Stonewall Uprising came the very celebration of Pride we know today—and we have activists like Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera and Miss Major Griffin-Gracy to thank. Use these resources to center queer Black and Brown activists who fought back against police brutality and oppression while also teaching about the continued fight for justice.
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.