Black history is culture. Black history is innovation. Black history is collective struggle. Black history is triumph. Black history is joy. Black history is our past and present. Teach Black history to illuminate Black people’s humanity as well as the ways they have indelibly influenced every aspect of this nation.
The following tips and resources can help students develop a nuanced understanding of Black history.
Teach Black history all year, not only in February. Black history IS American history and cannot be confined to one month, one week, or one moment.
Teach about the brilliance of Black people. Through literature, activism, innovation, politics, the arts, and more, the contributions of Black people, past and present, profoundly impact the nation and the world.
Teach students about the social, political, and economic injustices in the United States that Black people continue to navigate while also working to improve. Black people continue to advocate for the common good in ways that strengthen our democracy.
Break the cycle of teaching black history as a set of canned narratives limited to the teachings of select, over-simplified events and people. Black history does not begin with slavery, peak with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement, and end with President Obama’s historic election. Black history is not defined by suffering and overcoming obstacles. Teach Black history now and all year to help students deeply understand the resistance, resilience, contributions, experiences, and perspectives of Black people.
Resources
Educator’s Guides and Resources for Teaching books by Carole Boston Weatherford
National Museum of African American History & Culture (NMAAHC) - Celebrating Black History
Teaching Tolerance - Black History Month: Teaching the Complete History
Facing History and Ourselves - Black History Month Resource Collection