Teaching for Change

On a MOVE: Repairing Histories of State Violence Activist Mike Africa Jr. and scholar Dr. Krystal Strong will discuss the story of the MOVE organization, repairing histories of state violence, and the "On a MOVE" curriculum project. This session is ...

We'll see you next month. Invite your friends!

www.zinnedproject.org/news/on-a-mo...

American Grammar: Race, Education, and the Building of a Nation Book — Non-fiction. By Jarvis R. Givens. 2025. 464 pages. A new history of U.S. education through the nineteenth century that rigorously accounts for Black, Native, and white experiences.

Add this one too
www.zinnedproject.org/materials/am...

Fugitive Pedagogy: Carter G. Woodson and the Art of Black Teaching Book — Non-fiction. By Jarvis R. Givens. 2021. 320 pages. Details the long assault on Black education that occurred from the period of enslavement through the life of one of the founders of the Black ...

www.zinnedproject.org/materials/fu...

Here's another reading list inspired by the Teach the Black Freedom Sr

Be sure to add I'll Make Me A World: The 100-Year Journey of Black History Month to your reading list and include these other gems by Jarvis Givens:

📘Fugitive Pedagogy: Carter G. Woodson and the Art of Black Teaching

Black Teachers: A Pedagogy of Organized Resistance Historians Jarvis Givens and Imani Perry discussed the Black Teacher Archive, a digital portal centralizing materials created by professional organizations of African American educators, historically ...

Check out another conversation with historians Jarvis Givens and Imani Perry on the Black Teacher Archive.
www.zinnedproject.org/news/black-t...

💎 Uplifting Nannie Helen Burroughs www.nps.gov/people/nanni...

💎Lots of talk about learning and unlearning and thinking critically when looking at our history.

💎We talked about the book bans; how history is controlled, edited, deleted, and modified over time and community to community and more.

💎We discussed making sure that Black women's intellectual and social labor is a central part of the story told, instead just as adjunct.

💎Many of us commented about the importance of uplifting the unknown people who contribute and organize.

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We're close to the end of our time together, but we take a moment to engage with the content in small groups. What stood out? How are we thinking about teaching this content?

Here are some nuggets from these conversations.

I'll Make Me a World: The 100-Year Journey of Black History Month Book — Non-fiction. By Jarvis R. Givens. 2026. 208 pages. At a time when Black history is under attack, this book offers an inspiring vision for how it can still be a source of power, truth, and possi...

"I'll Make Me A World: The 100-Year Journey of Black History Month" centers the names and experiences of everyday Black people, those who have often been excluded from dominant historical narratives.

www.zinnedproject.org/materials/il...

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Givens argues that narratives like, "We got the shortest month of the year . . . " erases the labor and historic context of what was CHOSEN by collective advocacy to be intentional about when Black history is celebrated.

Teaching With Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All An interactive activity to learn about the leading role of Black women in the fight for voting rights throughout U.S. history.

It's important to center the long arch of historical memory that was celebrated by community before these dates were formalized. Individuals like Mary Church Terrell.

Learn more and teach about Church Terrell and others.
www.zinnedproject.org/materials/te...

Sept. 9, 1915: The Association for the Study of African American Life and History ASALH was established by Carter G. Woodson and Jesse E. Moorland.

The Association for the Study of African American Live and History (@asalh-bhm.bsky.social ) was founded in Chicago, Illinois on September 9, 1915 by Carter G. Woodson and Jesse E. Moorland.

www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/AS...

Carter G. Woodson Timeline | ASALH - The Founders of Black History Month Known as the “Father of Black History,” Woodson (1875-1950) was the son of former slaves and understood the importance of gaining a proper education when striving to secure and maximize one’s divine r...

As we begin to center this 100-year journey of Black History Month, it's important for us to know who Carter G. Woodson is, as the intellectual and his efforts before Negro History Week was founded. asalh.org/carter-g-woo...

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⏰It's time y'all! Tonight's @zinnedproject.bsky.social Teach the Black Freedom Struggle online class with historian Jarvis Givens is underway with folks among our 170,000 educators zooming in from Alameda, CA, Chicago, Illinois, Washington, D.C. and more!

#EduSky Class is back in session tonight! Stay tuned to this 🧵 for our takeaways and live commentary.

B&W portrait of person sitting in front of "Strike!" poster and book shelves. Text: Howard ZInn 1922-2010. "I leave you with the idea that we’re not alone, and that there are people all over the world and people in this country who do not accept the idea of a special dispensation to do whatever we want in the world. And they will insist on human equality of people everywhere." —Howard Zinn, “The Myth of American Exceptionalism,” 2005

On the anniversary of Howard Zinn's death in 2010, we share updates about forthcoming books, a new film, online classes, booth displays, performances, and events that carry forward Zinn’s legacy of activism.

More in the newsletter sent 2-4x/year. Subscribe at www.howardzinn.org/contact-sign-up/

Black History Is for Everyone with Brian Jones — D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice TFC Event | Join Teaching for Change at Busboys & Poets for a conversation with author and educator Brian Jones.

If you are in the D.C. metro area, join our @dcaesj.bsky.social at @busboysandpoets.bsky.social (14 & V) for an in-person conversation with @brianjoneseducator.bsky.social and @edgeofsports.bsky.social .

www.dcareaeducators4socialjustice.org/events/black...

I’ll Make Me a World: The 100-Year Journey of Black History Month Historian Jarvis Givens discusses his book, I’ll Make Me a World: The 100-Year Journey of Black History Month. This session is part of the Zinn Education Project’s Teach the Black Freedom Struggle onl...

Be sure to join us next week! www.zinnedproject.org/news/100-yea...

YouTube video by Andrew Dykes - The Blues Man - Topic You Can't Erase the Blues

All good things must come to an end. A powerful outro is offered as we depart this evening that is salient to this conversation through the music of Andrew Dykes.

youtu.be/s4RRtd096iw?...

Speaking to this moment, @brianjoneseducator.bsky.social offers hope, "We have to take care of each other, and sometimes that means we have to have spaces outside that are unofficial spaces.

Where people can nurture their thoughts and ideas [much like these Black freedom struggle classes.]"

💎Teachers are planning celebrations for Frederick Douglass’ birthday.

💎Teachers are teaching using timelines of Black liberation struggles.

💎"We talked about how racism is an ongoing project--not a natural event."

and more!

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After brief breakout diving a little deeper into how we are teaching this content from "Blac History Is For Everyone," or if there was a moment from the conversation that stood out, we are back! But here are some gems that folks are gleaning from our breakouts.

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When speaking of the Haitian Revolution, @brianjoneseducator.bsky.social highlights that "These revolutionaries are people who remembered another way to live."

How American oligarchs created the concept of race to divide and conquer the poor A high school teacher reveals the short but destructive history of race in America.

Lessons and resources highlighted to help teach this (⬆️) history:
📒Bill Bigelow's lesson based on those colonial laws -- -https://www.zinnedproject.org/materials/color-line-colonial-laws

📒Julian Hipkins teaching the lesson on colonial laws www.washingtonpost.com/local/how-we...

@jessehagopian.bsky.social notes, "When you teach young people about Bacon's rebellion and how race was developed out of that, it unlocks their world around them today in a way that's not possible without understanding that history."

@brianjoneseducator.bsky.social posits that Bacon's Rebellion should be taught alongside the American Revolution and the Civil War as a crucial turning point in this country's history.

@brianjoneseducator.bsky.social is jumping right in making the case for why this book is so central to this moment right now.

"We're on the strongest possible footing.
When we approach questions about the United States as a nation, race, Blackness historically."

The Tuskegee Student Uprising: A History A History

Another book by @brianjoneseducator.bsky.social has authored is "The Tuskegee Student Uprising." bookshop.org/a/7256/97814...