Anti-Blackness is pervasive and has material consequences for all people, including and especially Black children whose presence is often overlooked—and, ironically, villainized—in favor of all things that uphold white supremacy. These LFJ resources offer specific actions educators, parents, caregivers and communities can take to insist upon the well-being of Black children.
This year, the Fourth of July arrives amid protests against racism and police brutality toward Black Americans and a focus on the role white supremacy has always played in the United States. As these resources show, this holiday and its symbols are tied to a long tradition of protest and demands that our nation make good on its promise of freedom for all.
Young people aren't alone in seeking opportunities to learn honest history, and the classroom isn't the only location where such education can take place. In various community spaces—including virtual ones—many adults are also willing to do the work reckoning with our nation’s history of anti-Blackness and white supremacy, recognizing that past in the present and finding liberatory ways forward. These LFJ resources highlight possibilities for self-reflection and ongoing learning.
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.