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The Google slide was very helpful. I really want to start the beginning of the year with a read-aloud. Starting with a presentation of the author and other books is an awesome idea. It getting me excited about beginning another challenging year. Also, I love the "Lift a Line" lesson. the lesson gives the students an opportunity to really look at the poem and choose what speaks to them. It also gives them an opportunity to talk about it.  It helps the teacher understand what they know and what questions they still have.  I would definitely use the Timeline lesson with "The Undefeated". It is a great way to have students understand history. Wonderful ideas!
Lourdes

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Thank you for sharing the resources and lesson plan ideas. I feel like that would be a good activity to include as an introduction to a unit with similar themes or messages. Or at the end of a unit to close by drawing similarities between the poem and the unit's topic/book. Also, it could be brought into writing classes as a model text  when discussing poetry or a few other genres. I could definitely see this being used for not only English/literature classes but history/social studies too.

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Middle School & YA Short Story Anthologies for grades 6-12, updated 1/1/2022

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Thank you for sharing the lesson plans on The Undefeated. I found the idea of " Lift a Line" to be a great way for students to dig deeper into to the poem and have student collaboration. After modeling this concept I would have pairs of students do the same and then share with other groups or the class.
I would also share the author's reading of the poem after I read the poem to the class.
The idea of students working in small groups and creating a timeline from the book is also very useful.
Sandy

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I think this is poem I would reference throughout the school year.  Anytime we discussed something in social studies that is mentioned in the poem,  I would go back to the poem.

Rose

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Video on Lesson Ideas for The Undefeated

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This is the lesson plan with a video example and the power point embedded in the lesson plan. Take a look!

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The mini lesson also has a 7 minute video that shares the Venn Diagram of the discussion points for students to use.

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I enjoyed the poem " The Poet at Fifteen. The close reading minilesson is a great way to have students begin to understand the poem by selecting a group of words that can find a theme to the poem.  It helps diverse learners because for tier 3 the teacher can give students what lens they going to look through. Tier 1 and 2 can choose their own lens. It would work well as a whole class lesson and then as a Think-Pair-Share for other poems.
Lourdes

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I appreciated you sharing your Close Reading minilesson with us.  It was nice that students got to go through the poem multiples times and were able to discuss with partners.

I liked the poem "Refugees" on page 131.  I think I would use this poem to talk about perspective as well as positive and negative connotation of words.

Rose

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What other poem or poems from Ink Knows No Borders did you enjoy?  What ideas do you have about how to share these poems with students?

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What other poem or poems from Ink Knows No Borders did you enjoy?  What ideas do you have about how to share these poems with students?

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" Tater Tot Hot Dish" is another poem from Ink Knows No Borders that I would consider using in class. The Close Reading minilesson that was shared was a great way to for students to analyze a poem. I would continue to use this approach with students when reading this poem. I would allow students to annotate for the lense  chose which in this case may be relationships ( it seems  the  family is losing their relationship with their original country), then look for the patterns and summarize using what the patterns tell them about the poem.
Sandy

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-I enjoyed your close read mini-lesson and think it is an awesome way for beginners to read a poem or even anyone reading a difficult poem to grasp.
-Another poem I enjoyed was "I Used to Be Much Much Darker" by Alarcon. In short, I would use this as a supplementary text for a unit about identity issues people have when coming to the US or a new country different from their home. This will help support that perspective those main characters from the unit's novel have.
-For me, one thing it talks about is "darkness" from one country (possibly the country their family originated from, or home country) versus up north/USA. Back in their  other country, darkness was celebrated and beautiful. But, in the US, it is something negative and unwanted.
I think there is some symbolism tied to darkness and that being something the author and others lose when coming to the US. Connecting darkness to the home/other country and their identity. This is a common theme or issue that has been present in some short stories and novels read in my classes. I think bringing this poem in during that time as a supporting text could help my readers understand or see that perspective of someone who comes to the US and struggles with creating a new identity without losing their old identity completely.

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Teacher Intro for Close Reading a Poem in Ink Knows No Borders

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Teacher Intro for Close Reading a Poem in Ink Knows No Borders

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This video explains how I planned my close reading minilesson

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Minilesson for Students on Close Reading Ink Knows No Borders

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Minilesson for Students on Close Reading Ink Knows No Borders

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Close Reading Ink Knows No Borders - Student

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If your students need a copy of the poem in the video that they can mark up, share this Jamboard with them. It should automatically force a copy.

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I am going to read some of the diverse books this summer.

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I am going to read some of the diverse books this summer.

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Lourdes

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I am going to build my background knowledge by using some of the resources found in the Padlet shared today.

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I am going to build my background knowledge by using some of the resources found in the Padlet shared today.

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Sandy

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I am going to read the books provided for this class as well as go through the resources on the Padlet.

- Rose

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I am going to explore the content on this padlet.

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I am going to explore the content on this padlet.

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TONI

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I'm going to read Stamped from the Beginning by Kendi to build up my own background knowledge.
-Stacy

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Overview of NPR Book Concierge and WNDB Book Award list

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THE UNDEFEATED by Kwame Alexander, Illustrated by Kadir Nelson

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The Undefeated, Read Aloud by the author Kwame Alexander 

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The Undefeated, Read Aloud by the author Kwame Alexander 

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Although parents of color are more likely to have discussions about race with their children - since it is their lived experience - many white caregivers and educators even though research has shown children have already been processing race. Understandably, there are concerns about discouraging and disempowering young students with too much hard-to-process information. In response, Cherry-Paul says, "We often talk about the ways in which we want to educate kids so they become the change makers that our society needs. We can't wait until they're in high school for that to happen." She notes psychologist Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum's research in her book about racial identity development " balk at the thought of a conversation about race with elementary school age children, Why are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? " by remarking that children are better able to resist negative messages that are named and identifiable.

How parents, caregivers and educators equip themselves to guide conversations about race

Like so many topics, caregivers and educators are entrusted with the tough task of figuring out what is age-appropriate. But when it comes to race and racism, many may find themselves dodging the topic altogether to avoid saying the wrong thing or feeling uncomfortable. However, according to Cherry-Paul, these conversations are worth having and they're critical for adults to embrace.

What we need them to do is lean into those discomforts to reckon with the unsettling truths of race and racism in the United States and then to acquire racial literacy themselves and then to teach it to kids," she says. Not teaching about race at all does a lot of harm to young students of color particularly because children experiencing racial bias and discrimination will try to fill in the gaps about their experiences without the right context and framing. Denying racism can make people feel gaslit.

Racism is systemic, but too often people focus on racist acts of individuals, which can obscure larger issues at work. "What we need to do is shift to systems to help kids understand that there is a legacy of systems treating people unfairly, and giving them examples of that across time so that they can understand how we got here," says Cherry-Paul. She also notes that books like "Stamped (For Kids)" or Reynolds and Kendi's "Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You" can help teachers avoid teaching about racism as isolated incidents. "One of the most powerful things we can do is help young kids understand that we're not just talking about name calling or unkindness that happens between individuals."

How to "adapt" content for kids

After creating a digestible way to have conversations about race and racism, Cherry-Paul shared a few ways to take into account kids' developmental stage and cognitive ability when discussing tough topics.

Leave some things out. Cherry-Paul approached adapting "Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You" with the nervousness many parents and educators feel when trying to convey a complicated topic to a young child. Her biggest challenge: how does one decide what to take out, and how do those decisions impact students' understanding? She had to make difficult decisions when tailoring "Stamped (For Kids)" for young learners. "Reworking Jason's writing and my own writing again and again was totally intimidating. Here's this magnificent, powerful writing and I'm like, 'This has to go. This has to go differently because an eight or a nine year old is not necessarily going to get it in this way.'"

Considering youth development and cognitive capability, broad strokes of nuanced ideas will do the trick for young learners. Instead of focusing on small details, concentrate on big picture ideas and how to stoke sustainable interest. I just had to remind myself that 'Stamped (For Kids)' is a start and not an end to the kind of reading that students should have access to across their lives about race and racism. And if I've done my job well, they'll want to read more, says Cherry-Paul.

Take breaks. Those who have had the pleasure of reading Kendi and Reynolds' "Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You" are familiar with "time-outs" and "time-ins." They're opportunities for readers to take breaks after reading heavier content. "In 'Stamped (For Kids),' there are more moments for kids to do that, more moments for kids to pause and then unpause as we keep going," she explains. Instead of powering through pages, she urges educators to anticipate moments when kids are going to need a break to process what they just read and give young learners ample time to absorb new information.

Remind, re-emphasize and reiterate important information. Seek out moments to check for comprehension with reminders. Cherry-Paul tried to foresee where there might be some confusion and would prepare comparisons or new ways to explain the information. One technique she relies on is reminding kids about earlier ideas, which also helps string historical events together into a cohesive story that young learners are more likely to understand.

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Dr. Sonja Cherry-Paul: Using 'Stamped (For Kids)' to Have Age-Appropriate Discussions About Race - MindShift

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For parents and teachers looking for a resource on how to talk about race with kids, there's a new book called "Stamped (For Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You." It's written by educator Dr. Sonja Cherry Paul and is for 7 to 12 year old children. This book is an adaptation of Dr. Ibram X.

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Welcome to the "Write. Right. Rite.," a "GRAB THE MIC: Tell Your Story" video series! The "Write. Right. Rite." is meant to be an entertaining and inventive way to engage with the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, Jason Reynolds.

According to Reynolds, the "Write. Right. Rite." is all about learning the ritual of "authentic"-not to be confused with "correct" or "exact"-expression. Throughout the series, Reynolds shares his passion for storytelling while discussing topics like creativity, connection, and imagination. At the end of each video, Reynolds shares a prompt that encourages young people to work toward a specific idea. The activities are fun-filled and some are more challenging than others, but Reynolds always makes sure to include brainstorming "get-you-going" questions.

So, what do you say? Are you ready to dive into, try on, and work through all the "Write. Right. Rite." episodes?

Go for it!

Watch the Entire "Write. Right. Rite." Series:

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Research Guides: Jason Reynolds, National Ambassador for Young People's Literature: "Write. Right. Rite." Series

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On January 13, 2020, Jason Reynolds was announced as the seventh National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. Learn more about Jason and his activities as National Ambassador through this guide.

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Facilitating Critical Conversations with Students

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Skip to main content

Educators play a crucial role in helping students talk openly about the historical roots and contemporary manifestations of social inequality and discrimination. Learning how to communicate about such topics as white privilege, police violence, economic inequality and mass incarceration requires practice, and facilitating critical conversations with students demands courage and skill.

This guide offers classroom-ready strategies you can use to plan discussions and to facilitate these conversations with your students. We hope you find this guide useful and that you'll share it with colleagues. And don't forget to check out our related resources.

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This resource is for educators working to build their own competency facilitating classroom conversations about critical topics like identity, discrimination and inequality.

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Free for Big Shoulders Fund Educators!

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We are thrilled that teachers across the country are meeting, collaborating, and building curriculum based on Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi. This YA book is based on Kendi's 2016 Stamped from the Beginning.

Both books center the lives of key individuals to help readers sort out both the origins of racist ideas and to differentiate between segregationist, assimilationist, and antiracist positions. These individuals - Cotton Mather, Thomas Jefferson, William Lloyd Garrison, W. E. B. Du Bois, and Angela Davis - offer examples that we're happy students will encounter in the project of antiracist education.

We hope educators supplement these texts with an equally rich people's history of racism and antiracism. Toward that effort, we have suggested lessons that complement key chapters and moments in Reynolds' and Kendi's Stamped. In most cases, we'd recommend doing these lessons before having students listen or read the chapter, since many of our activities leave the "what really happened" unanswered until the end.

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People's History Lessons for Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You - Zinn Education Project

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We are thrilled that teachers across the country are meeting, collaborating, and building curriculum based on Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You , by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi. This YA book is based on Kendi's 2016 Stamped from the Beginning .

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What an amazing time we had with Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi, hearing from them about their latest novel Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You! The discussion was timely and well received, so thank you for your participation, and a special thank-you to our moderator Sonja Cherry-Paul.

Below we've compiled a list of resources to help you continue the conversation within your communities.

IBRAM X. KENDI www.ibramxkendi.com
Facebook - /ibramxkendi
Twitter -@DrIbram
Instagram -@IbramXK

NEW BOOK COMING JUNE 16!

With bold art and thoughtful yet playful text, Antiracist Baby introduces the youngest readers and the grown-ups in their lives to the concept and power of antiracism. Learn more.

DR. SONJA CHERRY-PAUL
Educator's Guide

"This guide suggests a month-long approach to reading and discussing Stamped with middle-school and high-school readers in English, English language arts, social studies, history, and humanities classrooms." Access it here.

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

Dying of Whiteness: How the Politics of Racial Resentment Is Killing America's Heartland by Jonathan M. Metzl

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Roads

How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon

How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

It's Trevor Noah: Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood (Adapted for Young Readers) by Trevor Noah

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson

March by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin

Monster by Walter Dean Myers

We Want to Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom by Bettina L. Love

White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo

A Black Women's History of the United States by Daina Ramey Berry and Kali N. Gross

Amazons, Abolitionists, and Activists: A Graphic History of Women's Fight for Their Rights by Mikki Kendall

All American Boys by Brendan Kiely and Jason Reynolds

An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Black Appetite. White Food.: Issues of Race, Voice, and Justice Within and Beyond the Classroom by Jamila Lyiscott

Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine

Dear Martin by Nic Stone

Dying of Whiteness by Jonathan Metzl

The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks about Race by Jesmyn Ward

For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood . . . and the Rest of Y'all Too: Reality Pedagogy and Urban Education by Christopher Emdin

The Gold Cadillac by Mildred D. Taylor

The Guide for White Women Who Teach Black Boys by Eddie Moore, Jr., Ali Michael, and Marguerite W. Penick-Parks

Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson

The History of White People by Nell Irvin Painter

How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them by Jason Stanley

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

Letting Go of Literary Whiteness: Antiracist Literature Instruction for White Students by Carlin Borsheim-Black and Sophia Tatiana Sarigianides

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

Miles Morales: Spider-Man by Jason Reynolds

"Multiplication Is for White People": Raising Expectations for Other People's Children by Lisa Delpit

Murder on the Red River by Marcie Rendon

Not Light, But Fire: How to Lead Meaningful Race Conversations in the Classroom by Matthew R. Kay

Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson

Rising Out of Hatred: The Awakening of a Former White Nationalist by Eli Saslow

So You Want to Talk about Race by Ijeoma Oluo

Stamped: For our Classrooms, Homes, and Communities from Hachette Book Group

Sulwe by Lupita Nyong'o

Surviving Becky(s): Pedagogies for Deconstructing Whiteness and Gender by Cheryl E. Matias

The Teacher Wars: A History of America's Most Embattled Profession by Dana Goldstein

Teaching Race: How to Help Students Unmask and Challenge Racism by Steven Brookfield

There, There by Tommy Orange

This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do the Work by Tiffany Jewell

What If All the Kids Are White? Anti-bias Multicultural Education with Young Children and Families by Julie Olsen Edwards, Louise Derman-Sparks, and Patricia Ramsey

White Rage by Carol Anderson

*These texts were shared by participants within the chat during the live discussion.

What Antiracist Language Teachers Do

Antiracist language teachers consciously work to create safe learning environments for all students. This poster provides a description of what these teachers do.

Qualities of Antiracist ELA Curricula

Antiracist ELA curricula must celebrate and sustain diversity as part of educational justice in a changing world. This poster describes the qualities of such curricula.

Take a look at what we discussed with Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi.

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Stamped: Resources for your Classroom - NCTE

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IBRAM X. KENDI www.ibramxkendi.com Facebook - /ibramxkendi Twitter -@DrIbram Instagram -@IbramXK NEW BOOK COMING JUNE 16! With bold art and thoughtful yet playful text, Antiracist Baby introduces the youngest readers and the grown-ups in their lives to the concept and power of antiracism. Learn more.

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Teaching Stamped for Kids Dr. Sonja Cherry Paul 

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Teaching Stamped for Kids Dr. Sonja Cherry Paul 

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Although parents of color are more likely to have discussions about race with their children - since it is their lived experience - many white caregivers and educators even though research has shown children have already been processing race. Understandably, there are concerns about discouraging and disempowering young students with too much hard-to-process information. In response, Cherry-Paul says, "We often talk about the ways in which we want to educate kids so they become the change makers that our society needs. We can't wait until they're in high school for that to happen." She notes psychologist Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum's research in her book about racial identity development " balk at the thought of a conversation about race with elementary school age children, Why are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? " by remarking that children are better able to resist negative messages that are named and identifiable.

How parents, caregivers and educators equip themselves to guide conversations about race

Like so many topics, caregivers and educators are entrusted with the tough task of figuring out what is age-appropriate. But when it comes to race and racism, many may find themselves dodging the topic altogether to avoid saying the wrong thing or feeling uncomfortable. However, according to Cherry-Paul, these conversations are worth having and they're critical for adults to embrace.

What we need them to do is lean into those discomforts to reckon with the unsettling truths of race and racism in the United States and then to acquire racial literacy themselves and then to teach it to kids," she says. Not teaching about race at all does a lot of harm to young students of color particularly because children experiencing racial bias and discrimination will try to fill in the gaps about their experiences without the right context and framing. Denying racism can make people feel gaslit.

Racism is systemic, but too often people focus on racist acts of individuals, which can obscure larger issues at work. "What we need to do is shift to systems to help kids understand that there is a legacy of systems treating people unfairly, and giving them examples of that across time so that they can understand how we got here," says Cherry-Paul. She also notes that books like "Stamped (For Kids)" or Reynolds and Kendi's "Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You" can help teachers avoid teaching about racism as isolated incidents. "One of the most powerful things we can do is help young kids understand that we're not just talking about name calling or unkindness that happens between individuals."

How to "adapt" content for kids

After creating a digestible way to have conversations about race and racism, Cherry-Paul shared a few ways to take into account kids' developmental stage and cognitive ability when discussing tough topics.

Leave some things out. Cherry-Paul approached adapting "Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You" with the nervousness many parents and educators feel when trying to convey a complicated topic to a young child. Her biggest challenge: how does one decide what to take out, and how do those decisions impact students' understanding? She had to make difficult decisions when tailoring "Stamped (For Kids)" for young learners. "Reworking Jason's writing and my own writing again and again was totally intimidating. Here's this magnificent, powerful writing and I'm like, 'This has to go. This has to go differently because an eight or a nine year old is not necessarily going to get it in this way.'"

Considering youth development and cognitive capability, broad strokes of nuanced ideas will do the trick for young learners. Instead of focusing on small details, concentrate on big picture ideas and how to stoke sustainable interest. I just had to remind myself that 'Stamped (For Kids)' is a start and not an end to the kind of reading that students should have access to across their lives about race and racism. And if I've done my job well, they'll want to read more, says Cherry-Paul.

Take breaks. Those who have had the pleasure of reading Kendi and Reynolds' "Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You" are familiar with "time-outs" and "time-ins." They're opportunities for readers to take breaks after reading heavier content. "In 'Stamped (For Kids),' there are more moments for kids to do that, more moments for kids to pause and then unpause as we keep going," she explains. Instead of powering through pages, she urges educators to anticipate moments when kids are going to need a break to process what they just read and give young learners ample time to absorb new information.

Remind, re-emphasize and reiterate important information. Seek out moments to check for comprehension with reminders. Cherry-Paul tried to foresee where there might be some confusion and would prepare comparisons or new ways to explain the information. One technique she relies on is reminding kids about earlier ideas, which also helps string historical events together into a cohesive story that young learners are more likely to understand.

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Dr. Sonja Cherry-Paul: Using 'Stamped (For Kids)' to Have Age-Appropriate Discussions About Race - MindShift

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For parents and teachers looking for a resource on how to talk about race with kids, there's a new book called "Stamped (For Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You." It's written by educator Dr. Sonja Cherry Paul and is for 7 to 12 year old children. This book is an adaptation of Dr. Ibram X.

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Congressman Hakeem Jeffries represents New York's 8th congressional district. Our final episode this season takes us to the U.S. House of Representatives for a conversation between Rep. Jeffries and his brother, our host, Dr. Hasan Jeffries, to discuss the lingering effects of the Jim Crow era-including voter access, prison and policing reform, and other enduring injustices-and to discuss the continued relevance of teaching "hard history" as it relates to public policy today.

After emancipation, aspects of the legal system were reshaped to maintain control of Black lives and labor. Historian Robert T. Chase outlines the evolution of convict leasing in the prison system. And Historian Brandon T. Jett explores the commercial factors behind the transition from extra-legal lynchings to police enforcement of the color line. We examine the connections between these early practices and the more familiar apparatuses of today's justice system-from policing to penitentiaries.

From concertos to operas, Black composers captured the changes and challenges facing African Americans during Jim Crow. Renowned classical pianist Lara Downes is bringing new appreciation to the works of artists like Florence Price and Scott Joplin. In our final installment of Music Reconstructed, Downes discusses how we can hear the complicated history of this era with historian Charles L. Hughes.

When we consider the trauma of white supremacy during the Jim Crow era-what writer Ralph Ellison describes as "the brutal experience"-it's important to understand the resilience and joy that sustained Black communities. We can experience that all through the "near-comic, near-tragic lyricism" of the blues. In part 3 of this series, acclaimed musician, songwriter and poet Adia Victoria talks with Charles L. Hughes about how the bittersweet nature of blues does "the very emotionally mature work of acknowledging" this complex history.

Black political ideologies in the early 20th century evolved against a backdrop of derogatory stereotypes and racial terrorism. Starting with Marcus Garvey and the Universal Negro Improvement Agency, historian Minkah Makalani contextualizes an era of Black intellectualism. From common goals of racial unity to fierce debates over methods, he shows how movements of the 1920s and 1930s fed into what became the civil rights and Black Power movement.

From ranches to railroads, learn about the often unrecognized role that African Americans played in the range cattle industry, as Pullman porters and in law enforcement. In part two of this special series, Grammy Award-winner Dom Flemons takes us on a musical exploration of the American West after emancipation. "The American Songster" joins historian Charles L. Hughes to discuss the complexity of the sounds, songs and stories about the Jim Crow era.

This nation has a long history of exploiting Black Americans in the name of medicine. A practice which began with the Founding Fathers using individual enslaved persons for gruesome experimentation evolved into state-sanctioned injustices such as the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, among others. Award-winning historian Dr. Deirdre Cooper-Owens details a chronology of medical malpractice and racist misconceptions about health while highlighting lesser-known stories of medical innovations by African Americans.

This is a special four-part series where historian Charles L. Hughes introduces us to musicians who are exploring the sounds, songs and stories of the Jim Crow era. In this installment, Jazz pianist Jason Moran discusses his acclaimed musical celebration of a man he calls "Big Bang of Jazz," bandleader, arranger and composer James Reese Europe. During World War I, Europe fought as a Lieutenant with the fabled "Harlem Hellfighters" 369th U.S. Infantry and directed the regiment's renowned band.

During the Harlem Renaissance, more Black artists than ever before were asking key questions about the role of art in society. Oftentimes the Harlem Renaissance is misconstrued as a discrete moment in American history-not as the next iteration of a thriving Black artistic tradition that it was. Literature scholar Julie Buckner Armstrong urges educators to look deeper into the texts left to us by these artists and come to a fuller understanding of this stage in a long chronology of Black artistic expression.

In the United States, Black athletes have had to contend with two sets of rules: those of the game and those of a racist society. While they dealt with 20th century realities of breaking the color line and the politics of respectability, Black fans, educational institutions, and the Black press were building sporting congregations with their own wealth and energy. Historians Derrick White and Louis Moore trace how these great men and women worked to create a more just future on the field and off.

Opportunities created by the New Deal were often denied to African Americans. And that legacy of exclusion to jobs, loans and services can be seen today in federal programs and policies as well as systemic inequities in housing, education, health and the accumulation of wealth. Historian Jill Watts examines the complicated history of the New Deal, beginning with the growing political influence of Black voters in the 1930s, the election of FDR and the creation of the Black Cabinet.

U.S. involvement in world wars and the domestic Black freedom struggle shaped one another. By emphasizing the diverse stories of servicemen and women, historian Adriane Lentz-Smith situates Black soldiers as agents of American empire who were simultaneously building their own institutions at home. While white elected officials worked to systemically embed segregation into government, African Americans attempted to bolster their citizenship and freedom rights through soldiering.

Historian Tera Hunter describes Black institution-building post-slavery and throughout the Jim Crow era, illustrating how Black workers reorganized labor to their advantage, despite virulent white resistance. During the same period, historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) produced future leaders while cultivating resistance to white supremacy-and continue to do so. Educator Jelani Favors explains the evolution of these institutions, noting their legacies of social activism and student advocacy.

Naming the 1921 Tulsa massacre a "race riot" is inaccurate. Historian David Krugler urges listeners to call this and other violent attacks what they were: premeditated attempts at ethnic cleansing. Decades before, African Americans moved North in record numbers during the Great Migration. Krugler delves into connections between diaspora and violence and highlights the strength of Black communities in resistance to white supremacist terrorism.

Black American experiences during Jim Crow were deeply affected by the ever-present threat of lynching and other forms of racist violence. Historian Kidada Williams amplifies perspectives from Black families, telling stories of lynching victims obscured by white newspapers. She and Kellie Carter Jackson urge educators to confront the role of this violence in American history, how major institutions stood idly by and how Black Americans fought for justice.

The Lost Cause narrative would have us believe that Confederate monuments have always been celebrated, but people have protested them since they started going up. Historian Karen Cox unpacks how the United Daughters of the Confederacy used propaganda to dominate generations of teachings about the Civil War through textbooks, legislation, and popular culture-and how, after the war, the South and the North prized white reconciliation over justice for all.

Just months after the Civil War ended, former Confederates had regained political footholds in Washington, D.C. In her overview of Reconstruction, Kate Masur notes how-in the face of evolving, post-slavery white supremacy-Black people claimed their citizenship and began building institutions of their own. Ahmad Ward then takes us to 1860s Mitchelville, South Carolina, where Black policing power, land ownership and more self-governance were the norm.

Historian Ed Baptist provides context on the creation and enforcement of a U.S. racial binary that endures today, as well as Black resistance as a force for political change. And Aisha White urges educators to ask themselves, "What did you learn about race when you were younger?" before they engage with children. She argues that self-reflection and ongoing education are vital tools to combat the fallacy of ignoring students' racialized experiences.

People from all corners of public life are telling teachers to stop discussions about race and racism in the classroom, but keeping the truth of the world from students simply doesn't work. English teacher Matthew Kay urges educators to create brave spaces instead. He provides examples of classroom strategies for engaging with students at the intersections of race, literature and lived experience. Hint: it involves vulnerability, accountability and quality affirmations.

This season, we're examining the century between the Civil War and the modern civil rights movement to understand how systemic racism and slavery persisted and evolved after emancipation-and how Black Americans still developed strong institutions during this time. Co-hosts Hasan Kwame Jeffries and Bethany Jay discuss how students need to grasp this history to understand injustices many of them face today, from voter suppression to mass incarceration.

In 2015, Coach Steve Bandura loaded the Anderson Monarchs, a Little League baseball team from Philadelphia, onto a 1947 Flxible Clipper Bus for a barnstorming tour back in time. Bandura and the players recount lessons learned while visiting historic civil rights sites, meeting veteran activists and playing baseball along the way. And historian Derrick E. White, co-host of The Black Athlete podcast, explores the intersection of sports and civil rights history.

The civil rights movement offers critical context for understanding the systemic police violence, voter suppression efforts, 'law and order' rhetoric and criminalization of activism we see today. It also helps us understand the strategies activists use to fight these injustices. Historians Shannon King and Nishani Frazier explain how they use 21st-century Black activism to teach the movement's history-and how they use the movement to help students better understand the contemporary Black freedom struggle.

The history of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense can help us understand the transition from civil rights to Black Power and contemporary issues like mass incarceration. From the Ten-Point Platform to survival programs, historian Robyn C. Spencer outlines key aspects of the party's revolutionary ideology, grassroots activism and community service. And historian Jakobi Williams joins to share valuable classroom insights.

Historian Clarence Lang joins us for a conversation about Malcolm X. We discuss his commitment to Black pride and self-determination and his rejection of the white gaze and the myth of American exceptionalism. Learn how teaching about the life and works of Malcolm X can illuminate the universe of possibilities of the civil rights movement-and the diversity of ideology, strategy and political thought within the Black freedom struggle.

In this episode, we talk with movement veteran Courtland Cox about lessons from the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and his own development as a young organizer of the Emmett Till generation. We join Karlyn Forner and John B. Gartrell to tour the resources available through SNCC Digital Gateway. And we hear from student organizer Kaia Woodford about the lessons from the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements that inform her activism today.

Oral histories, historic sites, archives and museums expand students' understanding of the past. They fill in gaps in our textbooks-complementing what's included and capturing what's not. This episode highlights online oral history collections including the Civil Rights History Project. It offers recommendations for students conducting their own oral histories. And it explores resources from the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.

Teaching civil rights history to young learners creates both opportunities and challenges. The 1964 Mississippi Freedom Summer Project and the subsequent Freedom Schools offer important lessons for helping elementary students to understand the civil rights movement. In this episode, we explore community-based strategies and activities for bringing the Black freedom struggle into your classroom.

If you're finding this podcast useful, please support us by taking our 10 question Listener Survey. And stay tuned! More episodes are on the way. In the meantime, if you're looking for ways to talk with students about the relationship between the hard history of white supremacy and the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Learning for Justice resources can help you lead student-responsive, historically grounded discussions about the recent violence.

From the hard work of organizing to the reality of everyday life under Jim Crow, films and literature can bring historical context to life for students. In this episode, we recommend several "must use" films, books, poems and plays for teaching the civil rights movement. We also discuss strategies for incorporating these works across the curricula and for turning even problematic texts into grist for meaningful critical discussions.

Everyone thinks they know the story, but the real history of Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott is even better. This episode details the events that set the stage for Ms. Parks' civil disobedience. You'll meet the leaders and organizations who transformed a moment of activism into a 13-month campaign. And you'll learn about the community that held fast in the face of legal and political attacks, economic coercion, intimidation and violence.

To fully understand the United States today, we have to comprehend the central role that slavery played in our nation's past. That legacy is also the foundation for understanding the civil rights movement and its place within the history of the Black freedom struggle. This episode is a special look back at our first season. It explores and expands on the 10 Key Concepts that ground Learning for Justice's K-12 frameworks for teaching the hard history of American slavery.

You cannot teach the civil rights movement without talking about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. But it's critical that students deconstruct the mythology surrounding the movement's most iconic figure to learn about the man, not just the hero. The real Dr. King held beliefs that evolved over time. A complex man, he was part of a much larger movement-one that shaped him as much as he shaped it.

The civil rights movement was never strictly a Southern phenomenon. To better understand the Jim Crow North, we explore discrimination and Black protest in places like Milwaukee, Omaha, Cleveland and New York. To examine the Black Freedom Movement beyond the South, we examine the Black-led fights to gain access to decent housing, secure quality education and end police brutality in these cities.

Armed resistance and nonviolent direct action co-existed throughout the civil rights era. In this episode, three historians confront some comfortable assumptions about nonviolence and self-defense. Wesley Hogan examines the evolution, value and limitations of nonviolence in the movement. Christopher Strain offers a three-part strategy for rethinking this false dichotomy in the classroom. And Akinyele Umoja offers insights about armed resistance from his research in Mississippi.

Alice Qannik Glenn is the host of Coffee and Quaq and assistant producer of The Forgotten Slavery of our Ancestors. This short, classroom-ready film offers an introduction to the history of Indigenous enslavement on land that is currently the United States. This new resource from Learning for Justice features an extensive group of experts, many of whom will be familiar to listeners from Season 2.

Jim Crow was more than signs and separation. It was a system of terror and violence created to control the labor and regulate the behavior of Black people. In this episode, historian Stephen Berrey unpacks the mechanics of racial oppression, the actions white people took-in and beyond the South-to maintain white supremacy, and the everyday ways Black people fought back. And the directors of the film An Outrage join ELA-teacher Ahmariah Jackson to discuss teaching the racial terror of lynching.

Music chronicles the history of the civil rights struggle: The events, tactics and emotions of the movement are documented in songs of the era. From The Freedom Singers to Sam Cooke, historian Charles L. Hughes explains how your students can use music for both historical insight and evidence in the classroom.

Students don't enter our classrooms as blank slates. When it comes to the civil rights movement, we often have to help our students unlearn what they think they know while we're teaching them what actually happened. The people were more complex, the strategies more complicated and the stakes more dangerous than we like to remember. In this episode, historian Nishani Frazier and social studies teacher Adam Sanchez demonstrate the value of teaching the movement from the grassroots up.

Teaching the civil rights movement accurately and effectively requires deconstructing the myths and misconceptions around it. Most people are familiar with a very specific version of the movement that exaggerates government support and denies the existence and persistence of racism outside the South. Julian Bond called this the "Master Narrative." It celebrates sanitized icons and downplays grassroots organizing. And it overhypes nonviolence while disparaging self-defense and Black Power. In this episode, we talk with historian Nishani Frazier and social studies teacher Adam Sanchez about how to separate fact from fiction in your civil rights teaching.

The systems that enabled and perpetuated African and Indigenous enslavement in what is now the U.S. have much in common, and their histories tell us a great deal about the present. Professors Bethany Jay and Steven Oliver join us to talk about connections between the first two seasons and how to teach them, and we preview what's to come in season three.

In this special call-in episode, listeners share their stories and questions from throughout season 2-including teaching remotely, working with families and stakeholders, and incorporating social justice into subjects like math and science. As educators, we're strongest when we support each other. And you'll hear great suggestions from fellow teachers, like these resources we discuss from Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia.

It's time for our first call-in show! We know things are chaotic for you and every other educator right now. We feel it too, so this seems like the perfect time to talk. Pick up the phone and dial 888-59-STORY (888-597-8679). Our lines are open until Sunday night, April 19. Teaching hard history is even harder right now, so let's talk about resources you can use if you're teaching virtually. Ask us your questions; tell us your stories. And let us know how you're doing.

Indian Removal was a brutal and complicated effort that textbooks often simplify. It is also inseparably related to slavery. Enslavers seeking profit drove demand for Indigenous lands, displacing hundreds of thousands of Indigenous people. Some of these Indigenous people participated in chattel slavery. Focusing on the Chickasaw and Choctaw nations, this episode pulls the lens back to show how Removal and enslavement must be taught together. This story must be told if we're going to understand the full hard history of American enslavement.

The Americas were built on the lands, labor and lives of Indigenous peoples. Despite being erased from history textbooks after the so-called first Thanksgiving, Indigenous peoples did not disappear. Colonial settlers relied on the cooperation, exploitation and forced labor of their Native neighbors to survive and thrive in what became North America. Focusing on New England, historian Margaret Newell introduces us to the Charter Generation of systematically enslaved people across this continent.

From 1936 to 1938, the Federal Writers' Project collected stories from people who had been enslaved. The WPA Slave Narrative Collection at the Library of Congress is a valuable resource; these oral histories are also problematic. Interpreting these narratives within literary and historical context, students can develop primary source literacy. Historian Cynthia Lynn Lyerly outlines unique insights these texts can add to your curriculum.

To better understand the United States' past and present, we need to better understand Indigenous identities-and classrooms play a huge role. This starts with examining what's missing from our social studies, history, civics and government curricula. Throughout this episode, we reference the K-5 Framework for Teaching Hard History as we shed light on key topics like sovereignty, land and erasure.

Educators can no longer ignore our country's history of Indigenous enslavement. Our students need a fuller understanding of the pivotal history of slavery to comprehend the present and develop a vision for our nation's future. In this mid-season recap, we highlight key lessons about this consequential part of American history-along with teaching strategies and resources-through the voices of leading scholars and educators featured so far.

Throughout the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, the forced labor and bondage of Indigenous peoples was integral to the economic and political history of what became the Southwestern United States. Historian and author Andrés Reséndez outlines the significance of silver mining, Indigenous enslavement and resistance in the history of New Mexico and Latin America. We examine how, as white settlers moved west, so-called "free soil" states like California continued to institutionalize coerced labor.
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A hundred years before the first ship carrying enslaved Africans arrived in Virginia, Europeans introduced the commercial practice of enslavement in "The New World." And for the next 400 years, millions of Indigenous people throughout the Americas were enslaved through several forms of forced labor and bondage. Historian and author Andrés Reséndez calls this "The Other Slavery," and his work is changing our understanding of the transatlantic slave trade.
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Andrés Reséndez is the author of The Other Slavery: The Uncovered Story of Indian Enslavement in America. His work has changed conventional wisdom about the institution of slavery in the Atlantic world. Over the next two episodes, host Hasan Kwame Jeffries and Reséndez will discuss key turning points in this history-exploring how it expands our understanding of the transatlantic slave trade and the lasting legacy of colonialism, which continues to reverberate in our communities. Be sure to join us.
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Each autumn, Thanksgiving brings a disturbing amount of inaccurate information and troubling myths into classrooms across the United States. Most students don't learn much about the history of Native nations-and even less about Indigenous peoples today. Dr. Debbie Reese explains what to look for and what to avoid (or teach with a critical lens) when selecting children's books by and about Indigenous people. She also recommends specific books to counter common misconceptions in your classroom.
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Children's books are often the primary way young students are exposed to the history of American slavery. But many books about slavery sugarcoat oppression. Professor Ebony Elizabeth Thomas examines what we should consider when it comes to how children's books portray African Americans and Indigenous people, their cultures and the effects of enslavement. She also explains why it's crucial to create "a balance of narratives" when selecting books about marginalized and underrepresented communities.
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For elementary teachers approaching the topic of slavery, it can be tempting to focus only on heroes and avoid explaining oppression. But teachers' omissions speak as loudly as what they choose to include. And what children learn in the early grades has broad consequences for the rest of their education. Dr. Kate Shuster guides us through the new Teaching Hard History K-5 framework from Learning for Justice. We also learn how four elementary teachers are beginning to use it in their classrooms.
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Understanding Indigenous enslavement expands our conception of slavery in what is now the United States. It spread across the entire continent and affected millions of people of different backgrounds. If we define slavery too narrowly, we can fail to see its persistence over time and even its modern-day permutations. Historian Christina Snyder examines the Civil War, Lincoln and emancipation with Indigenous people in mind.
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Millions of Indigenous people lived in North America before European colonial powers invaded. Along with an insatiable desire for free labor, Europeans brought a system of slavery that significantly differed from the historical practices of enslavement among Native nations. Historian Christina Snyder tells the story of what happened when these worlds collided. European concepts of bondage transformed the way Native nations interacted with each other, resulted in the enslavement and death of millions of Indigenous people, and sparked widespread resistance by Native nations.
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The Smithsonian's Eduardo Díaz and Renée Gokey discuss the importance of learning about Indigenous enslavement. And former Teaching Tolerance Director Maureen Costello explains all of the program's classroom resources available for teaching this history, including a first-of-its-kind K-5 framework.
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We're turning our attention to the enslavement of Indigenous people, spending more time with teachers in the classroom and adding support for K-5 educators. Tune in next week for more advice about teaching the history and long legacy of American slavery.
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Download the transcript for all of season 1 here.

Historian Bethany Jay returns - answering questions from educators across the country. Host Hasan Kwame Jeffries and the co-editor of Understanding and Teaching American Slavery confront teacher anxieties and counter misconceptions in our season finale.
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From elementary to high school, YA literature can introduce fundamental themes and information about slavery, especially when paired with primary sources. John H. Bickford shows how to capitalize on the strengths and weaknesses of trade books about slavery.
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Using the present to explore the past. Tamara Spears and Jordan Lanfair suggest a Social Studies unit about Resistance & Kanye West, and a set of English Language Arts lessons examining holidays to understand the legacy of American slavery.
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How it's done. Tamara Spears teaches middle school Social Studies in New York and Jordan Lanfair is a high school English Language Arts teacher in Chicago. Each has been developing additional lessons about slavery for years. They share their experiences.
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Over the next few episodes, we're bringing Season One to a close. Tune in for stories from the classroom, guidance for elementary teachers and language arts classes. And answers to questions from listeners like you.
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Enslavement didn't end with Emancipation. Historian James Brewer Stewart discusses modern-day slavery happening across the world-and right here in the U.S.-showing educators how to connect the past with the present.
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A listener's question leads to a meaningful moment. And now we want more! Take a listen, then email us to tell us your story about teaching hard history for an upcoming, special episode.
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At James Madison's Montpelier, the legacy of enslaved people isn't silenced-and their descendants have a voice. Christian Cotz, Price Thomas and Dr. Patrice Preston Grimes explain how that happened, and why it's important.
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In the United States, justice was never blind. Historian Paul Finkelman goes beyond legal jargon to illustrate how slavery was entangled with the opinions of the Court-and encoded into the Constitution itself.
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Constitutional historian Paul Finkelman explains the deeply racist bargains the founding fathers struck in order to unify the country under one document and discusses what students need to know about how slavery defined America after the Revolution.
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Film historian Ron Briley returns with more documentary, feature film and miniseries suggestions for history and English instructors. From Ken Burns to Black Panther, this episode offers background and strategies for incorporating pop culture into classroom lessons.
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Film has long shaped our nation's historical memory, for good and bad. Film historian Ron Briley offers ways to responsibly use films in the classroom to reframe the typical narrative of American slavery and Reconstruction.
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Most students leave school thinking enslaved people lived like characters in Gone With the Wind. Dr. Deirdre Cooper Owens reveals the remarkable diversity of lived experiences within slavery and explains the gap between what scholars and students know.
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To see a more complete picture of the experience of enslaved people, you have to redefine resistance. Dr. Kenneth S. Greenberg offers teachers a lens to help students see the ways in which enslaved people fought back against the brutality of slavery.
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Students learning about slavery often ask, "Why didn't enslaved people just run away or revolt?" Lindsay Anne Randall offers a lesson in "Process Drama"-a method teachers can use to answer this question, build empathy and offer perspective.
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In many ways, the U.S. has fallen short of its ideals. How can we explain this to students-particularly in the context of discussing slavery? Professor Steven Thurston Oliver has this advice for teachers: Face your fears.
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Follow the money. Dr. Christy Clark-Pujara explains why American slavery couldn't have existed without a national commercial infrastructure that supported and benefited from the labor of enslaved people.
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Dr. Bethany Jay is back to talk about teaching the end of the Civil War, and how enslaved people's participation in the war helped subvert the institution of slavery.
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What really caused the Civil War? In this episode, Salem State University Professor Bethany Jay offers tips for teaching lesser-known history that clarifies this question and cuts through our cloudy national understanding of the Confederacy.
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What we don't know about American history hurts us all. Teaching Hard History begins with the long and brutal legacy of chattel slavery and reaches through the victories of and violent responses to the civil rights movement to the present day.

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Teaching the Indigenous Stories with Dignity and Truth

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Teaching the Indigenous Stories with Dignity and Truth

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Redleaf Press
Pub Date: 2002
ISBN: 9781929610259
Guy W. Jones, Sally Moomaw

(click icon for large image)

by Guy W. Jones & Sally Moomaw

How do you help young children learn more about Native Americans than the cultural stereotypes found in children's books and in the media?

Lessons from Turtle Island is the first complete guide to exploring Native American issues with children. The authors--one Native, one white, both educators--show ways to incorporate authentic learning experiences about Native Americans into your curriculum. This book is organized around five cross-cultural themes: Children, Home, Families, Community, and the Environment. The authors present activities, from children's books they recommend, to develop skills in reading and writing, science, math, make-believe, art, and more. The book provides helpful guidelines and resource lists for selecting appropriate toys, children's books, music, and art, and also includes a family heritage project.

"[A] marvelous tool that should be in every American school." ~ Joseph Bruchac

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Lessons from Turtle Island: Native Curriculum in Early Childhood Classrooms

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Redleaf Press Pub Date: 2002 ISBN: 9781929610259 Guy W. Jones, Sally Moomaw (click icon for large image) How do you help young children learn more about Native Americans than the cultural stereotypes found in children's books and in the media? Lessons from Turtle Island is the first complete guide to exploring Native American issues with children.

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I am going to see if I could bring these texts or other books into my units next year to refresh and bring in other perspectives and themes. -Mary R.

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I am going to see if I could bring these texts or other books into my units next year to refresh and bring in other perspectives and themes. -Mary R.

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Where can you find diverse books? Right here! We've compiled the following list of sites that offer recommendations for diverse titles. Our list is not exhaustive, and we welcome suggestions ...

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Filter by "Kids Books" and "Identity and Culture"

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The Book Concierge is back with 380+ great reads, hand-picked by NPR staff and trusted critics.

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Why We Need Diverse Books Is No Longer Using the Term #OwnVoices June 6, 2021
Washington, DC - We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) will no longer use the term #OwnVoices to refer to children's literature or its authors and we have removed mentions of #OwnVoices from previously published blog posts. Moving forward, WNDB will use specific descriptions that authors use for themselves and their characters whenever possible (for example, "Korean American author," or "autistic protagonist").

#OwnVoices was created as a hashtag by author Corinne Duyvis in September 2015. It was originally intended as a shorthand book recommendation tool in a Twitter thread, for readers to recommend books by authors who openly shared the diverse identity of their main characters. The hashtag was never intended to be used in a broader capacity, but it has since expanded in its use to become a "catch all" marketing term by the publishing industry. Using #OwnVoices in this capacity raises issues due to the vagueness of the term, which has then been used to place diverse creators in uncomfortable and potentially unsafe situations. It is important to use the language that authors want to celebrate about themselves and their characters.

We Need Diverse Books believes in supporting diverse authors and their books, and we will continue to uplift their voices through our programming.

About We Need Diverse Books. We Need Diverse Books is a grassroots organization of children's book lovers that advocates essential changes in the publishing industry to produce and promote literature that reflects and honors the lives of all young people. It is our mission to put more books featuring diverse characters in the hands of all children. You can learn more about WNDB programs at www.diversebooks.org .
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Press Contact: Alaina Lavoie, alainalavoie@diversebooks.org

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Why We Need Diverse Books Is No Longer Using the Term #OwnVoices

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Why We Need Diverse Books Is No Longer Using the Term #OwnVoices June 6, 2021 Washington, DC - We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) will no longer use the term #OwnVoices to refer to ...