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Social justice education is crucial right now to develop the next generation of responsible decision-makers. This week’s resources from the Fall 2023 Learning for Justice magazine explain the importance of educating children early and in age-appropriate ways about their identities and key concepts about race. And they point out the significance of learning about honest history, in the classroom and in communities, as we reckon with the past to build a more just future.

The 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom has become one of the most iconic events from the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and ’60s. On the 60th anniversary of the march, which galvanized hundreds of thousands of people, it is essential to understand the movement’s challenges and triumphs and connect the past to the present to shape a better future.

The following resources can aid educators, parents and caregivers, and all community members in teaching and discussing the honest history of the 1963 March on Washington.

“The civil rights movement offers a blueprint for creating meaningful social change,” writes Hasan Kwame Jeffries, Ph.D. Making connections for young people between past movements and present circumstances is imperative, as is having meaningful support in place for honest conversations that can sometimes be difficult. These LFJ resources can help.

Martin Luther King Jr. is the most iconic figure of the Civil Rights Movement, but the narrative around his life and work is often oversimplified in classrooms and public discourse. We invite you to expand the narrative and teach a more complex and comprehensive view of Dr. King and a more honest history of the United States. Check out these Learning for Justice resources to better understand King’s strategies and goals, the context of the movement for equality and civil rights, and the work that remains to be done.

Learning the honest history of our nation helps us understand our diversity and strengthens us all as we work toward building on more solid national foundation of truth and justice. As we celebrate Native American Heritage Month, the Learning for Justice page offers resource to learn and teach about the diversity of Indigenous cultures and communities. To explore our historical complexity, the recent magazine article, “American Patriotic Songs: Context and Perspective,” helps us to confront the various perspectives that a single patriotic song can embody.