Zinn Education Project

Who Gets to Vote? Teaching About the Struggle for Voting Rights in the United States Unit with three lessons on voting rights, including the history of the struggle against voter suppression in the United States.

All of today's #tdih stories are part of long, ongoing struggle against white supremacy and for right to vote and representation.

Download 3-part lesson ⬇️ by high school teacher on long history of fight for voting rights, including in Reconstruction era.
www.zinnedproject.org/materials/te...

Erasing the Black Freedom Struggle

Our #TeachReconstruction campaign includes resources to #TeachOutsideTextbook about the people's history of the Reconstruction era and a national report on teaching of Reconstruction.

Check out the assessment of your state on full report below.
www.teachreconstructionreport.org

Dec. 9, 1872: P. B. S. Pinchback Becomes Governor P. B. S. Pinchback of Louisiana became the second Black governor in the United States.

"I demand simple justice"

3). #tdih 1872: P. B. S. Pinchback of Louisiana assumed impeached governor’s office.

He served the remaining month of his predecessor's term. #TeachReconstruction
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/pi...

Dec. 9, 1867: Georgia Constitutional Convention The Georgia Constitutional Convention was held with 33 African Americans and 137 white attendees.

2). #tdih

Dec. 9, 1867 Georgia Constitutional Convention was held with 33 African American and 137 white delegates.

They ratified 13th Amendment and wrote a new state constitution.

Read ⬇️, including words of Rep. Henry McNeal Turner (in painting).
zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/ge...

Crossing Ebenezer Creek Book — Historical fiction. By Tonya Bolden. 2017. 240 pages. A moving account of the Civil War massacre at Ebenezer Creek in Georgia.

1). Part 3 Introduce young people to history of Ebenezer Creek Massacre (#otd 1864) with YA book (for adults too) of historical fiction by Tonya Bolden via @bloomsburybooksus.bsky.social, "Crossing Ebenezer Creek."

Off limits by anti-CRT laws. #TeachTruth See ⬇️
www.zinnedproject.org/materials/cr...

Jan. 16, 1865: Special Field Order No. 15 Demands by Black ministers after the Ebenezer Creek Massacre led to the short-lived land distribution during Reconstruction known as Special Field Order No. 15.

1). Part 2

Public outcry about Ebenezer Creek Massacre (#tdih 1864) and demands by Black ministers led to short-lived land distribution known as Sherman’s Special Field Orders No. 15. #TeachReconstruction

Learn more and find lessons and K-12 books ⬇️
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/sp...

Dec. 9, 1864: Ebenezer Creek Massacre People who had escaped from slavery and were following the Union Army, were blocked from crossing the Ebenezer Creek, leading to their death.

#tdih Dec. 9: Three Reconstruction era stories. 🧵

1). #tdih 1864 Ebenezer Creek Massacre.

Part 1: People (incl. children) had escaped from slavery & were following Union Army.

They were blocked from crossing Ebenezer Creek, leading to their death. 💔
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/eb...

"Amid an onslaught of moves to ban the teaching of a full and accurate American history, many educators across the country are refusing to bend. They are bringing this history to students across the country, even in the states with the most restrictive laws." -- @jeannetheoharis.bsky.social ⬇️

Dec. 8, 1936: Gibbs v. Broome Leads to Pay Equity for Black Teachers In an attempt to gain pay equity for Black teachers in Maryland, William B. Gibbs Jr. became the lead plaintiff in the NAACP’s case for pay equity in Montgomery County, a case known as Gibbs v. Broome...

#tdih 1936

In an attempt to gain pay equity for Black teachers, William B. Gibbs Jr. bravely became lead plaintiff in NAACP’s case for pay equity in Montgomery County, Maryland.

Young Thurgood Marshall was lead attorney in the case.

Read ⬇️

www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/gi...

Dec. 7, 1874: Vicksburg Massacre White people attacked and killed many Black citizens who had organized for a Black sheriff to remain in office during the Vicksburg Massacre.

#tdih 1874 Vicksburg Massacre 💔

Whites attacked Black citizens who had organized to defend Peter Crosby.

Formerly enslaved and a Union army veteran, Crosby had been forced to resign from his elected role as sheriff. #TeachTruth #TeachReconstruction

Read ⬇️
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/vi...

What an absolutely inspiring night @zinnedproject.bsky.social This was BY FAR the coolest room of people I have ever been in. Teach truth!

Every Democrat going on air should take the first question and then say something like “Before I answer that I need to express my outrage and disgust at the president’s bigoted and vulgar insults about the Somali people. There is something seriously wrong with him. He is a sick man.”

Dec. 3, 1847: North Star Newspaper Launched Frederick Douglass and Martin Delany launched the abolitionist North Star newspaper.

#tdih 1847 Frederick Douglass & Martin Delany launched the abolitionist The North Star newspaper.

"It has long been our anxious wish to see . . . a printing-press and paper under the complete control & direction of the immediate victims of slavery & oppression.
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/no...

I can't stress enough that you should take every opportunity that comes your way to support your local public libraries. Many of them are currently struggling and are being DEFUNDED. Local action matters on this front. Don't sit back until those libraries are gone before taking ACTION.

A People's History of the United States was our history "textbook" senior year of high school ~ IB ~ and it was pivotal experience.

Double Your Giving Tuesday Donation Thanks to the generous support of Dave Colapinto, donations made through Giving Tuesday (Dec. 2) will be DOUBLED up to $10,000.

When young people learn people's history, including stories posted here, they make more informed decisions, ask questions, & take collective action to shape a just future.

That's why the right suppresses education.

Join us. Provide free lessons & classes, & defend teachers right to use them. ⬇️

Dec. 2, 1859: John Brown Executed Abolitionist John Brown was executed by the state of Virginia for leading the infamous Harpers Ferry Raid.

"I believe that to have interfered as I have done — as I have always freely admitted I have done — in behalf of His despised poor, was not wrong, but right." -- abolitionist John Brown, executed #tdih 1859

Read about Brown + the other Harpers Ferry Raiders ⬇️
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/jo...

Dec. 2, 1980: Three Nuns and Lay Worker Killed in El Salvador Three nuns and a lay worker were killed in El Salvador by members of the U.S.-backed National Guard.

#tdih 1980, three nuns (Ita Ford, Maura Clarke, and Dorothy Kazel) & one lay worker (Jean Donovan) were abducted, raped, & murdered 💔 in El Salvador by members of U.S. backed National Guard.

Reagan administration blamed the nuns for their own murder.

Read ⬇️
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/nu...

Interactive AIDS Quilt The National AIDS Memorial, through a partnership with the AIDS Quilt Touch team, presents all 48,000 panels of the AIDS Memorial Quilt in an interactive experience People around the world can experie...

#tdih December 1st World AIDS Day

Check out the interactive site to view the AIDS Memorial Quilt below.

There are roughly 50,000 panels dedicated to more than 110,000 individuals in this community arts project.

www.aidsmemorial.org/interactive-...

The People’s Historian: The Outsized Life of Howard Zinn Book — Non-fiction. By Dave Zirin. 2026. 400 pages. A biography of iconic radical historian Howard Zinn, examining his life and work as a progressive icon and thought leader through the story of the t...

"The People’s Historian: The Outsized Life of Howard Zinn" is ready for pre-order!

Researched and written by Dave Zirin @edgeofsports.bsky.social, the new biography of @zinndigital.bsky.social will be released by Penguin Random House in August of 2026.
www.zinnedproject.org/materials/th...

Dec. 1, 1955: Rosa Parks Refuses to Give Up Her Seat Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama.

#tdih 1955 Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery. One of countless actions in decades of protests of racism on public transportation (incl. Claudette Colvin & others earlier that year).

Women's Political Council mobilized boycott. ⬇️
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/ro...

Nov. 30, 1924: Shirley Chisholm Born Born on this day, Shirley Chisholm was the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress

"Conservatives desire to pry the lid off the coffin & so our confrontation must be against the grave robbers. Our coalition has got to keep the lid nailed down tight & wheels of progress turning." -- Shirley Chisholm, born #tdih 1924, Brooklyn. Early childhood teacher, Congresswoman, & much more. ⬇️

Nearer My Freedom: The Interesting Life of Olaudah Equiano by Himself Book — Non-fiction. By Monica Edinger and Lesley Younge. 2023. 216 pages. The story of Olaudah Equiano, from his childhood in Africa to his capture, enslavement, and eventual liberation.

How do we know exact number of people murdered in Zong Massacre?

Because of white supremacy and capitalism.

Ship owners filed an insurance claim to profit from the dead.

It might have been paid if not for Olaudah Equiano, who learned of the crime. The case went to court.

Mid/high school book ⬇️

Nov. 29, 1781: Zong Massacre During the Zong Massacre, a ship captain ordered that 54 enslaved Africans be thrown overboard and killed.

#tdih 1781, 132 Africans were killed in horrific mass murder by the British crew on the Zong ship. 💔

132 people.

132 people.

132 people with families, life stories, knowledge, experiences, dreams.

#terrorism #reparations (Featured in film "Belle".)
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/zo...

Colorado Experience | Sand Creek Massacre | Season 2 | Episode 210 Colorado Experience revisits the horrific events of the Sand Creek Massacre.

In contemporary Colorado, Colonel in charge of Sand Creek Massacre, John Chivington, has a town named for him and Gov. at time, John Evans, had a mountain named for him (until 2023).

Watch doc on Sand Creek via @pbs.org. Streaming ⬇️ #TeachTruth
www.pbs.org/video/colora...

Nov. 29, 1864: Sand Creek Massacre A Colorado Cavalry unit, on orders from Colorado’s governor and ignoring a surrender flag, brutally attacked Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes. White abolitionist Silas Soule was assassinated for reporting ...

#tdih 1864, U.S. Army, ignoring flag of peace & agreements, massacred Cheyenne & Arapaho in Sand Creek Massacre.

Captain Soule, an abolitionist, ordered his troops not to fire & later testified about event. He was assassinated.

⬇️ & Zong Massacre in 🧵💔#terrorism
zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/sa...

Erasing History: How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future Book — Non-fiction. By Jason Stanley. 2024. 256 pages. A global call to action for those who wish to preserve democracy — in the United States and abroad — before it is too late.

In light of Stephen Miller's textbook fascist remarks about immigration, we recommend reading Jason Stanley's "Erasing History: How Fascists Control the Past, Rewrite the Past to Control the Future."

Addresses urgent need to defend #FreedomtoLearn

See ⬇️

www.zinnedproject.org/materials/er...

Double Your Giving Tuesday Donation Thanks to the generous support of Dave Colapinto, donations made through Giving Tuesday (Dec. 2) will be DOUBLED up to $10,000.

We need your support.

Help us provide many more people's history lessons to #TeachOutsideTextbook for free to educators.

All donations on this #GivingTuesday will be doubled (up to $10,000) thanks to generous support of
@dcolapinto.bsky.social.

Donate ⬇️
www.zinnedproject.org/news/double-...

Repair: Students Design a Reparations Bill In this activity, students take on the role of activist-experts to improve upon a Congressional bill for reparations for Black people.

Reparations for African Americans are absent from most U.S. history textbooks. Therefore, Ursula Wolfe-Rocca wrote a gr. 7+ lesson.

Students design a reparations bill for a mock congressional hearing.

Read⬇️ (Note: All lessons at ZEP site are free.)
www.zinnedproject.org/materials/st...

My Face Is Black Is True: Callie House and the Struggle for Ex-Slave Reparations Callie House and the Struggle for Ex-Slave Reparations

Read about Callie House and the National Ex-Slave Mutual Relief, Bounty, and Pension Association (first convention #otd 1898) in "My Face Is Black Is True" by Dr. Mary Frances Berry. ⬇️
bookshop.org/a/7256/97803...