This Black History Month, we’re encouraging educators to recognize and teach that Black history includes narratives that don’t focus solely on trauma. While it’s imperative to teach about the realities of racial oppression, it’s just as important to engage students with the many ways Black people have consistently and powerfully resisted white supremacy. For the next week, we’ll be sharing some of our favorite resources for celebrating Black liberation movements.
Young Black organizers who confront oppressive systems have always been met with violence—educators can look at the uprisings of Freedom Summer in 1964 and those in Minneapolis in 2020 for evidence. Despite the pushback they face, Black activists’ work leads to changes in laws and culture. Use these resources to teach about Freedom Summer and highlight how Black people have asserted their agency in efforts to effect policy change in the United States.
This weekend, thousands of people from across the country will assemble on the National Mall to commemorate the 57th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The event is a rededication of the 1960s movement while also capturing the urgency of today’s commitment to fight for Black lives amidst a global pandemic and a year marked by police violence. Use these resources to help students draw connections between the marches for justice—and the vital roles of young people—then and now.
As we celebrate Pride against the backdrop of legislation designed to roll back gains to protect the human rights of LGBTQ+ youth in the nation’s schools and communities, these LFJ resources from the latest issue of Learning for Justice magazine—including a Q&A with activists Nikole Parker and Brandon Wolf from Equality Florida—showcase ways to support and affirm young people in this moment that requires a strategic focus on the South for the greater good of our democracy and nation.
To honor educators this Teacher Appreciation Week, we offer a preview article—by the dedicated teachers and staff at Wilkins Elementary School in Jackson, Mississippi—from the upcoming Spring issue of Learning for Justice magazine. Educators often work under challenging circumstances yet maintain their commitment to ensure the education of our nation’s young people. These LFJ resources celebrate and uplift the efforts educators engage in to make our world a better place.
Celebrate Black History Month and resist attempts to erase the democratic values of justice, equity, inclusivity and diversity — our nation’s strengths. Black history in the United States includes understanding Black people’s resilience and contributions to our nation, along with strategies for coalition-building and justice movements that are essential today. Learning for Justice offers the following resources to help discuss, teach and learn from Black history all year long.
