Zinn Education Project

Or ask, why focus on immigration enforcement at all? For a dep't in charge of "public security": what are real threats to public safety? What about: climate crisis, cancer causing plastics, toxins in water, school shootings, low pay, war, & more. Have students make list of real dangers & solutions.

Man in suit, standing outside in front of historic photo. Bernard Lafayette talks about his experiences as a Freedom Rider in front of the Freedom Rides Museum in Montgomery, Alabama, Feb. 5, 2020. photo from USA TODAY Network via Reuters

The next year in Mississippi, the state passed a “criminal syndicalism” law. Local authorities could arrest voting or labor rights activists for “terrorism.” (Sound familiar?)

These are the forces Lafayette bravely confronted. Read more by Charlie Cobb here:
www.zinnedproject.org/materials/ch...

Black and white photo of young man in a white shirt, holding a pen, and wearing glasses. Bernard LaFayette is pictured during a Freedom Riders planning session in Montgomery, Alabama in May 1961. Lee Lockwood/WSPI/Getty Images

Bernard Lafayette, ¡Presente!

In 1963 when Bernard & Colia Lafayette organized a mass meeting in Selma for voting rights, Sheriff Jim Clark burst in with deputies, armed with a warrant from the circuit judge to prevent “insurrection.” 🧵

See @sncclegacy.bsky.social: snccdigital.org/people/berna...

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.

History teachers: How are you contextualizing the U.S. war on Iran with your students? Consider covering the 1953 CIA coup overthrowing the democratically-elected Mossadegh government? Here is a good summary (with sources) from @zinnedproject.bsky.social. www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/ir...

I’m registering to get ideas for teaching Reconstruction. — Huntertown, Indiana To tie Grapes of Wrath to modern day climate refugees and migrant worker issues. — San Jose, California ZEP always comes up when searching for rigorous, high quality, engaging lesson plans for students. — Canaan, New Hampshire I’ve been teaching using A Young People’s History of the United States and my students are really engaged! — Santa Rosa, California

"ZEP always comes up when searching for rigorous, high quality, engaging lesson plans for students." — Canaan, New Hampshire

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

I want to be a better teacher. — Chula Vista, California I would love to use the lessons for How the Word Is Passed. — Detroit, Michigan I am currently teaching a unit on Palestine and Israel, and I would love to learn from the educators here who have developed curriculum on this topic. — Chicago, Illinois To bridge the gap between traditional curricula and the complex, honest narratives that shape our world. Elementary students are capable of — and deserve — an education that moves beyond mythology to explore real history. — Arvin, California

#Fridayreport

This week 206 teachers signed up at ZEP for people’s history lessons from Arvin, Chula Vista, San Jose, and San Rafael, CA; Chicago, IL; Huntertown, IN; Detroit, MI; Canaan, NH; & many more cities.

#TeachTruth

Some reasons why. ⬇️ 🧵

Text on blue background: Laws across the country are making criminals out of educators who teach this history. #TeachTruth

Many legislatures & the president have tried to criminalize teaching honestly. They ban "divisive concepts," including that U.S. is "fundamentally or systematically racist."

Under those EO's & laws, can teachers invite students to read & analyze Dred Scott ruling by U.S. Supreme Court? #TeachTruth

A People's History of the Supreme Court: The Men and Women Whose Cases and Decisions Have Shaped Our Constitution Book — Non-fiction. By Peter Irons. Foreword by Howard Zinn. 2006. 588 pages. A detailed and critical history of the Supreme Court.

Read book ⬆️, and:

-- Lerone Bennett Jr.'s "Before the Mayflower"

-- "A People’s History of the Supreme Court: The Men and Women Whose Cases and Decisions Have Shaped Our Constitution" by Peter Irons with two chapters on Dred Scott v. Sandford.
www.zinnedproject.org/materials/pe...

How African Americans Fought For & Won Birthright Citizenship 150 Years Before Trump Tried to End It As President Trump claims that he can end birthright citizenship in the United States, we speak with professor Martha Jones about the history of the 14th Amendment, which states, “All persons born or ...

Prof. Martha Jones @marthasjones.bsky.social, author of "Birthright Citizens," provides background on Dred Scott v. Sandford via @democracynow.org in "How African Americans Fought for & Won Birthright Citizenship 150 Years Before Trump Tried to End It."

Watch⬇️
www.democracynow.org/2018/10/31/h...

Complicity: How the North Promoted, Prolonged, and Profited from Slavery Book — Non-fiction. By Anne Farrow, Joel Lang and Jenifer Frank. 2005. 304 pages. Challenges the misconception that only the South was involved in or profited from slavery.

Note that Harriet and Dred Scott met at Fort Snelling in what is now the state of Minnesota.

➡️ The Scotts were enslaved on a U.S. military base by U.S. Army officers. ⬅️

This counters textbook focus on slavery being limited to the South and agriculture.
www.zinnedproject.org/materials/co...

Black and white drawing of two young Black girls (daughters of Dred and Harriet Scott). Head and shoulder, wearing dresses long sleeves and white collars.

Often left out of the traditional narrative is Harriet Scott, who filed a petition for freedom at the same time (April 6, 1846) and with same lawyer as her husband Dred Scott.

They were both deeply concerned for their two daughters (Eliza and Lizzie, below). #WomensHistoryMonth

March 6, 1857: Dred (and Harriet) Scott Decision The Supreme Court declared in horrific Dred Scott v. Sandford ruling that “Any person descended from Africans, whether slave or free, is not a citizen of U.S.”

#tdih 1857 SCOTUS declared in horrific 💔 Dred Scott v. Sandford ruling that:

"Any person descended from Africans, whether enslaved or free, is not a citizen of the U.S."

Lerone Bennett Jr. called it one of the decade's “three ominous developments.”

See ⬇️🧵
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/dr...

Teaching Historic and Contemporary Racism in Elementary Classrooms A teacher educator uses the excellent picture book That Flag to explore ways to address race and racism in the classroom.

For adult discussions too. Erin Green used it in her Texas teacher ed course. She read the book aloud and "reaching a particularly crucial moment in the story, I paused. 'How should teachers respond in a moment like this? What do you hope Ms. Greyson will do?'" rethinkingschools.org/articles/tea...

Feminist 250 America turns 250 this year. Who actually built this democracy? Founding Feminists centers the women and gender-nonconforming people written out of the origin story—from Phillis Wheatley to Ona Judge ...

For more resources to #TeachTruth about the American Revolution on this 250th anniversary, check out @msmagazine.com's Feminist 250 initiative.
msmagazine.com/feminist-250/

That Flag Picture Book. By Tameka Fryer Brown. Illustrated by Nikkolas Smith. 2023. 40 pages. Learn about the history of the Confederate flag, the myths and the reality, through the story of two young girls.

"That Flag" is brilliant. It introduces the Lost Cause narrative to young children, shows the critical roles parents & teachers can play in challenging white supremacy, & has an unresolved ending that makes clear how serious this topic is. No sugarcoating. ⬇️ www.zinnedproject.org/materials/th...

Wonderful article by our colleague Greg Wickenkamp about rural educators who, despite censorship campaigns and laws, "take pains to present history in all its complexity, encouraging students to develop their own informed stances through critical thinking." ⬇️ #TeachTruth

March 5, 1868: Impeachment Trial of Andrew Johnson Begins The impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson began in the Senate.

#tdih 1868 impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson began in U. S. Senate.

"The transubstantiation of Andrew Johnson was complete . . . the tragedy of American prejudice made flesh." -- W. E. B. Du Bois in "Black Reconstruction" #TeachTruth

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

“…the version of McCarthyism we offer our students should restore the powerful and inspiring stories of the activists and organizations who were its victims.”

March 4, 1877: Hayes Takes Office in 1877 Compromise Rutherford Hayes became the 19th President of the United States with a devastating impact on Reconstruction.

"What this meant in plain English was that the people demanded the sacrifice of the Black man & the letter and spirit of the Declaration of Independence." -- Lerone Bennett Jr. on compromise that led to Hayes' inauguration #tdih 1877

#TeachReconstruction Read ⬇️
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/ha...

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.

That's why we defend educators who #TeachOutsideTextbook. In "Disguising Imperialism: How Textbooks Get the Cold War Wrong & Dupe Students," HS teacher @ladyofsardines.bsky.social includes US-British orchestrated coup. & J. Loewen in "Lies My Teacher Told Me." ⬇️
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/ir...

Just a random reminder that over 50 members of Congress collectively own millions of dollars in defense contractor stocks.

They stand to personally profit from wars that enrich these contractors.

Make no mistake, this is legalized corruption.

Watch how they vote this week.

Feminist 250 America turns 250 this year. Who actually built this democracy? Founding Feminists centers the women and gender-nonconforming people written out of the origin story—from Phillis Wheatley to Ona Judge ...

As the U.S. turns 250 years old, we're reflecting on who actually built it.

Explore FEMINIST 250, an online initiative from Ms. reflecting on the semiquincentennial of US democracy from a feminist perspective—continuing through April 16:

March 3, 1873: Comstock Act Enacted This Reconstructon era anti-obscenity law made it a federal crime to disseminate birth control across state lines or through the mail.

#tdih 1873 Comstock Act enacted

"The Comstock Act defines obscenity so broadly that it can be used to go after not just people making pornography, but sex workers, brothel owners, activists, journalists, writers." - @chenjerai.bsky.social Empire City podcast ⬇️
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/co...

Yes, we go way back. ❤️

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 ...

That is why we are hosting a free online class for educators (and everyone who wants to attend) on the bombing of MOVE and the “On a MOVE” curriculum project in Philadelphia.

Learn more and register below.

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

‘TCB – The Toni Cade Bambara School of Organizing’ Review: A Riveting Documentary That Reveals the Person Behind the Icon Filmmaker Louis Massiah pays captivating homage to the literary and political star without hagiographic reverence.

The new documentary about Toni Cade Bambara is phenomenal and includes a lot about TCB's dedication to filmmaking -- including interviews with Shirikiana Aina and Haile Gerima, Toni Morrison, and more. (May be coming to Filmfest DC www.filmfestdc.org)
variety.com/2025/film/re...

Claudette Colvin - Americans Who Tell The Truth

Claudette Colvin died this year on January 13 in Texas at the age of 86. 💔

She had worked for decades in New York as a nurse. The portrait below by Robert Shetterly is available as a poster from Americans Who Tell the Truth.

#WomensHistoryMonth

americanswhotellthetruth.org/portraits/cl...

Traveling Black: A Long Journey of Resistance Historian Mia Bay discussed her book, Traveling Black: A Story of Race and Resistance, which explores racial restrictions on transportation and resistance to the injustice. This class was part of the ...

Watch the recording of a "freedom school" class with Professor Mia Bay. Bay was interviewed by
@rethinkingschools.bsky.social editor Jesse Hagopian.

All our Teach the Black Freedom Struggle classes are free, interactive, have ASL, & offer a PD certificate.
www.zinnedproject.org/news/traveli...

Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice Book — Non-fiction. By Phillip Hoose. 2010. 160 pages. The story of Claudette Colvin, a teenager who refused to give up her seat in the year leading up to the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

"Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice" by Phillip Hoose is based on extensive interviews with Claudette Colvin and others.

Ideal for middle school to #TeachOutsideTextbook about Colvin, impact of studying Black history, and the Montgomery Bus Boycott. ⬇️
www.zinnedproject.org/materials/cl...

Traveling Black: A Story of Race and Resistance Book — Non-fiction. By Mia Bay. 2021. 400 pages. From stagecoaches and trains to buses, cars, and planes, this book explores racial restrictions on transportation and resistance to the injustice.

Read "Traveling Black" by Mia Bay

From stagecoaches & trains to buses, cars, & planes, this book explores racial restrictions on transportation and examples of resistance (court cases, boycotts, & more) to injustice on almost every one of its 400 pages!
www.zinnedproject.org/materials/tr...