Zinn Education Project

"Each day...someone has to die so that President Nixon won't be, and these are his words, 'the first President to lose a war.'...How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?"

— John Kerry before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, 1971

Picture of green feather with text around edge GREEN FEATHER MOVEMENT. More info: zinnedproject.org | union bug

In response to current attempts to ban books & people's history lessons, we offer Green Feather stickers to invite discussions about need to resist censorship in schools today.

Scroll to request & donation form on this page:
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/gr...
#TeachTruth #TeachOutsideTextbook

More than McCarthyism: The Attack on Activism Students Don’t Learn About from Their Textbooks By Ursula Wolfe-Rocca In legislatures across the country, Republican lawmakers are introducing bills to curtail what educators — in public schools and universities — can say and teach about racism and...

Textbooks obscure long, continuous history of Red Scare & targeted attack on labor & Black freedom struggles. They reduce it to one unscrupulous demagogue, ignoring role of admin/media (sound familiar?) & the Hollywood 10.

Read by @ladyofsardines.bsky.social ⬇️
www.zinnedproject.org/if-we-knew-o...

The Long History of Conservative Indoctrination in Florida Schools The top educational priorities in the Sunshine State were apparently reading, writing, and anti-communism.

When teaching U.S. history, explore long history & true purpose of the Red Scare & resistance.

Read Professor Tera Hunter's article in @thenation.com on Florida HS course called “Americanism vs. Communism.” ⬇️

Were you required to take similar course? Let us know.
www.thenation.com/article/poli...

Bernard Bray, who later taught at Talladega College, said he was inspired to take action based on Baptist Fellowship youth group discussions of burning social issues; influence of hearing from seminarian who was jailed for refusal to participate in WWII; & the religious convictions of his parents.

Photo of man with white beard and green beret, red brick wall behind him. Wearing a green feather button.

In face of Red Scare today, we can learn from 5 brave IU students.

They dyed chicken feathers green (not easy) & spread them around IU campus to protest censorship and McCarthyism.

Movement spread nationally.

One of the 5, Bernard Bray, interviewed by ZEP ➡️: www.zinnedproject.org/materials/th...

March 1, 1954: The Green Feather Movement Launched Five students from Indiana University at Bloomington (IU) started the Green Feather Movement to protest censorship.

#tdih 1954: Green Feather Movement launched.

Creative student effort to expose & resist #RedScare attempt by Indiana Textbook Commission to ban Robin Hood from all school books for "promoting communism because he stole from the rich to give to the poor." 🧵 ⬇️
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/gr...

I think the last time the USA created regime change solely through bombing was in Cambodia, when a massive carpet bombing campaign so destabilized the country that the Khmer Rouge came to power and wiped out the Royal government—the American ally. Genocide followed.

A wonderful cartoonist, Benjamin Slyngstad @slyngstad.bsky.social

MAGA is killing people for power and profit.

White and orange text on blue backround: "There is no flag large enough to cover the shame [nor the crime] of killing innocent people." -- Howard Zinn HowardZinn.org

"There is no flag large enough to cover the shame [nor the crime] of killing innocent people." -- Howard Zinn, @zinndigital.bsky.social

Aug. 19, 1953: U.S. and Britain Topple Democratically Elected Government of Iran Democratically elected Iranian Premier Mohammad Mossadegh was removed from power in a coup.

Today: US-Israeli strike on a girls’ elem. school in Minab, Iran. Death toll 80+ 💔

1953: US & Britain orchestrated a coup d’etat that toppled the democratically elected gov't. of Iran. Shah took power & signed over 40% of Iran’s oil fields to U.S. companies.
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/ir...

“How many of these gentle people have I helped to kill just by paying my taxes?" June Jordan, 1984

Feb. 28, 1997: Teachers Suspended for Chicano Studies Lessons Nadine and Patsy Córdova were targets of a white supremacist campaign after teaching ethnic studies through resources like 500 Years of Chicano History and sponsoring the school’s first chapter of MEC...

Attacks on teaching honestly throughout U.S history.

Including #tdih 1997 when Cordova sisters were suspended (& later fired) for teaching Chicano studies, engaging students in critical literacy, & using materials from Learning for Justice of @splcenter.org ⬇️
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/co...

A Nationwide Book Ban Bill Has Been Introduced in the House of Representatives Hours after the State of the Union address, House republicans introduced legislation banning LGBTQ+ books from public schools nationwide.

Following the lies and hatred targeting trans folks during the State of the Union Address, numerous republican House representatives introduced a bill that would create A NATIONWIDE BOOK BAN.

Here's what it is and what to do: bookriot.com/hr7661-book-...

Slide 3 The resources are so thoughtful and far better than anything else I’ve found. — Berthoud, Colorado I teach about the Black Panther Party every year, and I am looking for more resources — Memphis, Tennessee I want access to engaging lessons that expose students to different perspectives on historical events. — Senoia, Georgia I hope to use the resources on teaching COINTELPRO as part of my new social studies curriculum. — San Francisco, California

"The resources are so thoughtful and far better than anything else I’ve found." — Berthoud, Colorado

Donate so we can support more teachers with free people’s history lessons, here: www.zinnedproject.org/donate/

Slide 2 To unravel the mysteries of history for my students! — Farmington, Connecticut For resources to teach about U.S. involvement in Vietnam. — Lake Forest Park, Washington I love this website and find it imperative to my students’ (and my) success. — Seattle, Washington I’m interested in educational resources beyond those offered by traditional school curricula. — North Miami, Florida

Despite & in response to the EO's censoring teaching honestly, teachers are bravely signing up in greater numbers to access people’s history lessons.

They recognize that young people need to learn from history so that they can see clearly the root causes of the crises today and shape a just future.

Slide 1 I love this stuff. A colleague recommended it to me. — Cincinnati, Ohio I teach a course on suppressed history and these materials seem helpful. — Round Rock, Texas I am in a Teaching Palestine book group and want more support and resources. — Northampton, Massachusetts I’m looking for lessons and resources that help middle school students think critically about race, class, and the law, and to help them envision a better future. — Chicago, Illinois

#FridayReport

This week 218 teachers signed up at ZEP for people’s history lessons from Berthoud, CO; Farmington, CT; North Miami, FL; Senoia, GA; Chicago, IL; Northampton, MA; Cincinnati, OH; Memphis, TN; Round Rock, TX; Lake Forest Park & many more.

#TeachTruth

Some reasons why. ⬇️ 🧵

Feb. 27, 1960: McKenney Library Sit-in In attempt to end segregation at the William R. McKenney Central Library in Petersburg, Virginia, a group of African American students held a sit-in.

#TDIH 1960 To challenge segregation at McKenney Central Library in Petersburg, Virginia, African American college students bravely held a sit-in.

Many were arrested. They organized more.

Elected reps & others could do same today, in federal buildings & beyond.
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/mc...

Feb. 24, 1969: Tinker v. Des Moines Case Wins Free Speech Rights for Students The Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in Tinker v. Des Moines that students do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.”

Thank you for your comment. We've made that edit and it can now be found on our site:

www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/co...

Feb. 26, 1931: La Placita Raid Immigration agents raided La Placita Park where they arrested and deported dozens of Mexican Americans.

#tdih 1931: Immigration agents raided La Placita Park & arrested & deported dozens of Mexican Americans.

This was during an era when about 1.8 million adults & children became the targets of a massive campaign of forced relocation.

More info & free lesson ⬇️
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/la...

Aug. 30, 1967: People’s Tribunal in Detroit People’s Tribunal on killing of three young men at Algiers Motel in Detroit.

I am interested in learning more about people’s tribunals.

DMV #EduSky , do you have plans for dinner tonight?

Now you do. Dinner, collective learning, great company (invite your friends too) makes for a low lift Wednesday evening.

See you tonight!

Black Was the Ink Book — Fiction. By Michelle Coles. Illustrations by Justin Johnson. 2021. 368 pages. A powerful coming-of-age story and an eye-opening exploration of the Reconstruction era.

For young people, we recommend "Black Was the Ink" by Michelle Coles, @leeandlow.bsky.social.

Teenage protagonist time travels to Reconstruction era where he learns lessons from Black leaders (incl. Revels), relevant to contemporary fight to save family farm.
www.zinnedproject.org/materials/bl...

Quote and photo by middle school teacher Lois Hammond. (Update: Now teaching in Maryland.)

Hiram Revels' story is one of countless examples of why we need to #TeachReconstruction.

Check out our report: “Erasing the Black Freedom Struggle: How State Standards Fail to Teach the Truth About Reconstruction.”

See full report with state assessments & resources:
teachreconstructionreport.org

In a white supremacist attempt to prevent Revels from assuming his elected position, his opponents said that despite living in U.S. all his life, he could not be seated because Senate required 9 years of citizenship.

The 14th Amendment had passed only two years earlier. (Like MAGA's "birtherism")

Feb. 25, 1870: Hiram Revels Sworn into Office Hiram Revels was sworn into office as senator from Mississippi, becoming the first African American to serve in the U.S. Senate.

#tdih 1870, Hiram Revels was sworn into office as senator from Mississippi, becoming the first African American to serve in the U.S. Senate.

Do you know how many African Americans have served in the Senate to date? #TeachReconstruction

Read ⬇️ 🧵
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/hi...

Black History Is for Everyone with Brian Jones - Teaching for Change On Wednesday, February 25, educator Brian Jones, in conversation with Dave Zirin, will discuss his latest book Black History Is for Everyone, a look at how the study of Black history challenges our un...

D.C. area friends.

Join us tonight with @brianjoneseducator.bsky.social & @edgeofsports.bsky.social in person at @busboysandpoets.bsky.social (14th & V).

"The book pulses with love, insight, & possibility." -- Ruha Benjamin

Hosted by @teachingchange.bsky.social & BBP. Order from menu throughout.

Rep. Delia Ramirez in purple jacket in front of microphone. Poster with people's faces or candles behind her. Blue sign says The People's State of the Union. PBS News logo.

"This administration with their imperialistic, fascist, authoritarian agenda . . . will never silence us."

"The state of the resistance is strong."

"We will uphold our shared humanity from Chicago to Palestine to Congo. . . " -- Rep. Delia Ramirez from Chicago in the People's State of the Union

RIGHT NOW: lawmakers join grassroots activists for @moveon.org's People's State of the Union.

We are gathering together for our students, our families, and our democracy.