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Elizabeth Todd-Breland

@etoddbreland.bsky.social

Educator, Historian (US, Urban, Black Politics, Education, Policy, Chicago), Former CPS Board VP; Books: I Didn't Come Here to Lie (Haymarket, 2025); A Political Education (UNC Press, 2018); personal account; she/her

326 Followers  |  292 Following  |  88 Posts  |  Joined: 19.02.2025
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Posts by Elizabeth Todd-Breland (@etoddbreland.bsky.social)

β€œThe children are always ours, every single one of them, all over the globe; and I am beginning to suspect that whoever is incapable of recognizing this may be incapable of morality.”

James Baldwin

28.02.2026 21:44 β€” πŸ‘ 2946    πŸ” 1161    πŸ’¬ 10    πŸ“Œ 0

β€œFascism, it’s always about using nationalism, and the nation, as a bludgeon to generate support for death policies, on behalf of death governments. For violence and repression and exploitation, internationalism is the antidote, always.” β€”Robin D. G. Kelley

28.02.2026 20:45 β€” πŸ‘ 222    πŸ” 90    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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We Must Defend Black History β€” It Fuels Freedom Dreams of Students Under Attack Historian Elizabeth Todd-Breland discusses how schools have become a key site of struggle amid rising fascism in the US.

New interview on the last day of Black History Month! Thanks to @truthout.org & George Yancy for reaching out! @haymarketbooks.org

truthout.org/articles/we-...

28.02.2026 20:23 β€” πŸ‘ 19    πŸ” 12    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Robin D. G. Kelley: It’s Not Enough to Abolish ICE β€” We Have to Abolish the Police β€œWhat’s happening now has happened before,” Kelley said, underscoring the anti-Blackness foundational to US fascism.

Premature death at the hands of armed agents of the state is merely a hazard of being Black in America. It’s not enough to β€œabolish ICE”; we have to abolish the police force and replace it with a radically different form of public safety.

26.02.2026 23:00 β€” πŸ‘ 285    πŸ” 116    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 5
Flyer for Author's talk and panel with Elizabeth Todd-Breland, Rep. Michael Crawford, Sekordri Ojo, And Raquel Flores-Clemons, 12pm @ Woodson Library 9525 S Halsted, image of book cover, head shots of participants, blue and white themes

Flyer for Author's talk and panel with Elizabeth Todd-Breland, Rep. Michael Crawford, Sekordri Ojo, And Raquel Flores-Clemons, 12pm @ Woodson Library 9525 S Halsted, image of book cover, head shots of participants, blue and white themes

full flyer with information about the event. Including book cover image, Todd-Breland headshot, city of Chicago logo see details at https://chipublib.bibliocommons.com/events/69812b5a834cbb3dea2b253c

full flyer with information about the event. Including book cover image, Todd-Breland headshot, city of Chicago logo see details at https://chipublib.bibliocommons.com/events/69812b5a834cbb3dea2b253c

THIS Saturday 2/21 @12pm, Chicago Public Library, Woodson Branch: Book talk & panel w/ Karen Lewis's former students-Rep. Michael Crawford, Sekordri Ojo, Raquel Flores-Clemons- lifting Black Educators' power. Celebrate Black History Month with us!
chipublib.bibliocommons.com/events/69812...

18.02.2026 17:21 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Rev. Jesse Jackson, a symbol of Black politics and Black America, dies at 84 Jackson may have been the most recognizable civil rights icon the past half century, but his journey always led him right back to the South Side of Chicago.

www.wbez.org/obituary/202...

17.02.2026 15:58 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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What’s the first Chicago school named in honor of a Black person? Many of Chicago’s oldest schools are named after white men. The first one named after a Black person goes back to the 1930s.

This was fun! Thank you @arionne.bsky.social @wbez.org & Happy Black History Month!β€οΈπŸ–€πŸ’š www.wbez.org/curious-city...

11.02.2026 23:14 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Yesssss!

10.02.2026 16:13 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
screen shot of film shown in the exhibit "Nuestra Comunidad Lincoln Park" with overlays of old maps, images of people marching at a protest, a woman holding a child, members of the young lords, a woman sitting

screen shot of film shown in the exhibit "Nuestra Comunidad Lincoln Park" with overlays of old maps, images of people marching at a protest, a woman holding a child, members of the young lords, a woman sitting

two black and white photographs in frames. The top one: Image of a press conference with 7 people (4 sitting at a table with. microphones) from the Black Panther Party, Young Lords, and Young Patriots--incl. Fred Hampton and ChCha Jimenez
Bottom photo: image of a protest march on the street with someone holding a sign that says: Today, the Panthers, Tomorrow, You. Stop Repression now

two black and white photographs in frames. The top one: Image of a press conference with 7 people (4 sitting at a table with. microphones) from the Black Panther Party, Young Lords, and Young Patriots--incl. Fred Hampton and ChCha Jimenez Bottom photo: image of a protest march on the street with someone holding a sign that says: Today, the Panthers, Tomorrow, You. Stop Repression now

colorful mural with flags and people, including young lords facing off against police with 1966 patches (year of the "Division St Riot")

colorful mural with flags and people, including young lords facing off against police with 1966 patches (year of the "Division St Riot")

"Renewal Programs on Chicago's North Side" a City of Chicago map of Lincoln Park with plans for urban renewal

"Renewal Programs on Chicago's North Side" a City of Chicago map of Lincoln Park with plans for urban renewal

Visited Jacqueline LazΓΊ's powerful exhibit--Tengo Lincoln Park en mi CorazΓ³n:Young Lords in Chicago--before it closed yesterday(on Benito Bowl Sunday)! On Puerto Rican organizing & displacement in Chicago & struggles for health care, housing & self-determination--lots to be inspired by & learn from!

09.02.2026 22:30 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Reporting is not a crime!

30.01.2026 19:04 β€” πŸ‘ 48    πŸ” 16    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Flyer (in shades of red, brown, and pink) for I Didn't Come Here to Lie Book Talk with Elizabeth Todd-Breland in collaboration with the Working Women's History Project, Saturday January 31st at 2pm at Call & Response Books, 1390 E Hyde Park Blvd, RSVP at www.callandresponsechi.com/pages/events. Includes headshot of Elizabeth Todd-Breland and over image of the book with picture of Karen Lewis in a red CTU shirt with her hands raised

Flyer (in shades of red, brown, and pink) for I Didn't Come Here to Lie Book Talk with Elizabeth Todd-Breland in collaboration with the Working Women's History Project, Saturday January 31st at 2pm at Call & Response Books, 1390 E Hyde Park Blvd, RSVP at www.callandresponsechi.com/pages/events. Includes headshot of Elizabeth Todd-Breland and over image of the book with picture of Karen Lewis in a red CTU shirt with her hands raised

THIS Saturday Jan. 31st @ 2pm join me & the Working Women’s History Project to discuss Karen Lewis's memoir at my favorite Black woman-owned bookstore in Hyde Parkβ€”Call & Response Books! Event is FREE, but you can reserve a book ahead of time here: www.eventbrite.com/e/book-talk-...

29.01.2026 16:59 β€” πŸ‘ 30    πŸ” 9    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1

It’s easy to forget since he’s still a high public official but Homan straight up took $50,000 in cash from undercover agents on camera and then nothing happened

29.01.2026 14:53 β€” πŸ‘ 5765    πŸ” 1900    πŸ’¬ 129    πŸ“Œ 64
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The Martin Luther KingΒ Jr. We Don’t Know His work with gang members in Chicago shows how much he valued the part played by young people in the Black freedom struggle.

Grateful to @hammerandhope.bsky.social for recognizing the importance of Dr. King's work with Chicago gangs. Blackstone Rangers leader Jeff Fort stressed what a good listener King was β€”and how he saw their potential for community leadership & organization. hammerandhope.org/article/mart...

28.01.2026 12:58 β€” πŸ‘ 14    πŸ” 7    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

NO FEDERAL SCHOOL VOUCHERS FOR ILLINOIS is front page news!

Vouchers are bad education policyβ€”they hurt equity and fund discrimination without improving academic outcomes.

Vouchers lack the accountability and oversight provided by public school systems.

#publicfundspublicschools

28.01.2026 15:55 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Federal troop deployments to US cities cost taxpayers $496M and counting The Trump administration's deployment of federal troops to six U.S. cities has cost taxpayers about $496 million through December.

Tell everyone you know

HALF A BILLION $

apnews.com/article/trum...

28.01.2026 23:59 β€” πŸ‘ 410    πŸ” 259    πŸ’¬ 5    πŸ“Œ 34
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What America Lost When It Lost Mother Fletcher With nearly all of the victims of the Tulsa Race Massacre now dead, the country must find other ways to rectify its wrongs.

The survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre β€œbecame, late in life, the subject of national recognition, because that’s what America is good atβ€”celebrating survivors of the harm the country allowed, not compensating for the misfortune it has caused.”

29.01.2026 00:02 β€” πŸ‘ 443    πŸ” 145    πŸ’¬ 4    πŸ“Œ 2

So appreciate our mayor’s @mayorofchicago.bsky.social steadfastness moral clarity in this moment!

28.01.2026 16:54 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Almost every reason people have for defunding or abolishing ICE is also a reason to defund or abolish the police, yet many people who are rightly calling for action against ICE would never come close to doing to the same for police. But this fight goes beyond just ICE. ICE represents a larger issue.

27.01.2026 02:20 β€” πŸ‘ 560    πŸ” 195    πŸ’¬ 6    πŸ“Œ 2
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Video from this morning shows ICE agents deploying tear gas outside a Minneapolis preschool as parents shout, β€œThis is a preschool! There’s kids here!”

27.01.2026 17:53 β€” πŸ‘ 7792    πŸ” 4175    πŸ’¬ 483    πŸ“Œ 922

I think a lot of us get hope wrong. Hope, I do not believe, is an emotion. In fact, hope makes space for lots of emotions to exist alongside it. You can DO hope scared, angry, sad etc...

Hope doesn't find us. We make hope through action and struggle. It's a practice of living and is re-made daily.

25.01.2026 02:05 β€” πŸ‘ 5166    πŸ” 1811    πŸ’¬ 62    πŸ“Œ 0

I've been studying the history of US, and indeed, global policing my whole career and I can't make it more clear to law makers that this isn't a bastardization of policing, it is its purest form and logical conclusion. The impunity, militarization, deference, legitimacy, racial targeting, etc.

25.01.2026 02:20 β€” πŸ‘ 2660    πŸ” 825    πŸ’¬ 16    πŸ“Œ 20
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in case you're curious about how angry Minnesota is about ICE, it was -20 today

24.01.2026 00:38 β€” πŸ‘ 50084    πŸ” 14422    πŸ’¬ 970    πŸ“Œ 853

Minneapolis you are an inspiration

23.01.2026 22:24 β€” πŸ‘ 325    πŸ” 63    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1
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Minneapolis’s 2020 Uprising Laid an Abolitionist Groundwork for ICE Resistance The George Floyd uprising laid foundations for the politicized networks of care that are organizing against ICE now.

Minneapolis's anti-ICE organizing grew, in part, from seeds planted in the 2020 uprising. And as Minneapolis organizers @jonathanstegall.bsky.social & @annekosseffjones.bsky.social write, "By protecting our neighbors from ICE, we are practicing abolition."

truthout.org/articles/min...

24.01.2026 03:05 β€” πŸ‘ 108    πŸ” 45    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

So all colleges and universities will bring back the DEI stuff they cut when obeying in advance right...............................................................................................................................................right?

21.01.2026 19:42 β€” πŸ‘ 1060    πŸ” 392    πŸ’¬ 8    πŸ“Œ 8

And makes Higher Ed’s preemptive compliance all the more egregious

22.01.2026 02:57 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I’m sharing this video again because people don’t really get what these data centers and ai are doing to our planet and our communities. Especially Black communities because they were strategically placed there.

I need you to listen to these people.
STOP USING AI. STOP SUPPORTING AI.

20.01.2026 23:16 β€” πŸ‘ 9262    πŸ” 6846    πŸ’¬ 53    πŸ“Œ 148
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β€œAlways More Than a Label”: 8 Ways to Be Like King for the Struggle Todayβ€”Coretta Scott King, That Is Investigative reporting about corporate malfeasance and government wrongdoing, analysis of national and world affairs, and cultural criticism that matters.

8 ways to be like King for the struggle todayβ€”Coretta Scott King, that is
β€”by @jeannetheoharis.bsky.social @inthesetimes.com with incredible art by Howard Barry
inthesetimes.com/article/mlk-...

19.01.2026 03:49 β€” πŸ‘ 19    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 2
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On embracing the β€˜urgency of now’ and unconditional love on MLK Day People across the US are moving on from the empty platitudes MLK Day often evokes – and embodying King’s words

My latest for the Guardian...Happy MLK!

On embracing the β€˜urgency of now’ and unconditional love on MLK Day www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

19.01.2026 14:45 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
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Opinion | In Minneapolis, I Glimpsed a Civil War

β€œthe federal agents flooding this city, like the president,…have misjudged the ground beneath their feet: a state full of ordinary people…who’ve decided that watching their neighbors being dragged away is an intolerable sin. β€œ www.nytimes.com/2026/01/19/o...

19.01.2026 15:27 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0