2014-2015 Chronological Resources
(Key: E = Elementary, M = Middle, H = High, TR = Teacher Resources)
1 Linda Chavez-Thompson, union leader, born (1944). Chavez-Thompson, the daughter of a sharecropper, grew up working in the cotton fields of West Texas. She served as a staff organizer for the North Texas Laborers District Council at the age of 23. Since that time she has served in many positions, including Executive Vice President of the AFL-CIO, a post she held from 1995 to 2007. Thompson was first person of color elected to an officer position in the AFL-CIO.
El Acto: Studying the Mexican-American Experience Through Farmworkers’ Theater, edited by Deborah Menkart, Alana D. Murray, and Jenice L. View. This unit in the book, Putting the Movement Back Into Civil Rights Teaching, uses the Delano Grape Strike organized by the UFW, as an entry point into understanding theater as political action. It provides scenes and context for student groups to act out various elements of the event as well as tools for evaluation of student work. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/16vQhW4
Making Sense of the Employee Free Choice Act, by Teaching Tolerance. This lesson plan for middle and high school students will help students understand the issues at the heart of the debate over the Employee Free Choice Act. (TR) http://bit.ly/1blJEcC
1 70th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising. The Warsaw Uprising was an attempt by Poland to liberate itself from the Nazis. The Germans foiled the attempt and executed around 150,000 Polish civilians.
Inside the Warsaw Ghetto, by the Florida Center for Instructional Technology. This lesson plan is designed to guide students in evaluating the significance of the uprising and prompts discussion about other forms of resistance during the Holocaust. (M) http://bit.ly/1afurpv
Warsaw Uprising 1944. This interactive website provides information on the operation, including an FAQ, timeline, eyewitness accounts, photos, movie clips, patriotic songs and other resources. (TR) http://bit.ly/HkaUed
1 70th anniversary of Anne Frank’s last diary entry. Three days later after the entry, Frank was arrested by Nazis in Amsterdam, deported to the Westerbork transit camp and then on to Auschwitz. She died in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in March, 1945.
The Diary of Anne Frank, Teacher’s Guide, by PBS. This guide is a detailed resource on the book, The Diary of Anne Frank, and the historical and social context of the time in which it was written. There is a list of additional resources at the end of the guide. (E, M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/1igZMuB
The Story of Anne Frank, Lesson Plan, by Scholastic. This lesson plan will introduce students to Anne Frank and the time period during which she lived. The lesson goal is for students to be able to articulate that certain groups of people dislike others because of their affiliation (or non-affiliation), with certain social groups. (E) http://bit.ly/17hKLtb
2 James Baldwin, writer and social critic, born (1924-1987). Baldwin was a prominent poet, essayist and novelist during the Harlem Renaissance. An openly gay African American man, he spent much of his life as an expatriate in France. He explored racial, sexual and class issues in his writing. Baldwin was also active in the Civil Rights Movement.
James Baldwin: Art, Sexuality and Civil Rights, by Teaching Tolerance. This high school lesson plan from Teaching Tolerance explores the connection between civil rights and gay rights and helps students develop an awareness of James Baldwin’s life, activism and art. Students gain a deeper understanding of James Baldwin and the intersections between race and sexuality in this lesson. (H) http://bit.ly/1e5LfFf
4 50th anniversary of the discovery of three slain civil rights workers. After investigating the burning of an African American church, three members of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman, both of whom were White men, and James Chaney, a Black man, were murdered and buried by the Ku Klux Klan. Their disappearance helped spur the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Still Burning, by Priscilla Chan and Javaid Khan, The Learning Network, The New York Times. In this middle school lesson, students read various articles to learn about the crime and take into consideration the verdict from different perspectives. (M) http://nyti.ms/1e07oQY
6 Lorna Dee Cervantes, poet, professor and activist, born (1954). Cervantes, who is of Native American (Chumash) and Mexican descent, has continually championed the voices of those who are marginalized. She teaches ethnic studies courses at the University of Colorado, Boulder, edits MANGO, a literary review of works by Chicano authors and participates in the Librotraficante Movement.
Librotraficante. The Librotraficante Movement’s homepage offers visitors numerous resources, including a list of banned books that reflect Chicano heritage and history, information about underground libraries and lists of events that are occurring during Chicano Heritage Month. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/1buJEBN
Chicano Identity in the Poetry of Lorna Dee Cervantes and Ramon Del Castillo, by the Alma Curriculum and Teacher Training Project, Denver Public Schools. In this unit, students explore the works of Colorado poets Lorna Dee Cervantes and Ramon Del Castillo, using them to identify and understand poetic elements as well as gain a better understanding of the Chicano experience. (TR)http://bit.ly/KbNASi
7 50th anniversary of the passage of the Gulf of Tonkin resolution. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution gave President Lyndon Johnson authority to use military force in Southeast Asia without formally declaring war. The Johnson Administration used this authority to rapidly escalate the US military involvement in Vietnam.
Rethinking the Teaching of the Vietnam War, by Bill Bigelow. This role playing activity exposes students to a side of the Vietnam War that is left out of traditional textbooks. (H) http://bit.ly/16FZE3i
Media Construction of War: A Critical Reading of History, by Project Look Sharp. This 125-page kit includes an analysis of Newsweek coverage of the Vietnam War, the Gulf War and the War in Afghanistan. Students learn core information about the wars, develop an understanding of how media influence public opinion of current events and learn how to ask key media literacy questions and identify bias in the news. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/bKAvnb
8 40th anniversary of President Richard Nixon’s resignation. Investigations into the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex revealed a White House cover-up and other illegal activities. The House Judiciary Committee began impeachment proceedings. However, before Congress could vote on impeachment, President Nixon resigned. Nixon was the first, and to date only, US president to resign.
Watergate and the Constitution, from the National Archives Teaching with Documents. Using primary resources this lesson asks students to use the Constitution to analyze the memorandum that outlines the reasons for indicting Richard Nixon. (H, TR) http://1.usa.gov/17z5bdJ
Watergate at 40. This webpage from The Washington Post, the newspaper that broke the Watergate scandal, provides a thorough introduction with video, articles and analysis. (H) http://wapo.st/1aOeefM
8 Esther Morris, suffragist and public official, born (1814-1902). Morris was involved in the abolitionist and women’s rights movements. She was instrumental in securing the vote for women in Wyoming and was the first White female Justice of the Peace in the US.
Women’s Suffrage: Why the West First?, by EDSITEment. This lesson focuses on the efforts made in support of women’s suffrage in Western states. It can be used either as a stand-alone unit or as a more specialized sequel to the EDSITEment lesson, Voting Rights for Women: Pro- and Anti-Suffrage, which covers the suffrage movement in general. (H) http://1.usa.gov/1e3ffld
10 Dorothy Jacobs Bellanca, labor leader, born (1894-1946). Bellanca, who began working in the garment industry in Baltimore at the age of 13, became active in the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America (ACWA). In 1916 she became a vice-president and in 1917, a full-time organizer, the first White woman to hold these posts. Bellanca continued her union activism throughout her life and was involved in municipal, state and federal politics.
Where’s Your Shirt From? Second Graders Use Data to Change the World, by Mary Cowhey. This narrative account of an exploration of clothing done by second-graders offers teachers of young children tools to explore labor issues in the garment industry, incorporating geography and math along the way. (E) http://bit.ly/1aMolRW
Shop ‘Til You Drop on a Maquila Wage, by the Cross Border Network for Justice and Solidarity, adapted by STITCH. This lesson plan helps students to understand the budget and daily struggles of garment workers and workers in other maquilas by asking them to create a budget based on real-world prices in New Laredo, Mexico. (M, H) http://bit.ly/167sWFT
12 10th anniversary of California Supreme Court voiding nearly 4,000 same-sex marriage licenses in San Francisco. In 2004, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsome directed the city clerk to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, in violation of state law. In August, the Supreme Court of California annulled the marriages. Newson’s actions brought national attention to the issue of gay marriage. Later a federal court ruling made gay marriage legal in the state.
Constitutional Amendments and Gay Marriage: Background, Activities, and Critical Analysis, by Doug DuBrin. In this lesson, the gay marriage debate is used as a means for introducing students to the history and process of amending the US Constitution. (H, TR) http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/lessons_plans/constitutional-amendments-and-gay-marriage/
Same-Sex Marriage Timeline, from ProCon.org. An overview of same sex marriage from 1970 to the present, including a US map showing state-level equality. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/1jyLh61
15 190th anniversary of freed African Americans establishing Liberia. In 1820, free Blacks from the US began to immigrate to West Africa. With the support of the American Colonization Society, they established the colony of Liberia. On July 26, 1847, a Declaration of Independence and a Constitution were published. The Liberians of American descent made up a ruling elite in Liberia that oppressed the majority indigenous Liberians.
African American Odyssey: Free Black in the Antebellum Period (Part 2), Library of Congress online exhibition. This site features information and primary sources related to the contribution of free Blacks during the Antebellum Period, including the establishment of Liberia. (M, H, TR) http://1.usa.gov/17yUxDV
17 Janmashtami (Hinduism). The celebration of Sri Krishna’s birthday, the 8th Divine Incarnation.
My Hindu Year (A Year of Religious Festivals), by Cath Senker. This children’s book explores events, customs and celebrations that Hindu children participate in throughout the calendar year. Readers can also look inside an 8-year-old Hindu boy’s diary to learn what it’s like to experience the different events. (E) http://amzn.to/Rfiery
18 Roberto Clemente, baseball player and humanitarian, born (1934-1972). Roberto Clemente, who was Puerto Rican, was the first Latin American to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He won numerous awards during his 18-year career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, including a National League MVP and a Gold Glove. Off the field, Clemente was an avid humanitarian. He died in a plane crash while delivering supplies to earthquake-stricken Nicaragua.
Clemente!, by Bryan Collier and Willie Perdomo. A little boy named Clemente learns about his namesake, the great baseball player Roberto Clemente. (E, M) http://bit.ly/19nD4lC
20 50th anniversary of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. The EOA was central to President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty. The EOA aimed to give poor families the tools to earn a decent living. While the EOA has since been weakened, some of its programs remain, including Head Start, Job Corps and Work Study.
Poverty: Teaching Mathematics and Social Justice, by Leah P. McCoy. This article includes a series of projects that explore poverty using math lessons. It also includes a list of web resources on poverty. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/199Rwd1
A Kids’ Guide to Hunger & Homelessness, by Cathryn Berger. This workbook aims to explain the issues of hunger and homelessness and includes stories of how children around the world have helped their community deal with these issues. It includes facts, quotations, write-on pages and resources to help young people take action. (E) http://bit.ly/rMioaO
21 40th anniversary of the Equal Educational Opportunities Act. The Equal Educational Opportunities Act prohibits discrimination against students, faculty, and staff, bans the racial segregation of students and requires schools to be proactive in ensuring all students can participate equally in school. This law required communication between families and schools to be in a language understood by the parents and paved the way for bilingual education programs.
Cool Salsa: Bilingual Poems on Growing Up Latino in the United States, by Lori Marie Carlson and Oscar Hijuelos. This collection of bilingual poems celebrates families, communities and children in the US that live their lives bilingually. These poems can be used not only to teach language arts, but also to honor the fight for the educational opportunities of bilingual children and their families. (E, M) http://bit.ly/17ng7dc
22 150th anniversary of the first Geneva Convention. The first Geneva Convention was the first international treaty designed to establish protocols for the treatment of wounded and sick victims of military conflict. Updated several times since then, the Conventions set humanitarian conditions for war.
Why War Is Never a Good Idea, by Alice Walker and Stefano Vitale. This picture book is a poem about the devastation of war written by activist Alice Walker. (E) http://bit.ly/14H7XQo
22 50th anniversary of Fannie Lou Hamer’s speech at the Democratic National Convention. Hamer helped organize the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP) in 1964 to oppose the all-White Democratic Party from Mississippi. The MFDP demanded that it be seated at the 1964 convention in place of the segregated Mississippi Democratic Party delegation. Hamer’s speech before the Credentials Committee was televised nationally and helped win support for the MFDP, but the party was denied official recognition.
Standing on My Sisters’ Shoulders, by Joan Sadoff, Robert Sadoff and Laura Lipson. This award-winning documentary chronicles the Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi in the 50s and 60s from the perspectives of the women who lived it. The film has historical footage and original interviews with Fannie Lou Hamer, Annie Devine, Unita Blackwell, Mae Bertha Carter, Victoria Gray Adams and more. These women fought for the right to vote, equal education and desegregation. (M, H) http://bit.ly/1edggGz
Unsung Heroes: Encouraging Students to Appreciate Those Who Fought for Social Justice, essay by Howard Zinn and lesson by Bill Bigelow. This teaching activity includes an essay written by Howard Zinn about the “unsung heroes” in the fight for social equality and justice. The essay is followed by an outline of a lesson written by Bill Bigelow that encourages students to become students-as-historical-activists and portray an “unsung hero” at the end of his or her life. Bigelow’s lesson includes questions he used to guide students’ research and an explanation of the hunt activity he used to help students become familiar with the historical activists before committing to one. (M, H) http://bit.ly/16ttlqo
23 International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. This date was designated by UNESCO to memorialize the Transatlantic Slave Trade. The date honors the 1791 slave rebellion in Santo Domingo (today Haiti and the Dominican Republic), an uprising that played a crucial role in the abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Selected Learning Materials, by Human Rights Education Association. A rich collection of links to study guides, websites and other links for teaching about abolitionism and the slave trade in the US as well as materials on modern day slavery. (H,TR) http://bit.ly/JyOSq7
28 50th anniversary of the Philadelphia Race Riot. As in other northern cities, racial tension was rising over police brutality in Philadelphia during the summer of 1964. An argument between an African American woman and two police officers set off a riot in North Philadelphia, the center of African American culture in the city. Two hundred twenty-five mostly White-owned businesses in the neighborhood were damaged or destroyed. No one was killed during the riot, but hundreds were injured and arrested.
Urban Concentration and Racial Violence Lesson Plan, by the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. In this middle school lesson plan, students research one of many racial uprisings in US history and present their findings in the form of a newspaper’s front page. (M) http://bit.ly/185s0F0
Something is Wrong: Exploring the Roots of Youth Violence. Project NIA, the Chicago Freedom School and Teachers for Social Justice along with other volunteers have partnered to develop a curriculum guide to contribute to the ongoing efforts by young people and their adult allies to analyze the root causes of youth violence and to create local solutions. (H) http://www.project-nia.org/something-is-wrong.php
29 40th anniversary of the ASPIRA Consent Decree. ASPIRA of New York, dedicated to fostering educational excellence in the Puerto Rican and Latino community, won a suit against the New York City Board of Education that led to the ASPIRA Consent Decree. The decree established the right of NYC public school students with limited English proficiency to receive bilingual education.
Pepita Talks Twice/Pepita Habla Dos Veces, by Ofelia Dumas Lachtman. This site offers a summary of this book and other social justice children’s literature. This picture book explores the benefits of bilingualism using the story of Pepita, a little girl who decides not to speak in both English and Spanish, until she rethinks her decision. (E) http://bit.ly/163S3y5
Memoir of a Visionary: Antonia Pantoja, by Antonia Pantoja. Antonia Pantoja was an educator, social worker, activist and the founder of ASPIRA. In her memoir, she writes about her early life in Puerto Rico and her move to New York City, where she worked as a welder in a factory and then went on to study sociology and social work. In her memoir she describes her journey to establish the Puerto Rican Forum, and eventually, in 1961, ASPIRA. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/19DODlD
1 Labor Day
50 Books about Labor, compiled by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center. A bibliography of 50 children’s books about labor. (E, M) http://bit.ly/Lgy8nX
Work, Workers & the U.S. Labor Movement, by Emma Rose Roderick. An eight-lesson activity for fifth grade social studies helps students explore issues of work and workplace conflicts through reading, discussion, interviews, and investigation. (E) http://bit.ly/t5KvcH
6 Marc Bekoff, ethologist and animal rights activist, born (1945). A distinguished professor and scientist, Marc Bekoff studies animal behavior and cognition and champions animal rights. He has published over 200 articles and more than 20 books. With Jane Goodall, he co-founded the organization Ethologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. He also is an ambassador for Roots and Shoots, teaches at the Bolder County Jail and works with students and seniors.
Alien in the Ethical Universe, by Institute for Humane Education. In these lesson plans, participants receive a visit from a traveling alien on a fact-finding mission to learn how Earth beings treat each other. Answering the alien’s questions reveals the inconsistencies in how society encourages us to treat others and prompts students to think critically about their choices. (E) https://www.socialpsychology.org/action/pdf/2009humane-alien.pdf
8 International Literacy Day
Why Did This Happen? Content Perspective, Dialogue: A Workshop Model for Developing Young People’s Reflective Writing, by Susan Wilcox, Ed.D. This new curriculum from The Brotherhood/Sister Sol helps young people engage in critical inquiry, develop a love of learning and transform their lives. (TR) http://bit.ly/1duEwlk
Teaching for Joy and Justice, by Linda Christensen. This book reveals what happens when a teacher treats all students as intellectuals, instead of intellectually challenged. Through story upon story, Christensen demonstrates how she draws on students’ lives and the world to teach poetry, essay, narrative and critical literacy skills. (TR) http://bit.ly/1izfFRG
8 Chinese Mid-Autumn Moon Festival Day. Also known as the Mooncake and Moon Festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival takes its name from the moon being roundest at this time of year.
Thanking the Moon: Celebrating the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, by Grace Lin. This K-3 book allows readers to join a Chinese American family as they celebrate the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. (E) http://bit.ly/W1RkEb
9 Sonia Sanchez, poet and professor, born (1934). Sanchez was active in the Black Arts Movement and has won numerous awards for her work. She has also been a leader in the fight for including Black Studies courses in the college curriculum.
Homegirls and Handgrenades, by Sonia Sanchez. This collection of Sonia Sanchez’s poems contains some of her most influential work and is the winner of the American Book Award. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/1ddVzar
9 90th anniversary of the Battle of Hanapepe. Filipino sugar workers in Hawaii went on strike to demand an eight-hour work day and a daily wage of $2. After months of striking, there was an armed standoff with police that resulted in the deaths of 16 strikers and four law enforcement officials. Following the battle, more than 60 strikers were put in jail, and the strike ended a few months later without achieving its goals.
Blood In The Fields: The Hanapepe Massacre and The 1924 Filipino Strike, by Dean Alegado. This article offers a critical examination of the historical and social context of the Hanapepe Massacre. Alegado, a professor of ethnic studies, explores the relationship between labor, capital and race in Hawaii during the 1900s. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/1geg9Kq
12 40th anniversary of the Boston busing crisis. After compulsory busing was implemented to desegregate Boston Public Schools following the Racial Imbalance Act, White Bostonians expressed outrage with protests, riots, and public disturbances. Many White families removed their children from public schools, greatly reducing the size of the school population and changing the demographics of the school district.
Beyond Brown: Pursuing the Promise. A PBS documentary and companion website exploring both the history of Brown v. Board of Education and its unfulfilled or broken promises. The website includes educator resources and interactive lesson plans. (M, H, TR) http://to.pbs.org/hyvhby
12 Fred Fay, leader in the disability rights movement, born (1944-2011). After suffering a spinal cord injury and becoming paralyzed at age 16, Fay became a disability rights activist and organizer. Fay was a pioneer in the use of assistive technologies and was also instrumental in the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
Fred Fay and the Disability Rights Movement, Lives Worth Living: Independent Lens, by PBS.org. This site offers information about the film, which uses rare archival footage to tell the story of the disability rights movement. The film features Fred Fay and his tireless struggle for equal rights, access, and opportunity for the disabled. (H) http://to.pbs.org/r1crjZ
13 20th anniversary of the signing of the Violence Against Women Act. A result of grassroots efforts in the 80s and 90s, VAWA seeks to better protect women from violent crimes through such provisions as prohibiting the use of a victims’ sexual history in rape cases, funding trainings for criminal justice officials, and enforcing protection orders across state lines.
Violence Against Women Act, by the National Network to End Domestic Violence. This page of the National Network to End Domestic Violence site offers detailed information on the background and significance of the 1994 Violence Against Women Act. It also describes the effects on specific groups of women including Native American women, college students, immigrants and more. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/1i6O2iU
Early Childhood Resources on Domestic Violence, by the Nebraska Domestic Violence Sexual Assault Coalition. This resource offers information about a variety of resources for young children, parents and professionals on the subject of domestic violence. Resources include books, curricula, videos and games. (TR) http://bit.ly/1kQd4Cz
14 50th anniversary of Helen Keller receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom. President Lyndon B. Johnson awarded Keller with the highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, for her work as an activist for people with disabilities. She was also active in other struggles including women’s suffrage, free speech, socialism and pacifism.
Helen Keller: Rebellious Spirit, by Laurie Lawlor. This biography introduces young readers to a side of Keller that they don’t often hear about. It sheds light on her rebellious and mischievous nature and unveils her high-spirited, opinionated nature. (M) http://bit.ly/1eA3u5b
The Truth About Helen Keller, by Ruth Shagoury. The article encourages readers to learn about Keller’s life beyond her teen years. It includes a review of children’s books about Keller that reveals the omission of her active role in key social movements of the 20th century. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/17jr4Ml
14 Rosh Hashanah, begins at sunset on 9/13 (Judaism). Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year.
Apples and Pomegranates: A Rosh Hashanah Seder, by Rahel Musleah. This children’s book acts as a guidebook for celebrating the Jewish New Year. Traditional foods and the sequence in which they are eaten are described. Each chapter includes the history of the food, an activity, recipes and more. (E) http://bit.ly/TG0KUy
15 First day of Latino Heritage Month. Latino Heritage Month begins on September 15, the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries—Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.
Latino Heritage: A Discussion Activity, by Teaching Tolerance. A compilation of essays, lessons, videos and activities to help students gain a deeper understanding of past and present struggles for Latino civil rights. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/1kHi3b3
16 Mexican Independence Day. Also known as El Grito, on this day Mexicans celebrate Mexico’s independence from Spain.
El Grito: A Lesson Plan, by Patricia Schwarz, In this elementary-middle school lesson plan, students read a book written by students (El Grito) to learn the story of Mexico’s fight for independence. Vocabulary activities, extension activities, links to build background information and other resources are included. (TR) http://bit.ly/1cNPPpp
19 50th anniversary of the first gay rights demonstration. Randy Wicker and 9 other members of the Sexual Freedom League gathered outside the Army Induction Center on Whitehall Street in New York City to protest anti-gay discrimination in the armed forces. Though their efforts were largely ignored on that day, the repeal of the American military’s “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy came in 2011.
A Life Lived on the Front Line of the Gay Rights Battle, by Randy Wicker, Dallas Voice. In this article, Wicker discusses his experiences growing up as a homosexual, being a gay activist with the New York Mattachine Society and a writer. A photograph of him in the public demonstration for gay rights at the Army Induction Center is also included. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/19vHxDD
21 First day of Banned Books Week
IndyKids. The Nov/Dec 2008 issue of IndyKids features a piece about an activity a New York library did with its students to celebrate banned books week. (E, M) http://bit.ly/1jbyFWK
Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read, by American Library Association. American Library Association page on Banned Books Week includes events, lists of banned books and ideas for action. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/1ftqnq3
22 World Carfree Day. Each year on September 22, people around the world organize events to showcase alternatives to the automobile as a means of transportation. The day was created in 2000 by Car Busters.
Fueling the Future, by Facing the Future. Students compare energy use and CO2 emissions by geographic sectors in the United States and China (and optionally in another country). They research and discuss energy impacts and sustainable energy solutions, write a resolution addressing energy use and present their resolutions at a “World Energy Summit”. (M, H) http://bit.ly/LrcEFD
24 Rosh Hashanah, begins at sunset on 9/13 (Judaism). Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year.
Apples and Pomegranates: A Rosh Hashanah Seder, by Rahel Musleah. This children’s book acts as a guidebook for celebrating the Jewish New Year. Traditional foods and the sequence in which they are eaten are described. Each chapter includes the history of the food, an activity, recipes and more. (E) http://bit.ly/TG0KUy
25 First day of Navaratri (Hinduism). Navaratri is a 9-night festival of worship and dance that honors Mother Goddess in all her manifestations.
Navratri, Hindu Kids Word. This multi-language web-mag on Hinduism for kids features a page about Navratri. Visitors can read about the origins of the festival and the 4 different types. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/1d6a973
26 Lewis Hine, teacher, photographer and social reformer, born (1874-1940). While traveling to Ellis Island to photograph immigrants, Hine realized the potential of photography as a tool for social reform. Hine left his teaching position in 1908 and became a photographer for the National Child Labor Committee, where he worked to end child labor. He also created a series of “work portraits” in the 1920s and 30s to document the conditions of working people.
Kids at Work: Lewis Hine and the Crusade Against Child Labor, by Russell Freedman. This photo-biography of early twentieth-century photographer and schoolteacher Lewis Hine, uses his own work as illustrations. Hines’ photographs of children at work were so devastating that they convinced the American people that Congress must pass child labor laws. (E, M) http://bit.ly/s8A6c3
Lewis Hine’s Photographs Teaching Activity PDF, by Bill Bigelow and Bob Peterson. This lesson uses photographs to spark creative writing and critical thinking about child labor issues and social justice. (M, H) http://bit.ly/16KZ8Ty
26 170th anniversary of the first printing of the Cherokee Advocate newspaper. Following the destruction of the printing press of the Cherokee Phoenix newspaper and the Trail of Tears, the Cherokee Nation started a new publication in Oklahoma, the Cherokee Advocate. The newspaper was published weekly in English and Cherokee until 1906, when the Cherokee Nation was dissolved by the US Government.
The Cherokee Nation and the Birth of a New Script, by Geraldine Granahan, New-York Historical Society Museum & Library. This New York Historical Society Library blog post features items that were printed in the Cherokee language, including the Cherokee Advocate newspaper, which was printed weekly in Cherokee and English. (M, H) http://bit.ly/1jTLAht
Cherokee Advocate, by James P. Pate, Oklahoma Historical Society’s Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture. This site offers a brief history of the Cherokee Advocate including a photo of the printing press and information about the editors that managed the paper until the US government dissolved the Cherokee Nation. (M, H) http://bit.ly/1cx1VmG
1 50th anniversary of the Free Speech Movement at UC Berkeley. When a UC Berkeley alumnus was arrested after violating a prohibition on advocacy for off-campus causes, thousands of students engaged in a sit-in that prevented the police car carrying him from moving. The sit-in and protests that followed launched the Free Speech Movement, which changed Berkeley’s campus activism practice and policy and contributed to the civil liberties movement of the 1960s.
The Free Speech Movement, by Calisphere, University of California. A collection of images from the University of California Free Speech Movement with links to primary source analysis exercises and Free Speech Movement Digital Archives. (H) http://bit.ly/15rPYLE
1 First day of LGBT History Month/Coming Out Month. LGBT History Month/Coming Out Month celebrates the lives and achievements of LGBT people.
LGBT History Month website. This website gives the history of LGBT History Month, and features 31 famous people in LGBT history, one per day. Includes Trivia Challenge, video, resources, brief biography and downloads. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/Om6vef
Brother to Brother, directed by Rodney Evans. Bruce Nugent, the Black gay writer who worked with Langston Hughes, befriends a young poet and together they take a journey into the gay subcultures of the Harlem Renaissance. (H, TR) http://to.pbs.org/QiJcf8
Month-by-Month Planning Page, by Safe Schools Coalition. Month-by-month planning provides information and lessons that speak to the intersections between LGTBQI history and other heritage months. (E, M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/j5FQX
Welcoming Schools. Welcoming Schools is a guide for adults who want to strengthen their school’s approach to family diversity, gender stereotyping and bullying. It is for use in K-5 learning environments and is inclusive of LGBTQI families and individuals in the broader context of diversity. (E, TR) http://bit.ly/bN8CiT
Popular Education: LGBT Issues, by Californians for Justice. This workshop helps participants break down the idea of a gender binary, understand the connection between sexism and heterosexism/transphobia and gain a deeper understanding of transgender issues. The materials are free, but you must register to use www.buildthewheel.org to access them. (H)http://bit.ly/vQguOx
Acting Out: Combating Homophobia Through Teacher Activism, by Mollie V. Blackburn, Caroline T. Clark, Lauren M. Kenney and Jill M. Smith. This book chronicles how teachers from urban, suburban and rural districts joined together in a teacher inquiry group to challenge homophobia and heterosexism in schools and classrooms. (TR) http://amzn.to/1bSy97x
And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson, Peter Parnell and Henry Cole. This book is based on two male penguins in New York’s Central Park Zoo who became a couple and were given an egg to raise. The most banned book of 2009, And Tango Makes Three has won many awards and has been at the center of numerous censorship and culture war debates on same-sex marriage, adoption and homosexuality in animals. (E) http://bit.ly/cupJUa
1 World Vegetarian Day/First Day of Vegetarian Awareness Month. World Vegetarian Day is the annual kick-off for Vegetarian Awareness Month. The goal is to make a difference by informing others and raising awareness about the benefits of vegetarianism.
Chew on This, by Charles Wilson and Eric Schlosser. This book, accompanied by teachers’ guide, gives a behind the scenes perspective on the fast food industry and how fast food companies feed off of young families and young adults. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/v7dqp4
Meet Your Meat, by the International Institute of Humane Education. This lesson plan from Sowing Seeds Workbook provides teachers with information and activities on modern agriculture and diet in order to introduce students to where their food comes from. Additional similar lessons at teachkind.org (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/1bWkAG7
1 First day of Disability Employment Awareness Month. National Disability Employment Awareness Month aims to raise awareness about disability employment issues and celebrate the contributions of workers with disabilities.
Museum of disABILITY History. This site features an extensive virtual exhibition of images from disability history as well as lesson plans on various topics for all grade levels. (E, M, H)http://bit.ly/1jDKHWi
Disability History Museum. This site was designed “to promote understanding about the historical experience of people with disabilities” by sharing their stories. This searchable collection offers documents and images related to disability history. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/JAD9r
2 Pedro Julio Serrano, human rights activist, born (1974). A Puerto Rican human rights activist, Serrano has fought for the rights of LGTB people and all Puerto Ricans. He founded the nonprofit organization Puerto Rico Para Tod@s in 2003 to support LGBT communities.
Pedro Julio Serrano: Climate Has Changed for Gay Rights in Puerto Rico, by Nuria Net, ABC News. This site features a video clip in which Serrano discusses changes toward gay rights in Puerto Rico. A link to an in-depth profile of Serrano is also available on the site. (H) http://abcn.ws/12zDGL4
4 150th anniversary of the first Black-owned daily newspaper. La Tribune de la Nouvelle Orleans (The New Orleans Tribune) began publication as a bilingual French/English paper (the majority of Black people in Louisiana at the time spoke French). Its pages argued for the rights of newly freed Black people, including the right to vote and attend public school.
Celebrating Dr. Louis Roundanez, New Orleans Tribune. This site contains information about Dr. Louis Charles Roundanez, founder of The New Orleans Tribune. (M, H) http://www.theneworleanstribune.com/main/celebrating-dr-louis-charles-roudanez/
4 Dussehra (Hinduism). Dussehra is a Hindu festival that celebrates the victory of Lord Rama over Demon king Ravana, or good over evil.
Dussehra Festival Essay for Kids (Students), by Micky Khanna. This essay about Dussehra describes the meaning of the word, reasons for the festival and ways Dussehra is celebrated in India. (M, H) http://bit.ly/1d6aHKc
4 Yom Kippur, begins at sunset on 10/3 (Judaism). Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) is one of two Jewish Holy High Days. It falls 10 days after the first High Holy Day, Rosh Hashanah.
Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur, by David F. Marx. This children’s book introduces students to the basic facts about Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. It describes how these holidays developed and how they are celebrated, and includes games, traditions, goods, and crafts. (E) http://bit.ly/UjH9yW
5 Eid al-Adha, begins at sunset 10/4 (Islam). Eid al-Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice, marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
The Best Eid Ever, by Asma Mobin-Uddin. During Eid, Aneesa is sad that her parents are thousands of miles away for the Hajj pilgrimage, until her grandmother gives her a beautiful gift that comes in handy when she meets two sisters who are refugees and in need of her help. (E) http://bit.ly/uvueDf
5 World Teachers’ Day. World Teachers’ Day was inaugurated in 1994 to commemorate the signing of the UNESCO/ILO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers in 1966.
Granito de Arena/Grain of Sand; Un Poquito de Tanta Verdad/A Little Bit of So Much Truth; Desde el Filo de la Navaja/From the Edge of the Blade. Three films that document different aspects of a community-based movement against state government in Oaxaca. The first film documents the three decade long struggle by the teachers’ union to democratize their union. The other films specifically focus on the 2006 “rebellion,” which led to the temporary toppling of the state government. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/sKfd21 and http://bit.ly/uVWryq and http://imdb.to/PoEX2f
6 80th anniversary of the founding of the California Council of the Blind. Dr. Newell Perry, a blind mathematician who advocated for economic opportunities for the blind, founded the California Council of the Blind. The CCB’s mission is to gain full independence and equality of opportunity for all blind and visually impaired Californians. In 1940, Perry’s student, Jacobus tenBroek, formed the National Federation of the Blind.
Keep Your Ear on the Ball, by Genevieve Petrillo and Lea Lyon. This children’s book features Davey, who is blind and very independent, except when it comes to playing kickball. After his friends reject him from their team, they learn to work together to respect Davey’s unique abilities. (E) http://bit.ly/13elPRb
7 60th anniversary of Marian Anderson becoming the first Black singer hired by New York’s Metropolitan Opera. African American contralto Marian Anderson was an important figure in the struggle for Black artists to overcome racial prejudice in the US during the mid-twentieth century.
When Marian Sang, by Pam Muñoz Ryan and Brian Selznik. This post on the 6 Elements of Social Justice Education blog, an annotated list of children’s literature for the elementary classroom, summarizes the book that tells the story of Anderson’s life, including the injustices she faced as Black performer. (E) http://bit.ly/18moWrZ
8 10th anniversary of Wangari Maathai receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. Maathai, a professor and environmental justice activist from Kenya, became the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. In 1977, Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement, which organizes women in rural Kenya to plant trees, combat deforestation, restore their main source of cooking fuel and more.
Mama Miti: Wangari Maathai and the Trees of Kenya, by Donna Jo Napoli and Kadir Nelson. Mama Miti tells the true story of Wangari Muta Maathai. Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement, an African grassroots organization that has empowered many people to mobilize around environmental justice issues. (E) http://bit.ly/1cFXh6P
Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai, directed by Lisa Merton and Alan Dater. Taking Root is the most comprehensive, in-depth film about Wangari Maathai available. It was made in close collaboration with her during the last decade of her life. (M, H) http://to.pbs.org/ulb0Q
9 First day of Sukkot, begins at sunset on 9/27 (Judaism). Sukkot is a seven-day harvest holiday that commemorates the 40-year period during which the Jews wandered the desert.
The Very Crowded Sukkah, by Leslie Kimmelman and Bob McMahon. This children’s book tells the story of a family celebrating Sukkot by building a sukkah outdoors. When the weather doesn’t cooperate, the family makes a decision about the celebration that includes some surprising guests. (E) http://bit.ly/19QlvpC
11 Cleve Jones, LGBT and AIDS activist, born (1954). Jones, a White activist, helped San Francisco Board of Supervisors member Harvey Milk launch a major campaign against the Briggs Initiative, which advocated for the ban of openly gay teachers from California schools. Jones co-founded the San Francisco AIDS foundation and conceived of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, the world’s largest community art project. He now works as an organizer for UNITE HERE advocating for workers’ rights within the LGBT community.
Clevejones.com. This is Cleve Jones’ website about his work over the years. Contains interviews with Cleve and photographs. (M, H) http://bit.ly/18cWdpg
FRONTLINE Interviews Cleve Jones in The Age of AIDS, by PBS/WGBH Educational Foundation. This is the transcript of an interview with Cleve Jones in the Frontline episode, “The Age of AIDS.” He speaks frankly about coming out in the 1970s and the sexual revolution, the 1980s and the onset of AIDS, as well as the impetus for the NAMES Quilt project. There is also a link on this page to the entire episode. (H) http://to.pbs.org/1jyGG3U
11 National Coming Out Day. National Coming Out Day is an internationally observed civil awareness day for coming out and discussion about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues.
The Safe Schools Coalition. An incredible wealth of resources for educators for supporting LGTB youth and creating safer school environments. Explore the entire site, or use the link for specific resources on coming out. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/1ev5LLN
12 160th anniversary of the founding of the first university for African Americans. Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, founded as the Ashmun Institute, was the first degree-granting institution of higher learning for Black men. In 1952, women were admitted.
A Digital Collection Celebrating the Founding of the Historically Black College and University, by HBCU Library Alliance. This site hosts a large collection of digitized primary sources from member libraries to celebrate the founding of the Historically Black College and University. The collection, which features photographs, manuscripts, images of campus buildings, alumni letters and more, serves to present HBCUs as cultural, political and social institutions. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/wWhYPU
13 Indigenous People’s Day (Columbus Day Observed). Indigenous People’s Day, also known as Native American Day, began in Berkeley, CA as a counter-celebration to Columbus Day. The goal is to commemorate Native American history and promote Native American culture.
Transform Columbus Day. Transform Columbus Day is an alliance of social justice groups who are committed to challenging traditional ethnocentric views of Columbus as pioneer and sole discoverer of the Americas. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/3syjAe
Reconsider Columbus Day, presented by Nu Heightz Cinema. This short PSA asks people to reconsider whether the crimes of Columbus should be celebrated. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/OODRT1
The People vs. Columbus, et al., by Bill Bigelow. This role-play begins with the premise that a monstrous crime was committed in the years after 1492, when perhaps as many as three million or more Taínos on the island of Hispaniola lost their lives. This free download is excerpted from Rethinking Columbus. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/hRdbSf
Rethinking Columbus, edited by Bill Bigelow and Bob Peterson, Rethinking Schools. 90+ lessons, interviews, poems, etc. that re-evaluate the myth of Columbus and issues of indigenous people. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/hJjxBA
“1492”, a song by Nancy Schimmel. A great song to use to teach about Columbus’ arrival that provides a critical analysis of “discovering” a place when someone is already there. (E)http://bit.ly/unw71d
13 First day of Ally Week. Ally Week involves a week of activities designed to encourage students to be Allies against anti-LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) language, bullying and harassment in America’s schools.
GLSEN’s Safe Space Kit. The NEW Safe Space Kit features the Guide to Being an Ally, which provides concrete strategies for supporting LGBT students, educating about anti-LGBT bias and advocating for changes in your school. (M, H) http://safespace.glsen.org
14 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr. winning the Nobel Peace Prize. At 35, King was the youngest man to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. He dedicated the prize money of $54,123 to the advancement of the Civil Rights Movement.
Dr. King and the Movement, by Teaching Tolerance. This site provides lessons and resources for addressing Dr. King and his dream, including a ‘do’s and don’ts’ guide for MLK day. (M, H) http://bit.ly/mlkmov
14 Mary Ruthsdotter, feminist, born (1944-2010). Ruthsdotter, a White activist, promoted women’s history by collecting materials, raising funds to support students, teachers, and librarians, writing, speaking and advocating for Women’s History Week and, later, Women’s History Month.
The National Women’s History Project website. The National Women’s History Project is an educational nonprofit organization whose mission is to recognize and celebrate the diverse and historic accomplishments of women by providing information and educational materials and programs. (TR) http://bit.ly/1bLzBiR
15 White Cane Day. White Cane Day celebrates the achievements of people who are blind or visually impaired and the importance of the white cane as a symbol of independence.
The Sound of Colors: A Journey of the Imagination, by Jimmy Liao. The story follows the narrator, a woman who has lost her sight, through her journey around the city. She navigates the subway and the city she knows with language and description that tap into her imagination as well as her inner-most thoughts and feelings. (E) http://bit.ly/1crvcum
16 Oscar Wilde, writer, born (1854-1900). Wilde was a celebrated poet and playwright. He later became a gay icon due in part to his long relationship with Lord Alfred “Bosie” Douglas and his arrest for “gross indecency,” for which he was sentenced to hard labor. At his trial he defended “a love that dare not speak its name.”
Stephen Fry Reads Oscar Wilde’s Children’s Story ‘The Happy Prince,’ by Josh Jones on Open Culture. Introduces the not-well-known children’s stories by Oscar Wilde, including an interview with Stephen Fry. (E, M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/16m3H6O
Oscar Wilde: British Dramatist, Poet and Critic, by Dr. Gerri Spinella, Legacy Project Education Initiative. This lesson plan offers four different approaches to exploring Wilde—the contributions approach, additive approach, transformational approach and social action approach. (H) http://bit.ly/1loBrVj
16 World Food Day. World Food Day is celebrated every year on October 16 in honor of the date of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 1945.
Fresh Food or Fast Food, by IndyKids, May/June 2009. This issue of the progressive newspaper for kids includes a special feature on food justice. There is also a teacher’s guide. Click on Past Issues and the May/June 2009 link and scroll to page three. (E, M) http://bit.ly/1dYKdp2
The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Young Readers Edition: The Secrets Behind What You Eat, by Michael Pollan. From fast food and big organic to small farms and old-fashioned hunting and gathering, this young readers’ adaptation of Pollan’s famous food-chain exploration encourages children to consider the personal and global health implications of their food choices. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/utIarp
Food First: Institute for Food and Development Institute. A list of books published by the Institute for Food and Development that examine the connections between human rights, social justice and food. (M, H, TR) http://foodfirst.org/publication-type/book/
Food, Inc. Classroom Discussion Guide, developed by the Center for Ecoliteracy. This guide, to be used with Food, Inc., helps students connect the issues behind mass production of food, abuses of government subsidies of major food corporations, and the challenges of keeping food healthy and affordable. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/8fBGuz
17 180th anniversary of the first documented Chinese woman in America. Afong Moy arrived in New York harbor on the Washington, a trading ship. Spectators could pay 50 cents to observe Moy eating with chopsticks, speaking Chinese, and walking around in her bound feet; they could also talk with her through an interpreter. After her exhibition in New York, Moy toured the country. She also met with President Andrew Jackson.
The Chinese Experience in 19th Century America, developed by Roberta Kugell Gumport and Marcella M. Smith, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This unit focuses on the Chinese immigrant experience. Their coming raised issues of social and cultural diversity, discrimination and national identity—issues that are still debated today. A section focuses on the process of exclusion, including immigration acts. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/KnPSNz
17 International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. This day promotes the need to eradicate poverty worldwide, especially in developing countries.
Handouts on poverty, by Paul Gorski. Handouts on many important topics, including several on class, poverty and equity in education. (TR) http://bit.ly/uLvAio
Finding Solutions to Hunger, by Kids Can Make a Difference. An educational program for middle and high school students focused on the root causes of hunger and poverty, the people most affected, solutions and how students can help. (M, H) http://bit.ly/cYEDNd
A Kids’ Guide to Hunger & Homelessness, by Cathryn Berger Kaye. This book explains hunger and homelessness and includes stories about how children around the world have helped their communities deal with these issues. It is also a workbook that includes facts, quotes, write-on pages and resources. (E) http://bit.ly/rMioaO
Teaching Economics as if People Mattered, by United for a Fair Economy. A collection of lesson plans about economics from a social justice perspective. (H) http://bit.ly/6AIy7u
22 National day of protest to stop police brutality. The October 22nd Coalition to Stop Police Brutality, Repression and the Criminalization of a Generation has been mobilizing annually to expose the epidemic of police brutality. The coalition asks that we wear black on this day to honor those whose lives have been stolen by police brutality.
Every Mother’s Son, by P.O.V. A film that presents three primary examples of police brutality and what is being done about it. The lesson accompanying the video addresses what students can do to take action. (H) http://to.pbs.org/1cNyCMD
23 Diwali (Deepavali), Indian Festival of Lights (Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism). Diwali (Festival of Lights) is an annual Hindu festival of lights that commemorates the return of Lord Rama from exile.
Lights for Gita, by Rachna Gilmore. This book introduces readers to Divali, one of the most important holidays observed by Hindus all over the world, through the eyes of Gita, a young immigrant girl. The author’s site includes a teacher’s guide and other books about Hinduism. (E) http://bit.ly/VfeOFI
25 Muharram (begins at sunset 10/24) (Islam). Muharram is the beginning of the first lunar month of the Islamic calendar.
My Name is Bilal, by Asma Mobin-Uddin. In this book, Muharram feels the need to hide his Muslim religion in fear he will be teased by other students. (E) http://bit.ly/w4nStZ
Salaam: A Muslim American Boy’s Story, by Tricia Brown. This is a biography about a Muslim American boy named Imran. Imran likes to do the same things that most children his age do. Not everyone understands what it means to be Muslim, and through his story, Imran shows how Muslims strive to be good people, just like those of other faiths do. (E) http://bit.ly/tBgIH7
26 Intersex Awareness Day. Intersex Awareness Day is the international day of grassroots action to end shame, secrecy and unwanted genital cosmetic surgeries on intersex children.
Intersex Initiative Website. A website with information about intersexuality. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/1i256DW
28 Mix It Up at Lunch Day. Mix It Up is an annual event sponsored by Teaching Tolerance that seeks to break down the barriers between students and improve intergroup relations.
Mix It Up at Lunch Day, by Teaching Tolerance. Teaching Tolerance provides free Mix It Up lessons and activities for teachers to use to organize a successful Mix It Up at Lunch Day and promote social border crossing all year long. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/SWiezA
30 Judi Chamberlin, activist, born (1944-2010). After she was involuntarily committed to a psychiatric ward in the 1960s, Chamberlin became a leader of the psychiatric survivors movement. Her book, On Our Own: Patient-Controlled Alternatives to the Mental Health System, is considered a foundational text in the Mad Pride movement of mental health service users, former users and their allies.
Disability Social History Project. This communal website is dedicated to redefining the history of disability. It contains a historical timeline of documented disability, exhibits, short biographies of famous people with disabilities, including Judi Chamberlin, projects and curriculum guides, bibliographies and little-known facts. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/1cHjke5
Mind Freedom. Mind Freedom is an activist group dedicated to winning and protecting human rights in the mental health system. This website contains information about the organization as well as personal stories of psychiatric survivors. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/UH3YE
31 Halloween. Halloween is thought to have originated from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, where people lit bonfires and wore costumes to ward off ghosts.
What Do Halloween Costumes Say?, by Teaching Tolerance. A variety of activities to raise awareness about the potential of stereotyping in Halloween costumes. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/3YNftY
Reverse Trick or Treating, by Global Exchange. This kit lets children help end the exploitation of adults and children working in the cocoa industry and raise awareness of Fair Trade. Trick-or-treaters hand out Fair Trade chocolate bars to adults, with informational cards attached, to explain the problems of the cocoa industry and how Fair Trade presents a solution. (E) http://bit.ly/1gCxUkI
Ohio Univ. Students to Classmates: ‘We’re a Culture, Not a Costume’, by Jorge Rivas, Colorlines. This article tells the story of Ohio Univ. student group Students Teaching About Racism in Society (STARS). The group created an educational campaign called “We’re a Culture, Not a Costume” in response to racist costumes often
1 First Day of Native American Heritage Month
We Shall Remain. We Shall Remain is a PBS mini-series and multi-media project that establishes Native history as an essential part of American history. Five 90-minute documentaries spanning 300 years tell the story of pivotal moments in US history from the Native American perspective. Website includes teacher’s guides. (H) http://to.pbs.org/10DjT
American Indians in Children’s Literature, by Debbie Reese. Debbie Reese’s blog is one of the finest collections of resources and critical perspectives on teaching about Native Americans. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/3HATt
The Alcatraz Proclamation: A Primary Document Activity, by Teaching Tolerance. On November 20, 1969, Alcatraz Island became the unlikely stage for a landmark event in the Native American rights movement. This activity explores the event and its aftermath. (M, H) http://bit.ly/9sPNbx
Unlearning “Indian” Stereotypes, by Rethinking Schools. Narrated by Native American children, the DVD Unlearning “Indian” Stereotypes teaches about racial stereotypes and provides an introduction to Native American history through the eyes of children. Includes teacher’s guide and other resources. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/tr5Tf
1 70th anniversary of the founding of the Vegan Society and World Vegan Day. A group of strict vegetarians coined the term “vegan” and formed the Vegan Society to promote a lifestyle of avoiding all animal products to prevent the exploitation of animals. The Vegan Society’s founding date is celebrated as World Vegan Day.
The Vegan Society. The Vegan Society is an educational charity that promotes and supports the vegan lifestyle. The Society was formed in 1944 by a group of vegetarians who recognized the ethical compromises of eating eggs and dairy products. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/SY3Tx
1 60th anniversary the beginning of the Algerian War for Independence. On the Catholic festival of Toussaint Rouge (Red All Saints Day), members of the National Liberation Front (FLN) led attacks on military and civilian targets around Algeria, launching a movement that led to Algeria’s independence from France.
French Resistance and the Algerian War, by Martin Evans. This article provides background information on the war. (TR) http://bit.ly/1gKjDXQ
Colonization and Independence in Africa, from the Choices Program, Brown University. African experiences of colonialism were diverse. Nevertheless, there are common themes within the continent’s colonial history. This resource from the Choices Program explores these themes generally, as well as specifically through four country case studies: Ghana, Algeria, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The readings and activities help students consider the perspectives of Africans and the ways in which they responded to European colonialism. (H) http://bit.ly/1jiHVZr
2 El Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). El Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a Mexican holiday during which ancient Aztec rituals honoring the dead are performed. The rituals have been practiced for at least 3,000 years.
Pablo Remembers, by George Ancona. This photodocumentary-style children’s book follows Pablo and his family as they celebrate Día de Los Muertos by honoring his grandmother. (E) http://bit.ly/RL0vbg
4 Election Day
Money in Elections: What is it doing to America?, by Alan Shapiro. Three student readings, discussion questions and suggestions for inquiry engage students in exploring the role of money in electoral politics. (H) http://bit.ly/sUIgLr
It Ain’t Just About a Vote: Defining Democracy for Movement Building, by Project South. This toolkit asks students to take a broader look at democracy and citizenship. Each exercise was created specifically to begin conversations on the larger, longer-term view of democracy, struggle and movement building. (M, H) http://bit.ly/1nUfvp4
5 40th anniversary of the World Food Conference, Rome, Italy. After a famine in Bangladesh, the United Nations convened the World Food Conference through the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Attending governments declared the universal right to freedom from hunger and formed the since-disbanded World Food Council.
How’d That Get on My Plate?, by the Institute for Humane Education. Everybody eats, but how often do we stop to think about how the food on our plates got there? Through this lesson students will explore humane alternatives for ingredients in our food that could negatively affect the environment, people and animals. (M, H) http://bit.ly/1f5BAv4
What’s On Your Plate?, by Catherine Gund. This site accompanies the documentary film about children and food politics. Visitors can explore galleries, games, recipes, blog posts and more. Resources for teachers are also available, and the documentary can be ordered or streamed through the site. (E, M, TR) http://bit.ly/1fAUU3V
8 20th anniversary of California Proposition 187. Proposition 187 was a controversial ballot initiative prompted by the growing concern over undocumented immigration in California. The proposition required proof of citizenship in order to receive state services and prohibited undocumented immigrants from receiving health care and public education. Many felt that Proposition 187 targeted Asian and Latino immigrants, and it was later overturned in 1999.
Fear and Learning at Hoover Elementary, produced by Laura Simon. This documentary film follows the social and political context that led to the success of the anti-immigrant ballot initiative, Proposition 187. The film was produced by a Mexican-American fourth grade teacher who taught at Hoover Elementary. (M, H) http://to.pbs.org/13YChA1
11 Veteran’s Day
Veterans for Peace Speakers Bureau. Veterans for Peace Speakers Bureau provides knowledgeable speakers who share first-hand information about military service and war. They present facts and views that are necessary for a young person to consider in making an informed choice about military service. To find a Veterans for Peace chapter that has a Speakers Bureau, download the list of chapter contacts and call. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/S81AKK
Voices in Wartime, by The YES! Education Program and Voices in Wartime Education Project. This site seeks to enable students to engage deeply with the subject of war by hearing and re-telling the personal stories of witnesses to war. It engages students in imagining and creating a less violent world. The site includes the film’s trailer, curricular materials and poetry. (H, TR)http://bit.ly/cYDW7i
15 70th anniversary of the National Congress of American Indians Constitutional Convention. Delegates representing 50 tribes and associations attended the first meeting of the NCAI in Denver, Colorado. Founded in response to the termination and assimilation policies of the US government, the NCAI works to protect sovereignty rights and traditional cultures and to improve the quality of life of Native peoples to this day.
The Founding Meeting of NCAI, National Congress of American Indians. This site, a part of the website of the National Congress of American Indians, details the founding meeting in 1944. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/1fTnYr9
17 International Students’ Day. This international observance celebrates student activism.
ESL English Lesson Plan on International Students’ Day, by Sean Banville. This lesson/short unit, created for ELLs, introduces students to International Students’ Day and the reasons why it was created. While giving students opportunities to practice English, it also allows them to learn about moments in history often not discussed in a traditional social studies class. (E) http://bit.ly/Ozeu2
The Kid’s Guide to Social Action, by Barbara A. Lewis. This five-part book gives elementary and middle school students the tools and knowledge they need to take action on issues they care about. A summary of the book and activity suggestions for its use in the classroom can be found on the 6 Elements of Social Justice Education blog, an annotated list of children’s literature for the elementary classroom. (E, M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/KiWXiH
19 220th anniversary of the signing of the Jay Treaty. This agreement between the US and Great Britain granted Native Americans the right to freely cross the US-Canada border. These rights were affirmed by the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 and allow American Indians born in Canada to freely cross the border and live and work in the US today.
Jay Treaty-Related Immigration Case News Coverage, by Matthew L.M. Fletcher, Indigenous Law and Policy Center Blog, Michigan State University College of Law. This site discusses the legal battle of a Canadian aboriginal person fighting the US government for the right to cross the border freely, a right granted to him through the Jay Treaty. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/15Qm7yP
The Jay Treaty, by Carlos Leiva, Westwood Middle School. In this middle school lesson plan, students explore the purpose of the Jay Treaty, the people and places involved and other major events occurring during the time. (TR) http://bit.ly/1aeYVae
20 Transgender Day of Remembrance. This day is set aside to memorialize those who were killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice.
Beyond The Binary: A Tool Kit for Gender Identity Activism in Schools, by the Gay-Straight Alliance Network, Transgender Law Center and the National Center for Lesbian Rights. This guide includes information for helping students deconstruct some of the myths behind gender identity. It can be used to develop plans for Transgender Day of Remembrance or for action-planning to change school policies that are not supportive of all students. (M, H) http://bit.ly/9wjXL2
Luna, by Julie Anne Peters. This novel is told from the perspective of a young woman who is dealing with her brother’s decision to live as his true female self, Luna. (M, TR) http://bit.ly/uXD94h
The Transgender Child: A Handbook for Families and Professionals, by Stephanie A. Brill and Rachel Pepper. Transgendered and gender variant children have a hard time. They are generally discouraged by their families and bullied at school. This handbook is for families and teachers who want to understand and support children’s self-definition. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/rQ4LZY
The Youth and Gender Media Project. The Youth and Gender Media Project encompasses a growing collection of short films that capture the diversity and complexity of gender non-conforming youth. (M, H) http://bit.ly/1e5teV1
22 60th anniversary of the founding of the Humane Society of the United States. The Humane Society protects animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. The largest animal protection organization in the US, the Human Society rescues and cares for animals and strives to prevent animal abuse before it occurs.
Eating Animals, by Jonathan Safran Foer. Eating Animals explores the many stories we use to justify our eating habits—folklore and pop culture, family traditions and national myth, apparent facts and inherent fictions—and how such tales can lull us into a brutal forgetting. With a focus on the meat industry, the book also explores the way cows and chickens are treated for the production of our milk and eggs. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/32Rc0a
Lesson Plans for Teachers, by the Humane Society. These lesson plans include science and math activities designed to teach age-appropriate, standards-based academic skills and major character concepts—kindness, citizenship, fairness, respect, responsibility and integrity—while reinforcing those ideas as they apply to our treatment of animals. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/e8mKnI
27 National Day of Mourning. In 1970 Frank James, a Wampanoag Indian, was invited by the state of Massachusetts to deliver a speech about Thanksgiving. The speech was titled, “The National Day of Mourning.” When the text of the speech was revealed, Massachusetts uninvited him. In response, a group of New England Native Americans declared Thanksgiving 1970 the first annual National Day of Mourning.
Thanksgiving Mourning, by Teaching Tolerance. In this activity, students will explore the perspectives of two Native American authors about the meaning of the Thanksgiving holiday and then draft letters to them. (M, H) http://bit.ly/1bDV9H1
Oyate. Oyate is a Native American organization that lists recommended children’s books on Native American history and culture. The website features Thanksgiving resources and provides criteria for evaluating the quality of books about Native Americans. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/4DUTbG
Rethinking Thanksgiving, by Vera L. Stenhouse, Rethinking Schools. An article for teachers that outlines the myths and truths about Thanksgiving, gives ideas for critical teaching activities and provides extensive resources. Subscription required to access full article. (TR) http://bit.ly/1evl8Uw
1621: A New Look at Thanksgiving, by Catherine O’Neill Grace and Marge Bruchac. Produced in collaboration with the Wampanoag Indian Program at Plymouth Plantation, 1621 weighs Wampanoag oral traditions and English colonial written records against the popular myth of “brave settlers inviting wild Indians over for turkey dinner.” Link is to a lesson plan for this National Geographic Society book. (E, M, H) http://1.usa.gov/KxWUiI
28 Rita Mae Brown, author and activist, born (1944). Best known for her novel Rubyfruit Jungle about a young lesbian woman, Brown, a White author, helped found the Student Homophile League in 1967 at Columbia University. Now known as the Columbia Queer Alliance, it is considered the oldest queer student organization.
Rita Mae Brown, by MAKERS. A series of video interviews with Rita Mae Brown, part of the MAKERS: Women Who Make America initiative. (M, H) http://aol.it/18dOlnq
Gsanetwork: empowering youth activists to fight homophobia and transphobia in schools. The gsanetwork website provides support and resources for anyone interested in starting a gay-straight alliance or similar group in their schools. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/9w9Nlq
28 Buy Nothing Day. Buy Nothing Day (BND) is an international day of protest against consumerism celebrated on “Black Friday,” the busiest shopping day of the year.
The Story of Stuff, by Annie Leonard. “The Story of Stuff” is a 20-minute, free downloadable video that explores consumption and exposes the connections between different environmental and social issues, while providing suggestions for action. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/vXj7EC
The Story of Change, by Annie Leonard. A follow-up video from “The Story of Stuff,” “The Story of Change” asks if shopping can save the world. “The Story of Change” urges viewers to put down their credit cards and start exercising their citizen muscles to build a more sustainable, just and fulfilling world. (M, H) http://bit.ly/Vo6GIQ
Rethinking Globalization: Teaching for Justice in an Unjust World, edited by Bill Bigelow and Bob Peterson, Rethinking Schools. This book is an extensive collection of readings and source material on critical global issues. It is ready to use in the classroom through numerous role plays, interviews, poems, stories, background readings, cartoons and hands-on teaching activities. (M, H)http://bit.ly/uvPb0p
29 150th anniversary of the Sand Creek Massacre. A force of Colorado Territory volunteer militia attacked a Cheyenne and Arapaho encampment. After the initial attack they later returned and killed the wounded, mutilated the bodies and set fire to the village. Most of those killed were women, children and elderly people, yet the militia members were never held accountable. Today it is recognized as one of the greatest atrocities committed against the Cheyenne and Arapaho people.
The West: The Pueblo Revolt, by PBS. This PBS eight-part documentary and website contains lesson plans, images and primary source documents from the Sand Creek Massacre. (M, H, TR) http://to.pbs.org/qOY0PG
30 Shirley Chisholm, educator and politician, born (1924-2005). In 1968 Chisholm was the first African American woman elected to Congress. Three years later she co-founded the National Women’s Political Caucus. As a representative for Brooklyn, NY, Chisholm introduced and supported legislation related to equality, childcare and the minimum wage and was a vocal opponent of the draft.
Chisholm ’72: Unbought and Unbossed. This site includes lesson plans and resources for using the documentary Chisholm ’72. Also provides access to a lending library where teachers can borrow the video for free. (M, H, TR) http://to.pbs.org/13P1VL3 and http://bit.ly/16G14e1
30 Mary Eliza McDowell, social reformer, born (1854 to 1936). McDowell, together with the University of Chicago faculty members, established a settlement house, which organized activities and provided social services for mostly immigrant families. McDowell, a White activist, also advocated for a variety of causes including sanitation, workers’ rights and improved race relations.
Gender and Jobs—Women in the Workforce, by Teaching Tolerance. This lesson plan from Teaching Tolerance will guide students in exploring gender equity, reflecting on how gender-based injustice might affect them and exploring ways in which they can fight this injustice. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/1eNtNSW
1 240th anniversary of the Continental Congress discontinuing the importation of slaves. The First Continental Congress adopted the Continental Association, which suspended all trade with Great Britain, including the slave trade. This trade boycott was enacted as retribution for British policies in the American colonies.
Slavery and the Making of America, by PBS. This site houses lesson plans to teach about slavery in America for students elementary through high school based on the four-part documentary. It also offers primary sources, a virtual museum and organizers for students. (E, M, H) http://to.pbs.org/1eg0Wcm
2 50th anniversary of the publication of Animal Machines. Ruth Harrison’s book Animal Machines uncovers the grim living conditions of farm animals and the unjust practices of the farming industry based on years of research on factory farms. Publication increased awareness about the suffering of farm animals and led to legal reforms of farming practices.
Vegatopia: Promoting ethical veganism through academic research and teaching. An interdisciplinary bibliography on veganism comprising more than 1,800 references. (TR) http://bit.ly/15qvGVw
The Meatrix Trilogy, by Sustainable Table and Free Range Studios. “The Meatrix” is a series of four-minute online animations that spoof The Matrix movie trilogy while educating viewers about the problems with industrial agriculture and today’s meat supply. The website provides a wealth of resources about sustainable food and healthy living. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/JC9bM
3 30th anniversary of the Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal, India. A pesticide plant in central India, a subsidiary of the American Union Carbide company, leaked a highly toxic cloud of methyl isocyanate into the air. Immediately, two thousand people were killed, 600,000 injured and 6,000 have died since. It was one of the worst industrial accidents in the world.
The Yes Men Save the World. The Yes Men movie follows anti-corporate activist-pranksters as they impersonate WTO spokesmen on TV and at business conferences. In one scene, the Yes Men impersonate a Dow Chemical spokesman on BBC and promise compensation for the victims of the Bhopal disaster for which Dow Chemical’s subsidiary was responsible. (H) http://bit.ly/13XQsowand http://bit.ly/15ov37B and http://bit.ly/15YI37L
One Night in Bhopal, from BBC News. The program “tells the story of the disaster with a dramatic reconstruction through the eyes of five survivors.” Provides audio clips, photos, articles and analysis. Also includes material in Hindi. (H, TR) http://bbc.in/IP6GXU
3 International Day of Persons with Disabilities
ADAPT. ADAPT is a national grassroots community that organizes disability rights activists. Teach and learn about their struggle to assure the civil and human rights of people with disabilities to live in freedom. (E, M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/1ji7BVU
McKenna, by Mary Casanova. McKenna tells the story of a fourth grade student with a learning disability. The 6 Elements of Social Justice Ed Blog offers a summary of this book and other social justice children’s literature titles. (E) http://bit.ly/1a1VxAs
8 Bodhi Day (Buddhism). Bodhi Day commemorates the day that Buddha reached enlightenment.
Under the Bodhi Tree, by Dharma Realm Buddhist Association. This book tells the story of the Buddha’s life, from his birth as a pampered prince, through his cultivation and enlightenment, to his founding of the Buddhist sangha and his final Nirvana. (E, M) http://bit.ly/sfwpqS
9 10th anniversary of Canada’s Supreme Court ruling that gay marriage is constitutional. Shortly after the ruling, Canada became the fourth country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide.
How Gay Marriage Became Legal In Canada. Short video summary of how this legislation came to fruition. (M, H) http://bit.ly/18RFQef
10 30th anniversary of Bishop Desmond Tutu receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. The chair of South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Tutu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in the fight against apartheid.
Tutu and Franklin: A Journey Towards Peace, by PBS. Documentary about Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Tutu and the late Dr. John Hope Franklin. Set on a former slave port off the coast of Senegal in West Africa, the two discover surprising truths about their personal histories and their nations’ struggles for racial peace. They are joined in these conversations by an international, interracial group of 21 teenagers. PBS site includes a teacher’s guide. (M, H, TR) http://to.pbs.org/19jLFG6
10 International Animal Rights Day. International Animal Rights Day began in 1997 when a group of animal rights activists declared that all animals are sentient beings and deserve to be treated with respect. The group picked December 10 because it is also Human Rights Day and the anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Animal Protection Activities, by the Institute for Humane Education. Activity topics include the connections between animal and human oppression, the inconsistencies in how we make choices about how we treat others, and more. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/10R5cUS
10 Human Rights Day. This day celebrates the UN’s adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Human Rights in Action. The UN’s cyberschoolbus page for students explores the history of human rights and ways to advocate for human rights. (E, M) http://bit.ly/a5TSHf
Human Rights and Service-Learning: Lesson Plans and Projects, by Kristine Belisle and Elizabeth Sullivan, Amnesty International-USA and Human Rights Education Associates (HREA). The manual contains lessons and service-learning projects. The lesson plans are divided into five human rights topic areas: law and justice, environment, children’s rights to education and health, poverty, and discrimination. (E, M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/byc6E8
The Human Rights Education program (HRE) of Amnesty International. The Human Rights Education program was designed to support teachers to promote the human rights principles and positive value system that are set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Site includes curricular guides, letters for parents, lessons to use with popular films and more. (TR) http://bit.ly/d1D1BS
We Are All Born Free, by John Burningham, Niki Daly and Korky Paul, published by Amnesty International. Published to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, We Are All Born Free uses pictures by internationally renowned artists to illustrate the meaning of these rights. (E) http://bit.ly/v1jRdL
10 90th anniversary of the first known gay rights organization in the US. Activist Henry Gerber applied for a charter in Chicago for the Society for Human Rights. The Society published the country’s first gay-interest magazine, “Friendship and Freedom,” but disbanded soon after its founding after the arrests of several members, including Gerber.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights, a Human Rights Perspective, by the Human Rights Resource Center, University of Minnesota. A series of lessons intended to help participants understand LGBT rights as human rights. The HRRC main website also has a wealth of resources, including a K-12 education initiative complete with lesson plans. (E, M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/14cTg4V
12 Elizabeth Martinez, feminist, activist and educator, born (1925). After being forced to move to the back of a segregated bus, Chicana activist Martinez focused on building an alliance between Blacks and Mexicans to fight racism. Her most well known work is 500 Años del Pueblo Chicano/500 Years of Chicano History in Pictures.
101 Changemakers: Rebels and Radicals Who Changed US History, by Michele Bollinger and Dao X. Tran. This book documents rebels and radicals who changed US history and includes a section on Elizabeth Martinez, a civil rights activist and author. Here you will find a timeline, a summary of her tremendous contributions, as well as questions to consider. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/12CDnDW
500 Años del Pubelo Chicano/500 Years of Chicano History in Pictures, by Elizabeth Martinez. This book presents Chicano history and the true story of La Raza through hundreds of photos, drawings, paintings and bilingual text. This photo essay celebrates the survival of the Mestizo people, their resistance to exploitation and the strength of the Raza women. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/1ccLz1m
13 Richard A. Isay, psychiatrist, psychoanalyst and gay rights activist, born (1934-2012). The first openly gay member of the American Psychoanalytic Association (APsaA), Isay wrote widely about gay men and advocated for gay rights within his profession. His book, Being Homosexual: Gay Men and Their Development, was the first to present a gay man’s developmental pathway and to present homosexuality as an innate identity.
Dr. Richard Isay, Who Fought Illness Tag for Gays, Dies at 77, by Denis Grady, The New York Times. Brief but detailed biography of his life and work. (H, TR)http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/30/health/richard-isay-fought-illness-tag-for-gays-dies-at-77.html
Be Who You Are: I Am Me Poems, by Welcoming Schools. Like Richard A. Isay, Welcoming Schools acknowledges the importance of self-identity and self-acceptance in our lives. This lesson aims to help students explore and share their identities through poetry. (E) http://bit.ly/16zEm9O
17 70th anniversary of the US Army announcing the end of Japanese American internment. In 1942, after Pearl Harbor was bombed, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which forced Japanese Americans from the West Coast into internment camps. The order, in effect for almost three years, resulted in the relocation and detainment of more than 110,000 people. A day after the US Army announced the end of internment, the Supreme Court determined that wartime internment was not a violation of civil liberties. The cancellation of Executive Order 9066 went into effect January 2, 1945.
Baseball Saved Us, by Ken Mochizuki. In Baseball Saved Us, Shorty (a young Japanese American boy) and his family are forced to move to an internment camp during WWII. Shorty’s father builds a baseball field to try to restore normalcy for the children, and they rally around the idea. A summary, link and activities are available on the 6 Elements of Social Justice Ed. Book Blog, which contains an annotated list of children’s literature for the elementary classroom. (E) http://bit.ly/1bVWR7J
Children of the Camps, by Dr. Satsuki Ina. This film documents the experiences of six Japanese American children who were held in internment campus during WWII. The film’s website includes teaching resources that explore the historical context of internment as well as its effects on the children and communities involved. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/1gevpqr
So Far from the Sea, by Eve Bunting. This children’s book is about a seven-year-old girl who visits her grandfather’s grave at the Manzanar War Relocation Center, where thousands of Japanese Americans were interned during WWII. (E, M) http://bit.ly/1jP8d3h
17 First day of Hanukkah, begins at sunset on 12/16 (Judaism). Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish holiday also known as the Festival of Lights.
Holidays Around the World: Celebrate Hanukkah: With Lights, Latkes, and Dreidels, by Deborah Heiligman. This children’s book features National Geographic photography to illustrate how Jewish people around the world celebrate Hanukkah. (E)http://bit.ly/RflFhW
18 International Migrants Day. There are around 200 million migrant workers in the world. The UN marks this date to recognize this diverse group of workers and the economic, social and political contexts that affect their rights and livelihood.
Calling the Doves/El canto de las palomas, by Juan Felipe Herrera. This picture book is Herrera’s memoir of his childhood as a son of migrant farmworkers. Written in English and Spanish, it celebrates the work, skills and love of Herrera’s parents. (E) http://bit.ly/1g6m0Qh
ICED—I Can End Deportation. What better way to truly understand a person’s experience than to find yourself in their shoes for a moment? This video game from Breakthrough on immigration, ICED—I Can End Deportation, does just that. It puts you, the player, in the shoes of an immigrant to illustrate the way that unfair immigration laws deny due process and violate human rights. Site includes curriculum and discussion guides. (H) http://www.gamesforchange.org/play/iced-i-can-end-deportation/
18 70th anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling that interning Japanese Americans is constitutional. Fred Korematsu was a Japanese American who refused to comply with Executive Order 1066, which called for Japanese Americans on the West Coast to be sent to internment camps. He was arrested and convicted and then appealed. The Supreme Court ruled that the government had the right to take away civil liberties in a time of war. That same day the Supreme Court ruled in a separate case brought by Mitsuye Endo that the government could not indefinitely detain a loyal citizen. In 1988, Congress apologized for the order and awarded reparations to interned citizens and their heirs.
Densho. Densho’s mission is to preserve the testimonies of Japanese Americans who were unjustly incarcerated during World War II. The site offers first-hand accounts, coupled with historical images and teacher resources, to explore principles of democracy and promote equal justice. (M, H) http://bit.ly/aeM9K3
Untold Civil Rights Stories: Asian Americans Speak Out for Justice, by Stewart Kwoh and Russell C. Leong. This educational textbook focuses on the role of Asian Americans in modern Civil Rights and social justice struggles, before and after September 11th, and features Koresmatsu’s profile. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/GFdEU8
Children of the Camps: WWII Internment Timeline. This website contains historical documents, pictures, a timeline and details regarding WWII internment camps. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/Mvbfh9
Explore the Japanese American Internment Through Film and the Internet. This site hosts a vast array of resources for teaching about the internment. Educator section has unit plans and discussion questions. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/N94Zg5
18 70th anniversary of Steele v. Louisville & Nashville Railroad Company. In 1944, Bester Williams Steele, a longtime employee of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad Company, acted as a plaintiff to challenge the exclusion and discriminatory practices faced by Black railroad workers from all-White railroad brotherhoods. While the Supreme Court did not prohibit all-White membership in unions, it did establish the “duty of fair representation” in labor law, requiring unions to represent Black workers.
Who Built America?, by the American Social History Project, CUNY. The Who Built America? multimedia materials are designed to reshape the way US history is taught and learned. Materials include a two-volume, college-level textbook; a series of ten half-hour video/DVD documentaries with accompanying viewer guides; and two CD-ROMs. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/1aEHRed
20 Sandra Cisneros, author and activist, born (1954). Cisneros, a Mexican American writer, is famous for her works exploring poverty, the Chicano identity, the difficulties of navigating both Mexican and Anglo-American cultures and discrimination against women. Her most famous work, The House on Mango Street, gave a voice to young Chicana women growing up in poverty.
The Voice of a Latina writer: Author Study on Sandra Cisneros, by Lu Liñan, El Alma de la Raza Series, Denver Public Schools. In this six-week high school unit, students examine the works of Sandra Cisneros while making connections to their personal lives, developing schema, focusing on literary analysis and developing critical thinking skills. (H) http://bit.ly/18ziY5e
The House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros. Considered by many to be a classic, Cisneros’ book follows the story of Esperanza Cordero, a young Latina girl growing up in Chicago. The story is told in a series of vignettes and takes readers on a journey as Esperanza explores who and what she will become. (E, M, TR) http://bit.ly/1dKLmSl
21 Winter Solstice. The Winter Solstice, only in the Northern Hemisphere, marks the beginning of winter. It is the shortest day and longest night of the year.
24 200th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Ghent. England had assisted Native Americans in resisting White settlement in the Ohio Country since the American Revolution. With the signing of the Treaty of Ghent to end the War of 1812, Native Americans lost this support and ceded their land rights in Ohio within the next quarter century.
The Effects of the War of 1812 on Native American Peoples, by Darryl Hamson. This site outlines the devastating effects of the War of 1812 on Native Americans including how numerous treaties opened Indian land to White settlers. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/KbV87B
25 Philip Vera Cruz, labor leader and farmworker, born (1904-1994). Vera Cruz, co-founder of the predominantly Filipino Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC), fought for the rights of migrant workers. During the Delano grape strike, the AWOC merged with the predominantly Mexican American National Farm Workers Association to form the United Farm Workers (UFW). In 1970, as vice president of UFW, Vera Cruz helped the union reach a collective bargaining agreement with grape growers.
Dignified and Determined: Labor Activisim of Filipina/o American Farmworkers, by Allyson Tintiangco-Cubales, Dawn B. Mabalon, Maricel Elacio, Erica Parpan, Ingrid Gonzales, Ron Quimel, Frederick David and R.J. Lozada. This lesson plan, which focuses on Filipina/o American farmworkers, problematizes how we view the labor and activism of the Pinay/Pinoy Pioneers. Generally, these lesson plans will help us be more critical of how we perceive and understand labor, work, class and economic justice. (H) http://bit.ly/1fPbdx0
25 Christmas. Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus.
26 160th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Medicine Creek. The Treaty of Medicine Creek along with four other treaties signed in western Washington, known as the Stevens Treaties, recognized the sovereignty of indigenous tribes in the region and guaranteed their right to fish, hunt and gather shellfish. After decades of violation of these treaties and activism to counter these violations, a 1974 court case reaffirmed the tribes’ authority to co-manage resources such as salmon and shellfish.
A Place at the Table: Struggles for Equality in America, by Maria Fleming. This booklet contains stories of unsung heroes who have struggled for equality throughout US history, including “Against the Current,” which describes Native Americans’ centuries long struggle for fishing rights. (M, H) http://bit.ly/17UU3XI
26 First day of Kwanzaa (Umoja = unity). Kwanzaa is a seven-day celebration honoring African American culture and heritage in which each of the seven days is dedicated to a specific principle.
The Official Kwanzaa Website, maintained by Dr. Maulana Karenga, the creator of Kwanzaa. This website provides information about the symbols, values and rituals of Kwanzaa. (E) http://bit.ly/2wtSIp
27 Second day of Kwanzaa (Kuji-chagulia = self-determination)
Kwanzaa books via Busboys and Poets. A collection of children’s books on Kwanzaa. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/t7iv0g
28 Henry Roe Cloud, Native American activist and educator, born (1884-1950). Roe Cloud was the first Native American to graduate from Yale University and went on to found the Roe Indian Institute, the first college preparatory school created for and by Native Americans. In addition to advocating for higher education for Native Americans and for integrated Native American and traditional curricula, he helped reveal the failings of federal Indian policy on a national scale.
Profile: Henry Roe Cloud: Pioneering Native American Educator, by Jean Sanders, Nebraska State Educators Association. This site offers readers a narrative of Cloud’s life, highlighting his dedication to providing education for Native Americans. (TR) http://bit.ly/17aCLV9
28 Third day of Kwanzaa (Ujima = collective work and responsibility)
Seven Principles, by Sweet Honey In The Rock. A song that teaches the seven principles of Kwanzaa. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/vNc77L
29 Fourth day of Kwanzaa (Ujamaa = cooperative economics)
Cultivate.Coop. Cultivate.Coop is an online hub for pooling knowledge and resources on cooperatives. It is a space to collect free information for those interested in cooperatives, and one where people can build useful educational tools for the co-op community. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/ekaidO
Co-opoly: The Game of Cooperatives, by Toolbox for Education & Social Action. In this game for teens and adults where everyone wins or everyone loses, players work together to run a co-op and put their teamwork to test. The site features a short how-to video and offers other educational resources as well. (TR) http://www.toolboxfored.org/project/co-opoly-the-game-of-cooperatives/
30 Joseph F. Beam, gay rights activist and author, born (1954 to 1988). Beam was an African American gay rights activist who used his writing and work to support the gay Black community and promote positive images of gay men of Color.
Tribute: Joseph F. Beam, by Stephen Maglott on rainbowlit.com. Brief biography, including reference to a PBS POV documentary, Tongues Untied, which includes his work. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/162GBOp
In the Life: A Black Gay Anthology, by Joseph F. Beam. An anthology of writings collected by Beam to show gay African-American men in a positive light in the media. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/1dNEhTj
1 20th anniversary of the founding of the World Trade Organization. While the stated goals of the WTO are to eliminate obstacles to international trade in order to contribute to economic growth, human rights organizations and social justice activists criticize the WTO for putting the rights of corporations above labor and human rights.
WTO History Project Website. This site is a collection of photographs, interviews with protesters, timelines and other materials related to the 1999 protests against the WTO’s Ministerial meeting in Seattle, Washington, also known as the Battle in Seattle. It aims to help users better understand this complex historical event. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/JpwLQj
1 40th anniversary of the Menominee Warrior Society takeover of a Wisconsin Novitiate. A group of American Indians known as the Menominee Warrior Society seized the Novitiate and the surrounding property from the religious order of the Alexian Brothers in Gresham, Wisconsin. The group demanded the property be turned over in accordance with a treaty that allowed them to claim unused land. The standoff ended with the sale of the Novitiate to the Menominee for one dollar.
Shawano City-County Library Digital Collections. This site contains a collection of documents and photos from the takeover that can be used for primary source analysis. (H, TR)http://bit.ly/171P0TH
1 40th anniversary of the publication of Animal Liberation. Animal Liberation, by Peter Singer, is considered to be the manifesto of the modern animal rights movement. The book argues that animals should be protected because of their ability to feel suffering. Singer’s work popularized the term “speciesism,” referring to the practice of discrimination and exploitation of non-human animals.
Animal Rights Lessons and Activity Sheets, by TeachKind. This website boasts free online lessons and activity sheets on animal rights issues in a variety of subject areas. (E, M) http://bit.ly/1hsFo9E
1 40th anniversary of Elaine Noble’s election to the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Noble served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives for two terms starting January 1, 1975. She was the first openly gay candidate elected to a state legislature.
A Portrait of Elaine Noble by Elizabeth Dean, by WGBH History: WGBH. An excellent short biography of her life, both personally and politically. Also includes a link to the WGBH 1975 documentary, A Woman’s Place Is in the House: A Portrait of Elaine Noble. (M, H) http://bit.ly/13NVtUb
Stonewall Portraits: A Conversation with Elaine Noble, by Provincetown Community Television video. An interview with Elaine Noble about her life and work. Her story, in her words. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/16lxhcS
1 40th anniversary of the International Women’s Year. The UN designated 1975 as International Women’s Year with the goal of improving the status of women worldwide. This was later extended to a Decade of Women and led to the establishment of International Women’s Day, celebrated annually on March 8.
The Trouble with Women’s History Month, by Maureen Costello. This article critiques the habit of celebrating influential women during International Women’s Day or Women’s History month. Instead, Costello argues, teachers should reveal gender stereotypes and inequalities that were a part of history and still found today. (TR) http://bit.ly/18dwvvy
2 50th anniversary of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s voter registration drive. The SCLC launched a voter drive in Selma, Alabama, which grew into a nationwide protest movement and ultimately helped lead to the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Putting the Movement Back into Civil Rights Teaching: A Resource Guide for Classrooms and Communities, by Alana Murray and Deborah Menkart. The book includes interactive and interdisciplinary lessons, readings, writings, photos, graphics and interviews, with sections on education, labor, citizenship and culture. Within the section on citizenship and self-determination there is a chapter by Bob Wing called “The Color of Elections.” (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/1f8vZXN
Rethinking the U.S. Constitutional Convention: A Role Play, by Bob Peterson. This teaching activity is a role-play on the Constitutional Convention where students learn about the social forces active during and immediately following the American Revolution. Students also explore who should be allowed to vote (and the extent to which gender, race and property ownership play a role in that) and whether slavery and the slave trade should be abolished. (E, M) http://bit.ly/18gNBZ1
2 John Hope Franklin, historian, born (1915–2009). Franklin was a historian who sought to “weave into the fabric of American history enough of the presence of blacks so that the story of the United States could be told adequately and fairly.” He is best known for his work From Slavery to Freedom, a text on the history of African Americans published in 1947.
Civil Rights Activist, Historian Discusses New Autobiography, PBS Newshour. The PBS Newshour website features a video interview of John Hope Franklin by Gwen Ifill in which he talks about his autobiography. There is also a transcript of the interview available. (M, H, TR) http://to.pbs.org/1eNgPEb
From Slavery to Freedom, by John Hope Franklin and Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham. Franklin is best known for his work From Slavery to Freedom, a text on the history of African Americans, which was first published in 1947 and is continually updated. (M, H, TR) http://amzn.to/1bbSZOi
2 70th anniversary of the official end of Japanese exclusion. The US War Department rescinded the exclusion orders responsible for the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II one day before the Supreme Court ruled that “loyal” citizens could not be lawfully detained. The change went into effect on Jan. 2.
Children of the Camps Documentary, film by Dr. Satsuki Ina. This film documents the experiences of six Japanese American children who were held in internment campus during WWII. The film’s website includes teaching resources that explore the historical context of internment as well as its effects on children and communities involved. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/1gevpqr
So Far from the Sea, by Eve Bunting. This children’s book is about a seven-year old girl who visits her grandfather’s grave at the Manzanar War Relocation Center, where thousands of Japanese Americans were interned during WWII. (E, M) http://bit.ly/GEU75e
3 70th anniversary of Adam Clayton Powell Jr.’s election to the US House of Representatives. Powell was the first African American to represent the state of New York in Congress. He ran on a civil rights platform, supporting fair employment practices, and a ban on poll taxes and lynching. Powell challenged the segregationists in Congress, using Capitol facilities reserved for White members and confronting other Congressmen who used racist language on the House floor.
Robert Penn Warren’s Who Speaks for the Negro? The website for Robert Penn Warren’s book Who Speaks for the Negro? features transcripts, articles and audio about the various civil rights activists featured in his book, including Adam Clayton Powell Jr. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/18Fi7PG
3 50th anniversary of the first Asian American congresswoman. Patsy Matsu Takemoto Mink became the first Asian American woman, and woman of Color, elected to the US Congress. She served as a representative from Hawaii for a total of 12 terms. Among her many achievements, she opposed the Vietnam War and co-sponsored the Title IX Amendment to the Higher Education Act to ensure gender equality in higher education.
Patsy Mink: Ahead of the Majority, Teacher’s Guide. This high school lesson plan is designed to be used in conjunction with the one-hour documentary, “Patsy Mink: Ahead of the Majority.” The lesson helps students explore the historical significance of Mink’s election and the challenges she faced throughout her years in public service. A trailer of the documentary can be found at http://bit.ly/1Mx9b5. (H) http://bit.ly/1aLUp2x
3 120th anniversary of the imprisonment of Hopi tribe members. Nineteen Hopi tribe members were imprisoned by the US government at Alcatraz because they resisted US policies designed to erase Hopi culture. The Hopi members would not farm as the government wanted them to and refused to send their children to government boarding schools. They were held at Alcatraz until August 7, 1895.
The Army and American Indian Prisoners, by Park Ranger Craig Glassner, National Park Service. This site uncovers Alcatraz’s history as the first fortress and military prison on the West Coast and explores the types of prisoners held there, including Hopi tribe members. Pictures of Hopi prisoners can also be found on the site. (M, H) http://1.usa.gov/irO8SJ
Alcatraz is Not an Island: Indian Activism, by PBS. This page on the Alcatraz is Not an Island site features the takeover of Alcatraz as a successful American Indian protest. This takeover motivated other American Indian protests in the 20th century, which visitors can read about. (M, H) http://to.pbs.org/1eLx74P
4 40th anniversary of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act. The Act gave Native American tribes the power to enter into contract with the US government to run their own health and education programs. This was a significant victory for Native Americans in the struggle to protect and strengthen their cultures and resist the forces of assimilation.
A Brief History of American Indian Education, by University of Minnesota. This site offers a brief history of Indian education in America and a timeline of significant events between American Indian tribes and the US government. The site also offer lesson plans for all grades on a variety of Native American subjects. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/1ggLbRK
7 150th anniversary of the Battle of Julesburg. In this battle, the Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Lakota Indians retaliated against the US Army for the Sand Creek Massacre where peaceful members of the Cheyenne and Arapaho were killed and mutilated.
Native Americans and the Transcontinental Railroad: American Experience, by PBS. This article discusses different interactions between the railroad companies and the US government with Native Americans during the building of the transcontinental railroad, which involved the stealing of land from Native American tribes. Other resources include an interview with a Native American scholar further outlining the impact of the railroad on all aspects of Native American life. (M, H, TR) http://to.pbs.org/zmHgbv
8 A.J. Muste, peace activist, born (1885-1967). The Reverend Abraham Johannes Muste was a Dutch-born American clergyman and political activist. Committed to both peace and social justice, Muste was active in the labor, pacifist, anti-war and the US civil rights movements.
War is Not an Accident: A Profile of Radical Pacifist A.J. Muste, by David McNair, The Rutherford Institute. This article celebrates Muste, his pacifism and his belief in individual freedom and social justice. McNair provides readers with background on Muste’s life as well as his accomplishments. (M, H) http://bit.ly/1aKhxEH
8 90th anniversary of the first all-female US state supreme court appointed in Texas. Gov. Pat M. Neff appointed women attorneys to the special court to hear the appeal of a case involving the fraternal organization Woodmen of the World (Darr et al.). The three justices normally on the court were disqualified from hearing the case because they were members of the Woodsmen. All of the male attorneys Neff wanted to appoint to replace them were also members.
All-Woman Supreme Court, by Debbie Mauldin Cottrell. This article describes the appointment of an all- woman Texas Supreme Court in 1925 for a particular case. It should be noted that it was not for another thirty years that Texas women were allowed to serve on juries. And finally, in 1982, a woman was named to serve full time on the state Supreme Court, when Gov. William Clements appointed a woman to fill an unexpired term on the court. (TR) http://bit.ly/15a9w9D
11 80th anniversary of Amelia Earhart’s solo flight from Honolulu to Oakland. Earhart was the first person to fly solo across the Pacific Ocean from Hawaii to California.
Women in Aviation and Space History, by Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. This museum website features forty-seven women who are or have been included by name, artifact or photograph in the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum’s exhibits. Amelia Earhart is among the forty-seven, and included in her comprehensive biography is Earhart’s notable flights, her role in The Ninety-Nines (a female pilot organization), and her work designing “functional” women’s clothing. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/18KWb34
11 Alice Stokes Paul, women’s rights activist and suffragist, born (1885-1977). Paul, a White activist, was arrested and imprisoned several times while participating in demonstrations as a suffragist. She organized the Woman Suffrage Parade, a march down Pennsylvania Avenue on the eve of Woodrow Wilson’s inauguration, to protest women’s inability to vote. Her work helped win passage of the 19th Amendment allowing women to vote.
The Women’s Suffrage Movement, by Deidrah Scott. This unit plan helps students explore the history of the women’s suffrage movement, women’s rights and Women’s History Month. It also provides links to relevant resources such as documents from the Library of Congress, PBS webisodes and DVDs from The History Channel. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/sE6ovu
Women’s Suffrage, by Teaching Tolerance. Students will explore, using primary and secondary documents, how over a period of 75 years a movement of American women used non-violent measures to persuade both federal and state governments to allow women to vote. In 1920 the 19th amendment was passed, securing women’s right to vote. (M, H) http://bit.ly/15a89ks
14 120th anniversary of the Brooklyn Trolley Strike. 5,000 trolley men went on strike due to unfair wages and labor conditions. The Brooklyn Trolley strike lasted more than five weeks and was the largest and most violent labor dispute in Brooklyn.
Trolley Wars: Streetcar Workers on the Line, by Scott Molloy. This book is a study of the public transportation system in the Gilded Age. It discusses the trolley wars, streetcar operators, changing ownership and the bond between trolley crews and passengers. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/17S1mmo
14 Makar Sankranti (Hinduism). Makar Sankranti is a harvest festival that celebrates the day the sun enters the zodiac sign of Capricorn.
Uttarayan, by BAPS Swaminarayn Sanstha. This kid-friendly page provides information about “Uttarayn” or Makar Sankranti. Visitors can read about the different rituals that take place and view photographs. Links to other festival and related topics are also available. (E, M) http://bit.ly/1gx1RE2
16 150th anniversary of “forty acres and a mule.” General William T. Sherman issued Special Field Order No. 15, which gave 400,000 acres of confiscated land in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida to formerly enslaved people, divided into 40-acre parcels. The news of “forty acres and a mule” gave hope to freed slaves, but the order was revoked in the fall of that same year by President Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Abraham Lincoln after his assassination.
Reconstruction: The Second Civil War, part of the American Experience series by PBS. The series features a segment called “Forty Acres and a Mule” that addresses the historic decision and the resulting failed initiative. There are various resources listed including digital histories, primary sources such as the text of Special Field Order No. 15, and archives of documents from the post-emancipation era. (M, H, TR) http://to.pbs.org/tAFVf
Forty Acres and Maybe a Mule, by Harriette Gillem Robinet. A piece of historical fiction about a pair of children that claim and farm the land promised to them during Reconstruction. (M)http://bit.ly/1a0BlTe
16 Religious Freedom Day. Religious Freedom Day is the anniversary of the 1786 passage of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which declared that government-mandated religion was a violation of one’s natural rights. In doing so, Virginia became the first state to separate church and state.
Maintain Neutrality, by Teaching Tolerance. This link provides a collection of lessons designed to help teachers maintain the distinction between “teaching religion” and “teaching about religion.” Explore the site for a wide array of other lessons and resources on the topic. (M, H) http://bit.ly/9B9stE
Taking a Closer Look at Religions Around the World, by Teaching Tolerance. This lesson offers a starting point for exploring religions and faith traditions, creating an ongoing respectful dialogue about religious tolerance. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/d0WqIg
Respecting Nonreligious People, by Teaching Tolerance. Students often learn the importance of respecting people of different religions, but what about people who do not hold religious beliefs at all? This lesson introduces students to people who choose not to follow a religion. (E, M) http://bit.ly/nonrelig
Tanenbaum Education Program. Tanenbaum produces both free lesson plans and curricula that you can purchase that focus on inter-religious understanding. (E, M, H, TR) http://gecnyc.wordpress.com/category/resources/
17 100th anniversary of the Poor People’s March of the Unemployed. Activist and anarchist Lucy Parsons led a march of over 15,000 people through Chicago demanding relief from hunger and unemployment. It was the first time the union anthem ‘Solidarity Forever’ was sung. This action persuaded the American Federation of Labor, the Jane Addams’ Hull House and the Socialist Party to participate in a subsequent demonstration the following month.
Lucy Parsons: An American Revolutionary, by Carolyn Ashbaugh. A book on the life and times of Lucy Parsons, an early American radical who led the Poor People’s March. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/1aSojam
Urban Renewal or Urban Removal?, by Chicago Grassroots Curriculum Taskforce. This curriculum book provides in-depth chronological coverage of Chicago-area community struggles against land grabs from the 1700s to 2012. Includes information on Parsons and on the Chicago Defender. (M, H) http://bit.ly/1frRXDm
The Lucy Parsons Project. This website is a tribute to Lucy Parsons, her work and the causes she championed. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/1aTJlkv
Solidarity Forever, by Zinn Education Project. Information and a recording about this historic protest song. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/1bvfGCa
19 100th anniversary of Joe Hill’s arrest. Hill, a labor organizer, was arrested on murder charges in Salt Lake City, UT. Hill was convicted after a controversial trial and executed despite worldwide protests and pleas for mercy by President Wilson, Helen Keller and the Swedish Ambassador. Before his death, he penned the famous words, “Don’t mourn—organize!” He became a cause célèbre for the labor movement.
Putting a Face on the Organization of Labor, by Jim Shannon (2004). Lesson from the American History Through Music Project: Voices Across Time, introducing students to Joe Hill through analyzing folk songs from the era. (M, H) http://bit.ly/1c5yZxY
19 Martin Luther King Day. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a US federal holiday marking the birth of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a prominent leader in the African American Civil Rights Movement. It is observed on the third Monday of each January, around the time of King’s birthday, January 15th.
Liberation Curriculum, by the Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute. Lesson plans, primary resources and articles based on the Martin Luther King archives at Stanford University. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/fakvex
23 Bob Moses, civil rights organizer, born (1935). As a field secretary for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in the early 60s, Moses registered Black people in Mississippi to vote. He was also a lead organizer of Freedom Summer, which brought hundreds of mainly White, Northern volunteers to the state to register voters and teach at Freedom Schools. In the 80s Moses founded the Algebra Project, a national program to increase math literacy among children in poor communities.
The Algebra Project Website. The Algebra Project website features a variety of curricular resources for teaching algebra and geometry. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/18xhVmp
Radical Equations: Civil Rights from Mississippi to the Algebra Project, by Robert Moses and Charles E. Cobb. Robert Moses tells the history of his work organizing the 1960s Southern voter drive, as well as his work organizing the Algebra Project. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/H7P4vq
Letters from Mississippi: Reports from Civil Rights Volunteers and Freedom School Poetry of the 1964 Freedom Summer, by Elizabeth Sutherland Martinez. This expanded version of Letters from Mississippi retains the introduction by Julian Bond, while updating the biographies of over a dozen volunteers from that summer and, most importantly, adds over 40 pages of poetry that were written by students in the Freedom Schools, along with the original preface by Langston Hughes. (H) http://bit.ly/NM5Xcr
24 Saraswati Puja (Hinduism). Saraswati Puja is a festival devoted to the goddess of knowledge, music and art.
Saraswati Puja 2012: Basant Panchami Heralds Spring, Celebrates Knowledge, by Jahnabi Barooah, The Huffington Post. This article gives readers background knowledge about Saraswati Puja. Also included on the site are a slideshow with vivid pictures of the celebration and the words of the most famous prayer recited to goddess Saraswati, as well as the translation. (M, H, TR) http://huff.to/1lR2L1m
25 100th anniversary of Coppage v. Kansas, a landmark anti-union case. Coppage, an employer, forbade employees from joining labor unions by writing it into their contracts. These “yellow-dog” contracts violated Kansas state law. However, the US Supreme Court held that the law prohibiting these contracts violated Coppage’s freedom to make contracts and ruled in Coppage’s favor. In 1932, yellow-dog contracts were outlawed in the US.
AFL-CIO Labor History Links. Collection of links to online labor history collections, including online museum exhibitions. (TR) http://bit.ly/1c5y94k
Labor Unions and Working Conditions: United We Stand. Students will work with primary source documents to study the working conditions of US laborers at the turn of the century. Students will answer the question, “Was there a need for organized labor unions?” (M, H) http://1.usa.gov/1aS3pUI
29 Muna Lee, writer and activist, born (1895-1965). Lee, a Puerto Rican American writer and activist, was a supporter of the feminist and Pan American movements, seeking cooperation between the Americas. She translated Latin American literature into English in order to break down barriers between the countries. She also fought for equal rights for women and founded the Inter-American Commission of Women, the first international organization to ensure women’s rights.
The Pan-American Life: Selected Poetry and Prose of Muna Lee, by Muna Lee and Jonathan Cohen. Cohen’s biography of Lee surveys her life and examines her development as a poet, translator, essayist and feminist. The book also offers readers a selection of Lee’s poetry and essays on literature and politics. (H) http://bit.ly/15Bxwm4
31 150th anniversary of the passage of the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery. This was the first of the three Reconstruction amendments adopted following the American Civil War.
Slavery by Another Name, directed by Sam Pollard. Based on the Pulitzer prize-winning book, Douglas A. Blackmon’s Slavery by Another Name, this 90-minute documentary challenges the view that slavery ended with the 13th Amendment in 1865. The PBS site includes video clips and links to other useful resources. (M, H, TR) http://to.pbs.org/zZnn6p
1 20th anniversary of the death of Jill Phipps during an animal rights protest. A lifelong advocate of animal rights, Phipps tried to chain herself to a truck carrying live animals during a protest against the export of animals in Baginton, Warwickshire, England. She was crushed to death under the truck’s wheels. Her death caused an outcry among animal rights groups and led to bans on live animal exports.
Animal Rights Weekend Warrior, by Ingrid E. Newkirk. Created by the cofounder of PETA, this set of cards offers 52 projects that help animals. Each card describes a different way children can improve the life of an animal, create change and educate others. (E, M) http://amzn.to/1cYwzkx
1 First day of African American History Month
The African American Experience and Issues of Race and Racism in U.S. Schools, compiled by Working to Improve Schools and Education (WISE). A list of links to a number of resources useful in teaching about African American schooling experiences. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/tJv2aI
African American Odyssey, by Library of Congress. Comprehensive online display of materials and primary resources related to the African American experience. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/aXfZMt
5 Trayvon Martin, unarmed Black teen shot to death, born (1995-2012). Martin was killed by George Zimmerman, a Neighborhood Watch member who decided Martin looked suspicious, while Martin was walking home. Zimmerman was not arrested at first, and the incident sparked a national campaign that focused on issues of racism and gun violence. Zimmerman was eventually arrested, tried and acquitted of Martin’s murder.
Zimmerman Trial: The Role of Race, by Marieke van Woerkom. In this lesson from the Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility, students will look at the case more closely and examine how race affected the case. This site also contains additional resources on teaching about Martin. (H) http://bit.ly/1fLjIry
Trayvon Martin and My Students, by Linda Christensen. In this article for Rethinking Schools, Christensen talks about how she integrated discussion about Martin with essay writing. (TR) http://bit.ly/LfSmy4
6 Bob Marley, singer and activist, born (1945-1981). Born to a White father and Black mother in Jamaica, Marley wrote music that focused on political and social injustice. His passionate yet peaceful messages and his adherence to his Jamaican and Africa heritage have inspired generations of reggae musicians and music lovers around the world.
Buffalo Soldiers, Learn NC, UNC School of Education. In this high school lesson, students will learn about Buffalo Soldiers and compare their findings to Bob Marley’s song “Buffalo Soldiers.” Students will compare Buffalo Soldiers to another group of their choice and demonstrate the connection by writing their own song lyrics. (TR) http://bit.ly/19EkroH
10 80th anniversary of Oberlin College enrolling African Americans. Oberlin College, a private liberal arts college in Ohio, is noteworthy for being the first American institution of higher learning to regularly admit female and Black students.
Constructing Black Education at Oberlin College: A Documentary History, by Roland M Baumann. Baumann presents a comprehensive history of the education of African American students at Oberlin College and includes 30 documents from the college’s archives, which illustrate the ways the college wrestled over the meaning of race. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/15SG5Hg
12 John L. Lewis, labor leader, born (1880-1969). Lewis, one of the most important labor leaders of the 20th century, was president of the United Mine Workers of America from 1920-1960. He argued against labor leaders who only wanted to organize skilled workers. In 1935, having failed to win the argument, he founded the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), a federation of unions that organized industrial workers. It merged with the American Federation of Labor to form the AFL-CIO in 1955.
Growing Up In Coal Country, by Susan Campbell Bartoletti. This book offers firsthand accounts and compelling facts about the lives of coal miners and their families in northeastern Pennsylvania at the dawn of the twentieth century. Bartoletti has also written a children’s literature fictional account of the same time period and people, A Coal Miner’s Bride. (E, M) http://bit.ly/14YEFr7 and http://www.amazon.com/Coal-Miners-Bride-Kaminski-America/dp/0439053862
John L. Lewis, from the AFL-CIO. This site features the profile of John L. Lewis as a key figure in labor history. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/J4ge7y
14 Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day began as a celebration of a number of saints called Valentine and became associated with romantic connotations several centuries later during the Middle Ages in England. People celebrate by exchanging cards and gifts, and sharing a romantic meal.
Flower Workers Lesson Plans, International Labor Rights Forum. This lesson plan explores workers’ rights in the cut flower industry and how consumerism on Valentine’s Day in the US affects workers abroad. (E, M) http://bit.ly/tFAlAq
Fair Trade in the Classroom, by Global Exchange. Through this Valentine’s unit, students learn about child labor and how it’s used by big chocolate companies. Students take social action by telling these companies that they should sell Fair Trade products instead. (E, M) http://bit.ly/95yZbZ
15 Parinirvana – Nirvana Day (Buddhism). Parinirvana Day is a Mahayana Buddhist holiday that marks the day when the Buddha is said to have achieved Parinirvana, or complete Nirvana, upon the death of his physical body. Some Buddhists celebrate this holiday on Feb. 8 instead of the 15th.
Becoming Buddha: The Story of Siddhartha, by Whitney Stewart. This book follows Buddha from pre-birth prophecies through his pampered youth, his break with royal life and his quest for enlightenment. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/udMbPl
16 Presidents’ Day. Presidents’ Day began as an official holiday to honor Washington’s birthday. Today, the holiday honors both Washington and Lincoln, as well as others who have served as president.
Write the Truth, by Bob Peterson, Rethinking Schools. Peterson describes an inquiry project in which his 5th graders investigated which US Presidents owned slaves and wrote letters to textbook publishers to demand that this information be included. (E, M) http://bit.ly/svqysP
16 10th anniversary of the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is an agreement that sets emission reduction targets. Recognizing that developed nations are mostly responsible for the current high levels of carbon in the atmosphere, the protocol holds those nations to a higher standard for emission reduction. The US signed the protocol, but has yet to ratify it.
Fueling the Future, by Facing the Future. Students compare energy use and CO2 emissions in the US and China (and optionally in another country). They research energy impacts and sustainable energy solutions, write a resolution and present their resolutions at a “World Energy Summit.” This lesson can be found in the “Engaging Students Through Global Issues” lesson plan book. (M, H) http://bit.ly/rqLSGD
17 Maha Shivaratri (Hinduism). Maha Shivaratri (Night of the Shiva) is an annual Hindu festival that celebrates Lord Shiva.
18 Ash Wednesday (Christianity). Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, the time of preparation before Easter.
BBC School: Guide to Christianity. This site includes basic information about Christianity including Lent and Easter, as well as links to classroom activities intended to help students understand the beliefs and practices of Christians. (M, H, TR) http://bbc.in/ROXVFb
19 Lunar New Year. Lunar New Year is the beginning of the year according to the lunar calendar. It is celebrated throughout the world, particularly in Asia.
“Lunar New Year” books reviewed by The Asian American Curriculum Project. A review of children’s books from several Asian cultures about the Lunar New Year. (E) http://bit.ly/aabooks
A Chinese New Year Celebration, by IndyKids. Bilingual essays by students discussing what Chinese New Year is about and what it means to them. (E, M) http://bit.ly/1ezU9co
Shanghai Messenger, by Andrea Cheng. Shanghai Messenger is about a young Chinese girl, the child of an American father and Chinese mother, who travels back to China to visit her extended family and explore her roots. A summary, link and activities are available on the 6 Elements of Social Justice Ed. Book Blog, which contains an annotated list of children’s literature for the elementary classroom. (E, M) http://bit.ly/tVVSjp
19 Tet, Vietnamese New Year. Tet, the Vietnamese New Year, is the most popular holiday in Vietnam. Tet marks the arrival of spring based on the Chinese lunisolar calendar. Celebrations last at least three days, and people celebrate by visiting friends and family and cooking special holiday foods.
Vietnamese Americans Interdisciplinary Curriculum Guide, by Teaching Tolerance. This curriculum guide sheds light on the complexities of the Vietnamese American experience. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/9Q1L0r
20 30th anniversary of US v. Dann, a case about Native land rights. In US v. Dann, the Supreme Court ruled that Western Shoshone elders Mary and Carrie Dann did not have the right to their tribe’s land. The US previously admitted to violating the Treaty of Ruby Valley and offered money, but the Shoshone refused, stating the land was not for sale. The Danns continued to fight to protect their land, culture and way of life.
Our Land, Our Life, by Oxfam America. This video explores Carrie and Mary Dann’s story of their struggle to protect the sacred and environmentally sensitive land that belongs to the Western Shoshones. (M, H) http://bit.ly/GTJmK
20 Angelina Grimké, activist, abolitionist, born (1805-1879). The Grimké sisters, Sarah and Angelina, were White Quakers, educators and writers who were early advocates of abolitionism and women’s rights. The sisters were among the first women to act publicly in social reform movements. The criticism and ridicule they experienced for being outspoken women caused them to become ardent advocates of women’s rights.
Sisters Against Slavery, by Stephanie Sammartino McPherson and Karen Ritz. Sisters Against Slavery recounts the lives of Sarah Grimké and Angelica Grimké Weld. (E, M) http://bit.ly/18SJGGU
Angelina and Sarah Grimke: Sisters of Social Reform. Students learn about two women who worked to abolish slavery. They learn about the importance of goals and ambitions. (E) http://bit.ly/6OVUST
20 100th anniversary of El Plan de San Diego. El Plan de San Diego was a plan drafted by supporters of Mexican President Venustiano Carranza during the Mexican Revolution to free several Southwestern states from US control by inciting Mexican Americans, Blacks, and Japanese to kill all White men. The plan prompted several raids in Texas that killed a couple dozen people. Relations between White people and Mexicans/Mexican Americans deteriorated in 1915 and 1916 as hundreds of Mexicans and Mexican Americans were summarily executed in South Texas in the atmosphere stoked by the plan.
Revolution in Texas: How a Forgotten Rebellion and Its Bloody Suppression Turned Mexicans into Americans, by Benjamin Heber Johnson. The book chronicles the Plan de San Diego Uprising of 1915. This resource can be used to understand the development of Mexican American identity and border identities as we know them today. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/1biGSWk
21 50th anniversary of the assassination of Malcolm X. In 1965, Malcolm X, a former leader in the Nation of Islam and an advocate of Black nationalism, was shot and killed by assassins identified as Black Muslims as he was about to address a rally in New York City; he was 39.
Malcolm X Talks to Young People, by Malcolm X. Transcripts of four talks and an interview Malcolm X gave to young people in Ghana, the UK and the United States in the last months of his life. The book also includes eight pages of photographs. (M, H) http://bit.ly/Qw49Dr
What’s in a Name? Understanding Malcolm X lesson plan. This lesson plan for grades 9-12 is intended as follow-up work after reading Malcolm X’s biography. The lesson includes analysis of the different names Malcolm X had throughout his life, their meaning for him and connection to his political evolution. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/18zsupa
21 International Mother Language Day. International Mother Language Day is observed yearly by UNESCO member states and at its headquarters to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism.
Abuela, by Arthur Dorros. Rosalba, a young Hispanic girl, spends a day with her grandmother who only speaks Spanish. Together, they embark on an adventure; they fly across New York City and end up where Abuela grew up. As they explore different areas, they exchange Spanish and English words. A summary, link and activities are available on the 6 Elements of Social Justice Ed. Book Blog, which contains an annotated list of children’s literature for the elementary classroom. (E, TR) http://bit.ly/1ahF9eu
25 20th anniversary of the signing of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO). The ACTO was created to support and promote sustainable development of the Amazon Basin. Most of the basin is covered by the Amazon rainforest, which is the largest rainforest in the world.
Website of the Amazon Conservation Association. This site provides comprehensive and detailed information about current work being done in sustainability and conservation in the Basin. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/1fdCYfV
1 10th anniversary of Roper v. Simmons, a landmark death penalty case. In Roper v. Simmons, the Supreme Court ruled the death penalty unconstitutional for people who committed crimes before age 18. The 5-4 decision overturned the Court’s prior ruling upholding such sentences on offenders above or at the age of 16, in Stanford v. Kentucky.
The Death Penalty: Suggested Lesson Plans for Teachers, by Death Penalty Focus. Created by Death Penalty Focus, a non-profit organization dedicated to the abolition of capital punishment, this series of lesson plans includes an extensive bibliography and a request form to invite wrongly-convicted individuals and other guest speakers into the classroom. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/1dkQCAb
A Matter of Life and Death, by Amnesty International. A Matter of Life and Death is a collection of lessons, assembly and films for students to explore the issues surrounding the use of the death penalty, one of Amnesty International’s oldest campaigns. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/1dQdsOg
1 First day of Women’s History Month
Gender Issues, by Ithaca College WISE. This site includes a list of links, a bibliography and a list of films related to gender issues. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/sZUmpg
Beyondmedia Education. Beyondmedia Education’s mission is to collaborate with under-served and under-represented women, youth and communities to tell their stories, connect their stories to the world around us, and organize for social justice through the creation and distribution of media arts. Videos available for viewing and purchasing. (M, H) http://bit.ly/v1Kaix
The Trouble with Women’s History Month, by Maureen Costello. This article critiques the habit of celebrating influential women during International Women’s Day or Women’s History month. Instead, Costello argues, teachers should reveal gender stereotypes and inequalities that were a part of history and still found today. (TR) http://bit.ly/18dwvvy
2 60th anniversary of Claudette Colvin refusing to give up her seat to a White person on an Alabama bus. Nine months before Rosa Parks, at the age of 15, Colvin refused to give her seat to a White woman on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. The NAACP considered taking up her case, but decided not to because she was young and became pregnant out of wedlock. However, a year later she testified as a key plaintiff in Browder v. Gayle, the landmark case that struck down segregation laws in Montgomery.
The Other Rosa Parks: Now 73, Claudette Colvin Was First to Refuse Giving Up Seat on Montgomery Bus, by Democracy Now!. In this interview with Democracy Now! Ms. Colvin discusses the important events she was involved in in Alabama during the mid-1950s. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/14iaOIv
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice, by Phillip Hoose. A biography of Colvin written for young adults, grades 8-12. (M, H) http://bit.ly/183NrpL
2 70th anniversary of the filing of a lawsuit regarding school segregation. Felícitas and Gonzalo Méndez filed a lawsuit against the Westminster School District in California after their children were denied entrance because of their Mexican heritage. In 1946, a federal court ruled in Méndez v. Westminster that segregating Mexican students into separate “Mexican” schools was unconstitutional, serving as an important predecessor to the Brown v. Board of Education case in 1954.
Sylvia & Aki, by Winifred Conkling. This historical novel is based on the true stories of Sylvia Méndez and Aki Munemitsu Nakauchi, who were third-graders during World War II. When Aki’s family is forced to leave their home for a Japanese American internment camp, the Méndez family moves in. Sylvia Méndez looks forward to her first day of school, only to be told she cannot enroll. This leads to the groundbreaking Méndez v. Westminster desegregation lawsuit that preceded Brown v. Board of Education. (E, M) http://bit.ly/1az5oy5
For All the Children (Para Todos los Niños), by PBS.org. This film documents the life of Sylvia Méndez who was a third-grader in 1943. When she and her siblings were banned from attending the segregated all-white campus near their Orange County home, the Méndez family fought back. In this video segment, Sylvia Méndez discusses what triggered the lawsuit and her parents’ involvement. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/16a0jff
3 140th anniversary of Blanche Kelso Bruce’s election to the US Senate. During the post-Civil War Reconstruction Era, African Americans gained a voice in government for the first time in American history. Bruce was the first African American to serve a full, six-year term in the US Senate. Bruce, a Mississippi Republican, supported measures to bring equality to African Americans and humane treatment to American Indians. He was also against the exclusion of immigrants from China.
The Battle Over Reconstruction Lesson Series. This series of three lessons covers the time period from the end of the Civil War, through the era of Reconstruction and its the aftermath. Lesson two focuses on the policies and changes during Reconstruction, including the presence of Black Americans in Congress. (H, TR) http://1.usa.gov/GWHV08
3 150th anniversary of the establishment of the Freedmen’s Bureau. Congress established the Freedmen’s Bureau to assist the South in making the transition from slavery to freedom. The Bureau oversaw contracts between labor and management, helped African Americans find lost family members, and provided legal help, health care and education to newly emancipated African Americans.
The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow: Freedman’s Bureau, by Richard Wormser, PBS.org. This section of the Jim Crow Stories on PBS.org provides readers with a description of the bureau along with pictures, related historical documents, video to learn about General O’Howard, head of the Freedmen’s Bureau, and more. (M, H, TR) http://to.pbs.org/19c9nEn
3 140th anniversary of a law effectively preventing the immigration of Chinese women. The Page Act of 1875 prohibited the immigration of forced laborers, prostitutes and those convicted of crimes from “China, Japan or any Oriental country.” It was relatively ineffective at preventing the forced labor of Asian immigrants, but it all but barred the immigration of Chinese women. As a result, it was nearly impossible for Chinese immigrants to establish families in the US.
Chinese American Women: A History of Resilience and Resistance, by National Women’s History Museum. This online exhibit highlights the experiences, innovation and resistance of Chinese American women during their first one hundred years in the United States. The section “To Enter and Remain” chronicles key laws and policies that influenced the immigration and rights of Chinese women in the 19th and 20th centuries. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/18FrvTD
4 Myrtilla Miner, abolitionist and educator, born (1815-1864). Miner was a White educator and abolitionist from New York who opened a school for African Americans in DC in the 1850s, despite considerable opposition. It eventually became the District of Columbia Teachers College.
The History of Women and Education, by National Women’s History Museum. This section of the NWHM site provides information about the education of African American Women in the 1800s, including pivotal figures like Prudence Crandall, Henrietta Delille, and Myrtilla Miner. (M, H) http://bit.ly/18gAtsH
4 30th anniversary of the virtual ban on leaded gas ordered by the EPA. The EPA called for a 90% reduction and possible ban on lead in gasoline, largely due to new information about the health hazards of lead in the air. Although levels of lead in gas have steadily decreased since the 1970s, the US did not fully phase out leaded gasoline until 1996.
The Environmental Working Group Latest on Lead site. The Environmental Working Group website has information about the organization, their advocacy work and the most recent news about a variety of toxic chemicals, including lead. It presents information about the latest cases of lead usage and poisoning as well as efforts to further ban its use. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/14BfMS1
Chemicals in the Environment, by Sox Sperry, Project Look Sharp. Classroom-ready teacher guides, student handouts, overviews and assessments for an in-depth study of the use of chemicals in our environment. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/RnnnLR
5 Purim, begins at sunset on 3/4 (Judaism). Purim celebrates the defeat of a plot to exterminate Jews living in Persia.
Judaism 101. Website for basic information about Judaism and Jewish holidays and customs. (TR) http://bit.ly/cYCpN7
Purim (Celebrations in My World), by Lynn Peppas. This children’s book explores the story and customs of Purim. (E) http://bit.ly/TGc6Id
6 First Day of Holi (Hinduism). Holi is a spring festival of colors that can last anywhere from one to 16 days, depending on where it is celebrated.
Holi, by Uma Krishnaswami. This children’s book uses photographs to explore Holi. It shows how participants use colorful powders to celebrate this holiday. (E) http://bit.ly/ZUxEKc
7 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. Civil rights activists began a march from Selma to Montgomery in support of voting rights and in response to the police murder of Jimmie Lee Jackson. The hundreds of peaceful marchers were stopped at the Pettus Bridge by police who ordered the demonstrators to disperse and then advanced with tear gas, whips and clubs. The march is considered the catalyst for the success of the Voting Rights Act five months later.
Selma, Lord, Selma, by Sheyann Webb-Christburg and Rachel West Nelson. Selma, Lord, Selma is the true story of a young girl’s desire to actively participate in the Selma, Alabama civil rights movement because she was inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The book was adapted to a TV movie in 1999. (E, M) http://bit.ly/16BptWY
8 International Women’s Day. German socialist Clara Zetkin in 1910 proposed March 8 as a working-class women’s holiday to celebrate past victories and carry the fight forward.
MADRE. As a human rights organization, MADRE works internationally with women who are affected by human rights violations to help them win justice and change the conditions that gave rise to the abuses. Website includes videos, blogs, papers and other resources that can be used in the classroom. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/19SJoA3
Not Yet Rain, by Lisa Russell, Governess Films. A film about unsafe abortion and reproductive rights in Ethiopia told through the stories of women who have struggled for safe health care. The website has other resources about how to get involved. (H) http://bit.ly/19SJsjh
Four Women’s Stories of Another Color. Four lesson plans with audio downloads of women storytellers—Japanese American, Native American, African American and Latina—telling true stories about inclusion and exclusion past and present. (M, H) http://bit.ly/1ihbg3K
13 Deaf History Month. Deaf History Month celebrates three key events in deaf history: the 3/13/1988 Deaf President Now phttp://on.nypl.org/VDs76urotest, the 4/8/1864 establishment of Gallaudet University and the 4/15/1817 establishment of the American School for the Deaf in Hartford, CT.
Observing Deaf History Month, by Alexandra Gomez. This article provides readers with information about milestones in deaf history as well as links to fiction and non-fiction books about deaf people. (M, H, TR) http://on.nypl.org/VDs76u
Deaf Jam, directed by Judy Lieff. This film follows Aneta Brodski, a deaf teen living in New York City, who discovers the power of American Sign Language poetry. As she prepares to be one of the first deaf poets to compete in a spoken-word slam, her journey leads to an unexpected collaboration. The website includes clips and a deaf history timeline. (M, H) http://to.pbs.org/PrShXc
Sound and Fury, by PBS. Two lesson plans about deaf culture. (M, H) http://to.pbs.org/PtSfe6
15 John Kagi, abolitionist, born (1835-1859). Kagi was a White attorney, abolitionist and trusted friend of John Brown. Kagi was involved with the Underground Railroad and fought on the abolitionist side in the Bleeding Kansas confrontations. He was second in command to Brown during the raid on Harper’s Ferry and was killed in that raid at the age of 24.
Frederick Douglass, “A Lecture on John Brown,” Library of Congress online exhibit, African American Odyssey. This site contains a primary source (digitized image) of Frederick Douglass’ lecture, “John Brown,” in which he describes the raid on Harper’s Ferry. This site also includes Brown’s speech to the Court of Virginia in response to the announcement of the death penalty. (M, H, TR) http://1.usa.gov/190IWMX
20 30th anniversary of the first Great American Meatout. The Farm Animal Rights Movement encourages participants to take the Meatout pledge and eat vegan on March 20 in an effort to draw attention to the consumption of animal products and to provide healthy, vegetarian alternatives to meat. Participants are also encouraged take action by hosting events, leafleting, performing outreach, making presentations and more.
Meat.org: The Website the Meat Industry Doesn’t Want You to See. A website with films and resources about animals killed for food. Free vegetarian starter kits and DVDs available. Warning: Explicit and hard to look at imagery. (H, TR)http://bit.ly/17fyrKa
21 50th anniversary of the civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. Thousands of demonstrators, led by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., began their march from Selma to Montgomery in support of voting rights for African Americans. Two earlier attempts to march were stopped by state troopers, the first with brutal violence (Bloody Sunday). This time the marchers were protected by federal order, and on March 25, 25,000 marchers arrived at the State Capitol building in Montgomery. Soon afterward, the US Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
The Speech: The Story Behind Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream, by Gary Younge. Younge brings to life the fascinating chronicle of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech and other events surrounding the March on Washington. The book is short, engaging, accessible and contains thoughtful analysis of race and racism in America in the 50 years since the march. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/19JfxW2
21 World Down Syndrome Day. This day is dedicated to raising public awareness of and advocating for the rights, inclusion and wellbeing of people with Down syndrome.
My Friend Isabelle, by Eliza Woloson. This book is about Charlie and Isabelle’s friendship. At first, Charlie only sees the differences between himself and Isabelle, who has Down syndrome, but in the end, he realizes all of the similarities they share. Book description is on 6 Elements of Social Justice Ed. Blog that offers a summary of this book and other social justice children’s literature titles. (E) http://bit.ly/154hueW
21 International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination commemorates the lives of the anti-apartheid demonstrators killed on March 21, 1960 in Sharpeville, South Africa.
Know Your Rights on Campus: A Guide on Racial Profiling, and Hate Crime for International Students in the United States, by Harvard’s Civil Rights Project. This guide provides students with the facts they need to protect themselves in school. Written with college students in mind, this is still a helpful resource for high schoolers. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/1eFFoTq
10 Ways to Fight Hate, by Teaching Tolerance. This guide sets out ten principles for fighting hate, along with a collection of inspiring stories of people who worked to push hate out of their communities. (M, H) http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/publications/ten-ways-to-fight-hate-a-community-response-guide
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, by Teaching Tolerance. This article describes how Canadian citizens have observed and expanded upon the day to create a nationwide movement toward the eradication of racism. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/XyNFUR
100 Years of Progress Poster, by Yes! Magazine. This poster highlights celebrated “firsts,” landmark court cases such as Brown v. Board of Education, and legendary protests such as the March on Washington, as well as lesser-known political, social and cultural milestones that have gradually marked the way. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/19c9zn6
22 World Water Day. This day is held annually to highlight water issues and to advocate for universal access to sustainable, freshwater resources.
Measuring Water with Justice, by Bob Peterson, Rethinking Schools. This article discusses several strategies to teach about the costs of producing water, who should have rights to drinking water and how oil spills affect ecosystems and communities. (E, M, TR) http://bit.ly/1kgweUd
Flow: For the Love of Water, directed by Irena Salina. This film builds a case against the growing privatization of the world’s dwindling fresh water supply with an unflinching focus on politics, pollution, human rights and the emergence of a domineering world water cartel. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/1bDViub
28 Rama Navami (Hinduism). Rama Navami is a festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Rama or the marriage of Rama and Sita.
BBC Schools: Guide to Hinduism. This site offers basic information about Hinduism, including some of the major festivals. Links to commonly asked questions as well as classroom activities and worksheets are also included. (M, H, TR) http://bbc.in/10sh2K9
28 Swaminarayan Jayanti (Hinduism). Swaminarayan Jayanti is the birthday of Lord Swaminarayan, the founder of the Swaminarayan tradition.
The Story of India: Tracking Early Hinduism, by PBS.org. In this lesson for the middle to high school level, students explore the foundation of Hinduism by examining the ancient texts that defined it and learning about the major deities. Then students create a scrapbook of images and text that represents their journey of learning. (M, H, TR) http://to.pbs.org/1cqVvVc
29 10th anniversary of a landmark decision on gender discrimination. In Jackson v. Birmingham Board of Education, the Supreme Court ruled that Title IX, which prohibits discrimination based on sex, also prohibits disciplining someone for challenging sex-based discrimination. This prohibition extends to those who protest sex-based discrimination on behalf of others.
TITLE IX: Striving for Gender Equity in Athletics, by Roberta McCutcheon. Through examining primary documents and engaging in a role-play, students will understand the struggle for gender equity. (H) http://bit.ly/KwB1AI
Let Me Play: The Story of Title IX: The Law That Changed the Future of Girls in America. Filled with photos, cartoons and anecdotes, this book tells the true story of Title IX and how it changed the lives of American girls. (E, M) http://bit.ly/18QakCm
29 Palm Sunday (Christianity, Western and Eastern Orthodox). Palm Sunday falls on the Sunday before Easter and marks the last Sunday of Lent and the beginning of Holy Week.
31 César Chávez Day. César Chávez Day celebrates the birthday of César Chávez, an American farm worker, labor leader and civil rights activist. Chávez also co-founded the National Farm Workers Association (later known as United Farm Workers of America), which achieved unprecedented gains for farm workers.
Harvesting Hope: The Story of César Chávez, by Kathleen Krull. This picture book chronicles Chávez’s youth and the struggles he endured on his journey to becoming a leader. The second link is to a teacher’s guide. (E) http://bit.ly/Vj0I7w and http://www.yuyimorales.com/guide.pdf
Model Curriculum and Resources for Teachers. This curriculum on the life and work of César E. Chávez from the California Department of Education includes biographies, pictures and other resources provided to help teachers prepare lessons for this holiday. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/cb8NfJ
1 First day of National Poetry Month. National Poetry Month was inaugurated by the Academy of American Poets in 1996. It is an annual celebration of poetry and its place in American culture.
Growing up Hip-Hop, by kahlil almustafa. In this collection written throughout his youth and young adulthood, award-winning poet kahlil almustafa captures the experiences, contradictions and healing that have defined the Hip-Hop generation. (M, H) http://bit.ly/utbiVK
Brave New Voices. Brave New Voices is a national poetry slam competition that truly engages everyone involved, from the participants to the adult mentors and audience members. The first episode of the HBO series, which chronicles the 2008 festival, is available online. (M, H) http://bit.ly/o7Ol
Hip Hop and the Classics for the Classroom, by Alan Sitmor and Michael Cirelli. This collection of lesson plans analyzes the poetry of Hip-Hop and compares its motifs, themes and general poetic devices to the poems traditionally studied in order to teach the core elements of the poetic craft in an appealing, relevant and accessible manner. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/arzHBR
1 First day of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The goal of Sexual Assault Awareness Month is to raise public awareness about sexual violence and to educate communities and individuals on how to prevent sexual violence.
Sex Education Resource Center, by Advocates for Youth. The center’s website has an education resource center that offers K-12 educators lesson plans, curricula, national standards and state legislation about sex education. (H) http://bit.ly/6aiCSa
NO! Confronting Sexual Assault in Our Communities. This documentary explores the impact of sexual violence on Black women and girls. As the incidents of violence and sexual assault continue, this film can be used to support both women and men, regardless of race, as they learn to navigate the challenging terrain of sexuality—without violence. The second link is to a facilitator’s guide to the film. (H) http://bit.ly/filmNO and http://bit.ly/guideno
Tough Guise. Tough Guise is aimed at a general student audience to analyze masculinity as a social construction, a performance, or a role, in short, a tough guise. The film links violence to the construction of masculinity around domination and violence. (M, H) http://bit.ly/1fbU4yc
Media Education Foundation – YouTube. Media Education Foundation’s channel on YouTube offers video clips of Jackson Katz, one of the writers of Tough Guise, talking about the documentary. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/1de4yf0
3 Good Friday (Christianity). Good Friday occurs two days before Easter and commemorates Jesus’ death.
Easter, by Gail Gibbons. This children’s book explains, clearly and simply, why Easter is celebrated and includes descriptions of many traditions. The book also introduces children to other related holy days such as Good Friday. (E) http://bit.ly/1crHuCY
4 First day of Passover, begins at sunset on 4/3 (Judaism). Passover is an eight-day festival that commemorates the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt.
This is the Matzah, by Abby Levine. This children’s book follows Max and his family as they prepare to celebrate Passover. (E) http://bit.ly/XD7hUc
4 Hanuman Jayanti (Hinduism). Hanuman Jayanti commemorates the birth of Hanuman, the Vanara god.
Hanuman Jayanti. This is a religious website that tells the story of the life of Hanuman Jayanti. Illustrations are provided and links to other festival and related topics are also available. (M, H) http://bit.ly/KntMvy
5 Easter (Christianity, Western). Easter is a holiday during which Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Celebrate Easter: With Colored Eggs, Flowers, and Prayer (Holidays Around the World), by Deborah Heiligman. This children’s book uses National Geographic photographs to document the celebration of Easter around the world, including the White House’s Easter Egg Roll and traditional bonfires in Europe. (E) http://bit.ly/T4xiH4
7 Billie Holiday, jazz singer, born (1915-1959). Holiday was a legendary African American jazz singer from the 1930s through the 1950s. Coming out of a deeply oppressed background—sent to reform school at ten, forced into prostitution—she rose to prominence as a singer with an inimitable voice. She did not shy away from social issues. The song she made famous, “Strange Fruit,” is a protest against lynchings in the South.
Strange Fruit, by Joel Katz. This documentary explores the history and legacy of the Billie Holiday classic. The film examines lynching, the interplay of race, labor and the left, and popular culture as forces that gave rise to the Civil Rights Movement. This link gives an overview of what this documentary is about, and about the origin of “Strange Fruit.” (H) http://to.pbs.org/16CCRFq
7 World Health Day. World Health Day marks the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization in 1948. Each year, a theme that represents a priority area of concern is chosen.
Critical Condition and other films about healthcare. Films from P.O.V. and Media That Matters about healthcare. Critical Condition puts a human face on the health care crisis by capturing the harrowing struggles of four critically ill Americans who discover that being uninsured can cost them their jobs, health, home, savings, even their lives. (M, H) http://to.pbs.org/sGen3S
Unnatural Causes: Is inequality making us sick?, by PBS. This seven-part series exploring race and socioeconomic disparities in health investigates how the social circumstances in which we are born, live and work can actually get under our skin and disrupt our physiology as much as germs and viruses. The website includes a classroom section, discussion guide and video clips. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/Umtras
Health: The Big Picture, by The Change Agent. Issue 28, March 2009 of The Change Agent explores students’ experiences dealing with health challenges and their individual and community-based responses to those challenges. It also contains information about the US health insurance industry, student-recommended home remedies and more. The resource is available after free registration. (H, TR) http://changeagent.nelrc.org/issues/issue-28/
8 Oscar Zeta Acosta, lawyer, novelist and activist, born (1935-?). Acosta, also known as the Brown Buffalo, was an integral part of the Chicano Movement. He brought to light many injustices against Latinos and Chicanos. In one court case he subpoenaed 70 superior court judges in order to uncover institutional racism in the legal system, especially in jury selection. His disappearance in Mexico in 1974 continues to be a mystery.
The Great Latino Revolt, Oscar Zeta Acosta and the Birth of the Latino Insurrection, by Burton Moore. This is a journalistic account of the life and work of Oscar Zeta Acosta, a radical civil rights lawyer who was instrumental in the fight for Chicano and Latino rights in Los Angeles during the 1960s and 70s. (TR) http://bit.ly/15PumEB
12 80th anniversary of the second National Student Strike Against War. Co-organized by the Student League for Industrial Democracy, the predecessor of Students for a Democratic Society, the strike attracted 175,000 students at more than 130 campuses nationwide. Students supported the Oxford Pledge against war. Some sources cite the date for this strike as April 13.
Student Activism in the 1930s, Robert Cohen, by New Deal Network. This site includes historical background of student movements of the 1930s and has a rich collection of primary source documents including political cartoons, flyers and posters. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/19rATen
A Few Small Candles: War Resisters of World War II Tell Their Stories, by Larry Gara and Lenna Mae Gara. This book is a collection of stories from ten men who were war resisters during World War II, including David Dellinger, who was a student at Yale when he participated in the first National Student Strike Against War. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/18mjANl
14 240th anniversary of the founding of the Pennsylvania Abolition Society. The Society for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage, also known as the Pennsylvania Abolition Society, was the first American organization to formally condemn slavery. It became a model for other abolition groups. It still exists today as a foundation funding anti-racist work.
Africans in America Part 3: Founding of Pennsylvania Abolition Society, by PBS.org. This page, part three of the Africans in America pages, explores the history of the Pennsylvania Abolition Society. (M, H) http://to.pbs.org/fiGI2W
Slave Revolt in Jamaica, 1760-1761: A Cartographic Narrative, by Vincent Brown. This site features an animated thematic map that narrates the great Jamaican slave insurrection of 1760-1761. The map suggests arguments about rebel strategies and tactics and touches on the importance of the island’s landscape to the course of the revolt. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/1lvdtIb
14 Vaisakhi (Sikh). Vaisakhi is a festival that celebrates the founding of the Sikh community.
My Sikh Year: A Year of Religious Festivals, by Cath Senker. This book moves chronologically through the calendar year and looks at the typical events, customs and celebrations celebrated by Sikh children. (E) http://bit.ly/wLQQtK
Countdown to Vaisakhi, by Navjot Kaur. A teacher’s guide for recognizing Vaisakhi in schools. (E, M, TR) http://bit.ly/WwPDDl
A Lion’s Mane, by Navjot Kaur. A Lion’s Mane is a picture book that helps young readers journey to cultures around the world to explore the meaning of the dastaar, the Sikh turban. The second link is for a teacher’s guide for the book. (E, TR) http://bit.ly/1fbUwfZ Teacher’s Guide: http://bit.ly/V1oNlK
BBC Schools: Guide to Sikhism. This website offers basic information on Sikhism and provides links to commonly asked questions and classroom activities. (M, H, TR) http://bbc.in/UX41Sz
Resources for Educators, by the Sikh Coalition. Resources for all grade levels on how to teach about Sikhism. If you live in the Bay Area, Washington DC Metro Area, New York or New Jersey and want someone to deliver a Sikhism presentation in your school, please contact firstname.lastname@example.org. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/1edL3DS
15 Elizabeth Catlett, sculptor and printmaker, born (1915-2012). Elizabeth Catlett was an African American sculptor and printmaker who lived in Mexico for over 50 years. She was well known for her expressionistic sculptures, which were culturally and politically inspired. Her iconic print “Sharecropper” has been reproduced extensively.
Elizabeth Catlett: An American Artist in Mexico, by Melanie A. Herzog. This is a historical account of the life of Elizabeth Catlett. Catlett’s graphic art and sculptures explored themes of identity as well as political and social movements that emerged throughout her lifetime. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/1eQ9SRy
15 300th anniversary of the Yamasee War. Following a meeting with a delegation from the government of South Carolina intended to address the grievances of the Yamasee (an amalgamation of Native American tribes), the Yamasee killed several members of the delegation, setting off the Yamasee War. The war lasted for over a year and, though the White settlers ultimately won, it was the most powerful American Indian challenge to European incursions.
The Yamassee Nation, by Yamassee Indian Tribe of Florida & South Carolina (Yamassee Nation). The official website of the Yamassee Indian Tribe of Florida & South Carolina contains information on their history and culture as well as current tribal police and events. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/15MLBIx
16 Holocaust Remembrance Day (begins at sunset on 4/15). Holocaust Remembrance Day marks the anniversary of the Warsaw ghetto uprising and is an internationally recognized day of remembrance.
Days of Remembrance. The US Holocaust Memorial Museum has extensive resources for honoring Holocaust Remembrance Day. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/WuFDI
Paper Clips, directed by Elliot and Joe Fab. This documentary shows how students in Tennessee responded to lessons about the Holocaust—with a promise to collect a paper clip for each individual killed by the Nazis. The result, a memorial railcar filled with 11 million paper clips standing permanently in their schoolyard, shows how a committed group of children and educators can make a difference. (E, M, H) http://nflx.it/S7twDj
One Survivor Remembers. One Survivor Remembers tells the unforgettable story of Gerda Weissmann Klein’s six-year ordeal as a victim of Nazi cruelty. The free teaching kit includes the documentary and lesson plans. (M) http://www.tolerance.org/kit/one-survivor-remembers
Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals: Online Exhibition of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. This online exhibit provides resources, photographs and more to learn about the Nazis’ persecution of homosexuals. (M) http://bit.ly/91L1sK
17 50th anniversary of the first gay protest at the White House. In response to reports that the Cuban government was imprisoning gay people, ten gay rights activists picketed outside of the White House, protesting both US and Cuban repression of gay people. This prompted several other subsequent protests.
Founding the Movement: Two Historic Pioneers Barbara Gittings and Frank Kameny, by Larry Kramer. A timeline of the earliest gay and lesbian protests and video interviews with Barbara Gittings and Frank Kameny. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/17XEvCj
How the Militant Movement Began, by Amin Ghaziani, The Gay & Lesbian Review. Ghaziani originally interviewed Kameny in November 2003 to ask him about his thoughts on four GLBT marches on Washington. The conversation was transcribed after Kameny’s death in 2011. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/19IYUMJ
19 10th anniversary of the Diné Natural Resources Protection Act. The Navajo Nation Council passed the Diné Natural Resources Protection Act prohibiting uranium mining on Navajo Nation lands. The council determined uranium mining was in opposition to tribal laws that held that the land, as well as the nation’s social, cultural and economic standards, should be protected.
The Navajo People and Uranium Mining, by Doug Brugge, Timothy Benally and Esther Yazzie-Lewis. This book features stories told by Navajo miners and their families as part of the Navajo Uranium Miner Oral History and Photography Project, along with narrative chapters that provide analyses of the experiences shared through a variety of lenses including history, psychology, culture, advocacy and policy. (TR) http://bit.ly/1emh1vn
22 Earth Day. Earth Day is an annual day, celebrated in more than 190 countries. Events are held worldwide to raise awareness of environmental issues.
Environmental Protection Activities and Online Games, by the Institute for Humane Education. Among other great resources and lesson plans, this website hosts several online games that help students explore issues of environmental sustainability. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/1cX8UVX
Race, Poverty and the Environment. This journal links issues of racism and poverty with environmental justice. Some recent resources are available for free to download; older resources require a purchase. (E) http://bit.ly/rtuLVm
Fancy Nancy: Every Day is Earth Day, by Jane O’Connor. In Fancy Nancy: Every Day is Earth Day, Nancy learns in school that “every day is Earth day.” She tries to impose strict green rules on her family, but she learns to balance her environmental enthusiasm with common sense. A summary, link and activities are available on the 6 Elements of Social Justice Ed. Book Blog, which contains an annotated list of children’s literature for the elementary classroom. (E) http://bit.ly/VMnmV7
I’m Not Too Little to Help the Earth, by W.Y. Taylor. This book teaches young children about things they can do during their everyday routines to help the Earth. A summary, link and activities are available on the 6 Elements of Social Justice Ed. Book Blog, which contains an annotated list of children’s literature for the elementary classroom. (E) http://bit.ly/u3Nh1k
24 Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day. This observance is held annually to commemorate the victims of the massacre and deportation of Armenians by the government of the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1923.
Teacher’s Guide for COBBLESTONE Armenian-Americans, by Lucine Kasbarian. This teacher and classroom guide provides lessons to teach about the Armenian genocide, genocide denial, social justice, ethnic preservation and ethnic identity. This guide accompanies the May 2000 edition of Cobblestone children’s magazine. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/1cX8ZZM
Crimes Against Humanity and Civilization: The Genocide of the Armenians, by Facing History. This resource provides students with the latest scholarship on the genocide with an interdisciplinary approach to history, enabling students and teachers to make the essential connections between history and their own lives. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/VFFhwS
Confronting Genocide: Never Again?, by The Choices Program. This site contains supplemental materials to a unit that examines how the US responded to five cases of genocide, including the Armenian Genocide. Materials include videos, maps, graphic organizers, surveys and web links. (M, H) http://bit.ly/136NnUk
24 Arbor Day. Founded in Nebraska in 1872, Arbor Day is America’s national tree holiday. On the first Arbor Day, prizes were offered to counties and individuals for planting the largest number of trees that day. This custom of planting trees has spread to all states and has grown to include educating people and raising awareness about the importance of trees.
The Rainforest Alliance Lesson on Deforestation. For Arbor Day, teach about deforestation and its effects on communities and wildlife in countries including Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. Each grade level has a set of detailed lessons that include how corporations who sell bananas, chocolate, coffee and other common foods should be regulated in how they reuse and treat farmland. (E, M) http://bit.ly/Ur0tIa
The Vanishing Rainforests. The lesson uses math to discuss the importance of rainforests and how we can analyze their health. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/dAVhfr
25 50th anniversary of the sit-in at Dewey’s restaurant in Philadelphia. An estimated 150 people participated in a sit-in to protest the Dewey restaurant’s gay-exclusionary service policy.
The 1965 Dewey’s Lunch Counter Sit-In’s, by Monica Roberts, from The Bilerico Project. In this article, Roberts discusses the sit-ins at Dewey’s Lunch Counter—the first documented protest of anti-transgender discrimination. The campaign was led by the African American GLBT community, and it occurred during the height of the Civil Rights Movement. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/1as2I5Q
The Role of Gay Men and Lesbians in the Civil Rights Movement, by Teaching Tolerance. A series of four lessons, each focused on a significant historical figure who identified both as African American and gay or lesbian. (H) http://bit.ly/14qDzIu
27 August Wilson, playwright, born (1945-2005). Wilson, an African American playwright, was one of the leading voices of his generation. His ten plays in the “Pittsburgh Cycle” depicted the culture and struggles of African Americans through each decade of the twentieth century.
Decades of Drama, Exploring August Wilson’s Pittsburgh Cycle, by Michelle Sale, The New York Times Learning Network. This NYT lesson plan includes a short film about Wilson’s 10 play series, biographies of Wilson’s life and an activity for students to examine how each play explores the African American experience. (M, H, TR) http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/?s=decades+of+drama
28 20th anniversary of the publication of Animals, Property, and the Law. Gary Francione’s book Animals, Property, and the Law is one of the first works to examine animal rights from a legal perspective. Francione argues that animals should not be considered property that can be owned and likens the condition of animals to that of the treatment of slaves in the US.
The Nonhuman Rights Project. This organization is working toward legal rights for nonhuman animals. The website includes a blog, a breakdown of state-by-state legal action on behalf of nonhuman animals, and current news stories featuring animals. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/eEsNCS
28 50th anniversary of US intervention in the Dominican Republic. Dominican armed forces and forces loyal to assassinated dictator Rafael Trujillo attempted to overthrow the civilian government. Revolutionary parties as well as the Constitutionalists loyal to former civilian president Juan Bosch fought the military to a standstill. The US Marines and 101st Airborne Division invaded the country and handed over power to the Trujillista Joaquín Balaguer, who ruled with an iron hand for the next 12 years.
Caribbean Connections: Dominican Republic, by Anne Callin, Ruth Glasser and Jocelyn Santana. This publication by Teaching for Change is a collection of essays, oral histories, poems, illustrations, primary documents and interdisciplinary teaching aids for teaching and learning about the political, social, economic and cultural history of the Dominican Republic. (TR) http://bit.ly/14EUt5D
30 40th anniversary of signing of the Willowbrook Consent Decree. Willowbrook State School, in Staten Island, New York, was once the largest institution for people with intellectual disabilities. The consent order, created in response to Willowbrook’s inhumane conditions and treatment of its residents, stated that the school must maintain higher standards for its patients. The institution closed completely in 1987.
Remembering an Infamous New York Institution, The Bryant Park Project, NPR. This site contains an article in which Vanessa Leigh DeBello discusses her memoir, which is about her mother’s 16-year stay in Willowbrook. Audio of the story is available on the site. (H, TR) http://n.pr/17UAa5T
1 Laurence Michael Dillon, doctor, born (1915-1962). Laurence Michael Dillon (born Laura Maud Dillon) was a White British physician and the first female-to-male transsexual to undergo phalloplasty.
Gay-Themed Picture Books for Children, by Patricia A. Sarles. This blog includes a significant number of books that feature people who identify as transgender and children who are exploring gender identity. Many themes are addressed, but the link will take you directly to the tab labeled “trans people.” (E, M) http://bit.ly/KFflTB
Michael Dillon—The World’s First Transsexual Man, by TransgenderZone.com Library. Brief history of his life, from his aristocratic roots, to transitioning to a male through hormonal therapy and surgery, to becoming a Buddhist monk. Includes a video. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/1aDuBvf
1 International Workers’ Day/May Day. International Workers’ Day, or May Day, recognizes the social and economic achievements of the international labor movement. It also commemorates the Haymarket Massacre in Chicago in 1886, in which Chicago police fired on workers during a general strike for the eight-hour day, killing several demonstrators.
UN Cyberschool Bus. This site provides an animated and interactive experience for students to inquire about labor rights. (E, M) http://bit.ly/so5iaC
The Power in our Hands: A Curriculum on the History of Work and Workers in the United States, by William Bigelow and Norman Diamond. This celebrated book provides entertaining, easy-to-use lesson plans for teaching labor history. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/rtAWyl
1 First day of Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month. Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month is a month designated to celebrate the history, traditions and culture of Asian-Pacific Americans.
Asian-American Curriculum Projects. An extensive catalog of resources and services that underscore the importance and diversity of the Asian American experience. (E, M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/2unIYN
Ancestors in the Americas, by Loni Ding, PBS. This series and companion website provide stories, timelines and historical resources helpful in teaching about the experiences of Asian Americans. (H, TR) http://to.pbs.org/rMYJYG
A Century of Challenge and Change: The Filipino American Story. The aim of this curriculum is to highlight the historical and cultural experiences of Filipino Americans within a multicultural and global context by emphasizing ethnic pride, cultural connections, critical thinking and community activism. (E) http://bit.ly/8YgL2J
My Name is Yoon, by Helen Recorvits. My Name is Yoon is about a Korean girl who has difficulty adjusting to her new life in America. A summary, link and activities are available on the 6 Elements of Social Justice Ed. Book Blog, which contains an annotated list of children’s literature for the elementary classroom. (E) http://bit.ly/tn5FXo
4 First day of Screen-Free Week
Turn Off TV…Turn on the Possibilities, by Pat Degracia. Describes the significance of TV Turn-Off Day. This site includes a log that students and families can use to report how many hours of television they watched during this week compared to a normal week. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/d5AKWk
Screen Free Week Organizer’s Kit, by Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. Includes kits that can be downloaded for free. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/19TY1FL
Media Literacy/TV Turn-Off Week. In this five-day unit students learn about the goals of TV Turn-Off Week, calculate how much television they watch and make a plan for participating in the week. (E, M) http://www.usd116.org/mfoley/tv/lpdayone.pdf
Media Smarts. This Canadian organization provides a wealth of lesson plans, resources and information to support students’ critical literacy development. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/19Qde5g
4 Beginning of National Children’s Book Week. National Children’s Book Week, which began in 1919, is dedicated to celebrating children’s literature. It is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the US.
Using Picture Books to Explore Identity, Stereotyping, and Discrimination, by Loraine Woodard. In this unit, students explore three picture books to understand, discuss and take action on issues of identity, stereotyping and discrimination. (E, M) http://bit.ly/b3u2eC
5 National Teacher Day. Celebrate National Teacher Day by re-asserting what you believe is in the best interests of teachers and students. Teachers can link up with like-minded educators to take action inside and outside of the classroom.
Teacher Activist Groups. The Network of Teacher Activist Groups (TAG) is a national coalition of grassroots teacher organizing groups. Together, they engage in shared political education and relationship-building in order to work for educational justice, both nationally and in their local communities. Teachers can look for a local group or find a local cause and get involved. (TR)http://bit.ly/ihT9QP
Class Action: An Activist Teacher’s Handbook. Published by Jacobin magazine, this booklet is meant to be useful to those engaged in struggle—used for tabling and flyering, fuel for reading groups and public debate. The vast majority is written by current or former educators from Chicago, New York, and elsewhere. The booklet aims to show not just the perniciousness of budget cuts, but their connection to a broader corporate offensive on our communities. (TR) http://bit.ly/1jGlv4t
5 110th anniversary of the publication of the first issue of the Chicago Defender. The Black weekly newspaper, the Chicago Defender, gave voice to anti-racist struggles and became one of the largest Black papers in the country. It is credited with fueling the Great Migration by African Americans from South to North in the early part of the 20th century.
The Chicago Defender, PBS.org. This site chronicles the history of the Chicago Defender. It also features pictures of the paper and Robert Abbott, the founder, in addition to suggestions for further reading. (M, H) http://to.pbs.org/p0fhDC
5 10th anniversary of the opening of the Arab American National Museum. The AANM, which is in Dearborn, MI, is the only museum in the US devoted to Arab American history and culture. It documents, preserves and presents the history, culture and contributions of Arab Americans and seeks to dispel misconceptions about Arab Americans and other minorities.
Arab American National Museum website. While the actual museum is in Michigan, the website is rich with information about its collections and exhibits. (E, M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/19pZaTW
5 Cinco de Mayo. Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Despite this victory, France eventually defeated Mexican forces and occupied the country for three years.
Celebrate, don’t desecrate Cinco de Mayo. An article from the Educational Justice blog tracing the origins of the celebration of Cinco de Mayo in the US to the Chicano anti-imperialist movement in the 1960s. (TR) http://bit.ly/ccDwhK
Cinco de Mayo Inc. This blog is dedicated to documenting and critically examining the commercialization of Cinco de Mayo. This Mexican holiday has become more popular in the US than in Mexico in part because of corporate America’s desire to make millions off the Latino consumer market while perpetuating damaging stereotypes about Latinos and Latinas and not educating the American public about the historical significance of this day. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/rryYIN
Rethinking Cinco de Mayo, by Sudie Hofmann, Zinn Education Project. In this article, Hofmann critiques a stereotypical Mexican American event meant to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Readers will find information about the history of Cinco de Mayo and how it is celebrated in the US, art depicting the events of the Battle of Puebla Day and reactions from Chicana/o students. Links to related materials are provided. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/13VTKtX
5 Vesak (Buddhism). Vesak, also known as Wesak or Vesakha, is a celebration that commemorates Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, death and his passing into nirvana. The exact date of Vesakha varies according to the various lunar calendars used in different traditions.
Wesak, by Open-Sez-Me Books. Information and activities to recognize Wesak or Vesakha and learn more about Buddhism. (E, M) http://bit.ly/1gEIZmC
Celebrations: Wesak, by Anita Ganeri. This children’s book, part of the Celebrations series, explores the history behind Wesak and how it is celebrated today with special foods, clothing, songs and rituals. (E) http://amzn.to/VAg7CL
6 International No Diet Day. No Diet Day is an annual celebration of body acceptance and body shape diversity. This day is also dedicated to promoting a healthy lifestyle and raising awareness of the dangers and futility of dieting.
Reshaping Body Image, by Teaching Tolerance. This lesson is intended to help students examine how people of varying shapes and sizes are typically viewed in our society. How and why have perceptions of beauty and body image changed over time? (H, TR) http://bit.ly/dVObJ0
8 90th anniversary of the founding of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. After years of attempts to organize a union were crushed by the Pullman Company, porters were finally able to organize and selected A. Philip Randolph as their leader, forming the first predominantly Black labor union. The Brotherhood spread civil rights ideas and strategies across the country. Randolph organized the 1963 March on Washington along with Bayard Rustin.
Philip Randolph Exhibit, George Meany Memorial Archives. This online exhibit includes photographs, articles, a bibliography and classroom activities about A. Philip Randolph. The gallery also includes primary resources, activities and information that draw parallels between the labor and civil rights movements. (H) http://bit.ly/IDxZnP
8 70th anniversary of Germany’s defeat in WWII. Germany surrendered to Allied forces, ending World War II in Europe. Allied and Soviet troops liberated the concentration camps. Over the course of the war, the Nazi regime murdered six million Jews and five million people of other ethnic and minority groups.
Holocaust Resource Collection, Facing History and Ourselves. A comprehension collection of resources for engaging students of all ages in examining the history of the Holocaust and developing their skills of ethical reasoning, critical thinking, tolerance and empathy. There is also a link to the organization’s genocide resource collection. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/17iJVq9
10 150th anniversary of the end of the American Civil War. The Civil War, a four-year conflict between secessionist Southern slave states and Northern states that remained in the Union, resulted in the preservation of the Union and the end of slavery. More than 600,000 people died in the war.
Primary Resources: Surrender Documents, American Experience. This site, which accompanies the film Robert E. Lee, provides visitors with primary resources such as surrender documents and letters from Lee. Other resources include timelines, biographies, interviews and photo galleries. (H, TR) http://to.pbs.org/191JrGE
10 Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day Proclamation—1870, by Julia Ward Howe. Poem by Julia Ward Howe, who helped found Mother’s Day, advocating that women from around the world organize to resolve conflicts peacefully. (H) http://bit.ly/eT5sy
13 30th anniversary of the bombing of the MOVE house. The MOVE Organization was a Philadelphia-based Black nationalist communal organization founded by John Africa. An attempt by Philadelphia police to evict and arrest members led to an armed standoff. In response, the police dropped firebombs on the MOVE house. Eleven people were killed in the MOVE house, including five children, and 61 houses in the neighborhood were destroyed.
25 Years Ago: Philadelphia Police Bombs MOVE Headquarters Killing 11, Destroying 65 Homes. In this thirteen-minute segment, Democracy Now! interviews Ramona Africa, the only adult survivor of the MOVE bombing, about the incident and events before and after it. In addition to Ramona Africa, there is a clip from Mumia Abul Jamal discussing the attack. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/b5TTTA
13 40th anniversary of the University of Washington student protest regarding Chicano studies. After two Chicano administrators were fired at the University of Washington on May 6, 1975, many Chicano faculty and staff members resigned causing the Chicano Studies Program to disintegrate. Almost 2,000 students, led by the UW MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicana/Chicano de Aztlan), protested and boycotted classes. After an apology from the UW president and negotiations, the faculty members returned to UW.
Chicano/a Movement in Washington State History Project. This interactive website includes a detailed and dynamic history of the Chicano/a movement that emerged in Washington state in the 1960s. Visitors will find lesson plans and an informative timeline, video oral histories of Chicano/a activists and leaders, and other primary resources. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/16UJ6qj
14 110th anniversary of the establishment of the Asiatic Exclusion League. The Asiatic Exclusion League, formed by a coalition of White labor unions in San Francisco, was the first formal group dedicated to the restriction of Asian immigration.
1907 Anti-Asian Riots Teacher Notes, by Museum of Vancouver. This handout provides background information on the 1907 anti-Asian riots that took place in Vancouver. The resources draw upon primary sources from the time that documented the causes of the riots and their impact on the community. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/1hj3iqP
15 International Conscientious Objectors’ Day. This day is dedicated to conscientious objectors, individuals who have claimed the right to refuse to serve in the armed forces. Activists around the world use this joint day of action to raise awareness of conscientious objection, highlight memorable movements, and strengthen the international network.
Youth Programs, by the American Friends Service Committee. The American Friends website has a host of materials about militarism, alternatives to the military, counter-recruitment and conscientious objection. (H) http://www.afsc.org/program/youth-programs
DMZ: A Guide to Taking Your School Back From the Military, by The War Resisters League. DMZ is a comprehensive counter-military recruitment organizing manual for youth activists and their allies. (H) http://bit.ly/1dXUPId
Why War Is Never a Good Idea, by Alice Walker. Poet and activist Alice Walker personifies the power and wanton devastation of war in this evocative poem illustrated by an unflinching look at war’s destructive nature and unforeseen consequences. (E) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4rIP95CVKo
17 International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO). IDAHO aims to coordinate international events to promote respect for LGBTQ people worldwide.
And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell. And Tango Makes Three (based on a true story) is about a penguin family living in New York City’s Central Park Zoo that is a bit “different.” A summary, link and activities are available on the 6 Elements of Social Justice Ed. Book Blog, which contains an annotated list of children’s literature for the elementary classroom. (E) http://bit.ly/138tCMl
Molly’s Family, by Nancy Garden. Molly’s Family is about a five-year-old girl with two moms and her struggle to understand the true meaning of family. A summary, link and activities are available on the 6 Elements of Social Justice Ed. Book Blog, which contains an annotated list of children’s literature for the elementary classroom. (E) http://bit.ly/100wf4X
International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) Website. Resources about LGBTQ injustices all around the world and ways to contribute to campaigns fighting for LGBTQ justice. (TR) http://bit.ly/5Oazc
Acting Out: Combating Homophobia Through Teacher Activism, by Mollie V. Blackburn, Caroline T. Clark, Lauren M. Kenney and Jill M. Smith. This book chronicles how teachers from urban, suburban and rural districts joined together in a teacher inquiry group to challenge homophobia and heterosexism in schools and classrooms. (TR) http://amzn.to/1bSy97x
Addressing Homophobia in Sport: A Call to Action for the Canadian Sport Community. Resources for teaching about and addressing homophobia in sports. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/1krofUx
19 Malcolm X, human rights activist, born (1925-1965). Recruited to the Nation of Islam while in prison, Malcolm X was a self-educated and powerful advocate for the human rights of Black people. Through his travels to Africa and contact with anti-colonial struggles, he challenged the Civil Rights Movement to move beyond a request for rights to identifying itself as a Third World liberation struggle. He broke from Elijah Muhammad in 1964 and was assassinated in 1965.
Violence Prevention: Reconsidering Malcolm X, by Teaching Tolerance. In this middle school lesson plan, students analyze a film clip and consider the strategies used by different leaders, including Malcolm X, during the Civil Rights Movement. (M) http://bit.ly/191y9Ce
Malcolm X: Make it Plain, from American Experience. This site supports the film, Malcolm X: Make it Plain, which chronicles Malcolm X’s life and explores the mind and message of one of the era’s most complex figures. It offers resources such as a photo gallery, timeline, interactive special features, teacher’s guide and more. (H, TR) http://to.pbs.org/18WXsrm
20 Antoinette Brown Blackwell, minister and women’s rights activist, born (1825-1921). Blackwell was the first White woman to be ordained as a minister in the US. She was an active public speaker on the issues of abolition and women’s rights, and she founded suffragist organizations.
Who Were the Foremothers of Women’s Equality?, by EDSITEment. This lesson asks students to determine the Foremothers, the activists who should be as remembered as easily as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr. It can be taught on its own or as a part of a larger unit with the EDSITEment lessons Women’s Equality: Changing Attitudes and Beliefs; Voting Rights for Women: Pro- and Anti-Suffrage; and Women’s Suffrage: Why the West First? (H) http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/who-were-foremothers-womens-equality
Petition to the New Jersey Legislature from Lucy Stone and Antoinette Brown Blackwell, 1868. The New Jersey Women’s History webpage features Antoinette Brown Blackwell and Lucy Stone’s petition in 1868 to the New Jersey State Legislature for the enfranchisement of women and reforms in married women’s property rights. The petition was denied by the Judiciary Committee of the New Jersey Assembly. (M, H) http://www.njwomenshistory.org/?s=lucy+stone&submit=Search
21 Franklin Edward Kameny, gay rights activist, born (1925-2011). In 1957, Kameny was fired from his position with the US government. Subsequently, he filed the first federal civil rights suit based on sexual orientation. Kameny had a long career as a gay rights activist, co-founding the Mattachine Society, advocating for the repeal of sodomy laws and lobbying for the removal of homosexuality from the American Psychiatric Association’s manual of mental disorders.
The End of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’, by Katherine Shulten. Lessons in which students work to utilize New York Times articles to answer questions about “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and its repeal. (M, H) http://nyti.ms/qriooE
Frank Kameny, by the Rainbow History Project. A brief biography of Kameny’s life and work, with links to other sources. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/18VQmjb
24 Shavuot, begins at sunset on 5/23 (Judaism). Shavuot, the Festival of Weeks, is the second of three major Jewish festivals that have agricultural significance. It commemorates the time when the first fruits were harvested and brought to the Temple in Jerusalem.
A Mountain of Blintzes, by Barbara Diamond Goldin and Anik McGrory. This children’s book tells the story of a family saving up to make cheese blintzes, a traditional food eaten during Shavuot. (E)http://bit.ly/Tn2986
25 90th anniversary of a Supreme Court ruling barring Japanese people from becoming citizens. In Hidemitsu Toyota v. United States, the Supreme Court ruled that Japanese people cannot become naturalized citizens. Toyota had served in the US Coast Guard for ten years, including World War I. He petitioned for citizenship under a law that allowed foreigners to become citizens if they had served in the war. The court made an exception in order to bar Japanese veterans.
Race: The Power of an Illusion, by California Newsreel. A three-part documentary and companion website on perceptions and notions of race. Rather than focusing on biology, the series examines the role race plays in social and economic advantages and disadvantages. (H, TR) http://to.pbs.org/1gcSTJt
25 African Liberation Day. African Liberation Day was first established in 1958 after African leaders and political activists gathered at the first Pan-African conference held on African soil.
Wonders of the African World, by PBS. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. takes viewers on a journey to discover a wealth of African history and culture in Wonders of the African World. (M, H, TR)http://to.pbs.org/3BHM0I
Africa Access. Organization whose aim is to help schools, public libraries and parents improve the quality of their children’s collections on Africa. This site includes an online database of reviews of children’s books about Africa, bibliographies for specific research topics related to Africa and awards for the best children’s books on Africa published in the US. (TR) http://bit.ly/K1g9m
I Didn’t Know There Were Cities in Africa!, by Teaching Tolerance. Article with do’s and don’ts for teaching about modern Africa. (TR) http://bit.ly/9pooY
How Big is Africa?, by the African Studies Outreach Program, Boston University. The website features a poster of the map of Africa with other countries superimposed to compare size. Links to other K-12 resources as well as children’s and young adult books are also provided. (E, M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/TPNKgi
Online Resources from the African Studies Program at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. A very rich list of links to resources for teaching about Africa for all grade levels on a variety of topics. (E, M, H, TR) http://africa.wisc.edu/?page_id=939
25 Memorial Day. Memorial Day is a day to remember and pay tribute to those who have died while serving in the US Armed Forces.
Project YANO—The Project on Youth and Non-Military Opportunities. Celebrate Memorial Day by helping students find alternatives to military service. Project YANO is a nonprofit community organization that provides young people with an alternative point of view about military enlistment. (H) http://bit.ly/TOgd82
26 Dorothea Lange, photographer, born (1895-1965). Lange, a White photographer, documented the lives and struggles of working people, including Oklahoma Dust Bowl refugees and California farm workers for the Depression-era Farm Securities Administration. Her photographs of Japanese citizens in internment camps during World War II were impounded by the military because they exposed the injustices of the internment.
Dust Bowl Days, by EDSITEment. Dorothea Lange recorded the Dust Bowl exodus when drought and hard times forced thousands of farm families to move west in search of work. Her most familiar image was “Migrant Mother, Nipoma, California, 1936.” in this lesson, students are asked, “What can be learned from photographs, songs, interviews and other archival documents from the Dust Bowl era?” (M, H) http://1.usa.gov/17z9ZQg
FSA Photographer: Dorothea Lange, by TeacherVision.com. Students can read these printable materials to learn about Lange’s achievements. This resource also includes suggested activities and other references. (E, M, TR) http://bit.ly/1cdnLad
29 80th anniversary of the protest that led to the formation of the League for the Physically Handicapped. Six young adults visited the Emergency Relief Bureau in New York City to complain about discrimination against people with disabilities by Depression-era work-relief agencies. When they were told the director was unavailable, they staged a sit-in that gained substantial support. This protest prompted the formation of the League for the Physically Handicapped, which was dedicated to fighting discrimination in public and professional work. The sit-in eventually helped create thousands of jobs nationwide.
The League of the Physically Handicapped, by T. Weiss, The Disability Message. This article gives a detailed description of the events that lead to the founding of the League of the Physically Handicapped. (H) http://bit.ly/1krotek
Susan Laughs, by Jeanne Willis. This books features few words and relies on beautiful illustrations to tell readers about Susan, a little girl who does typical childhood things. On the final page of the book, it is revealed that Susan is in a wheelchair. (E) http://bit.ly/1aCt32n
30 50th anniversary of the first African Americans to graduate from the University of Alabama. Vivian Malone was one of two Black students to enroll at the University of Alabama after first being barred at the door by the state’s segregationist governor, George C. Wallace.
Desegregation of the University of Alabama was ‘dramatic’, by Andrea Mitchell, MSNBC.com. Dr. Sharon Malone, Vivian Malone’s sister, speaks to Andrea Mitchell about the dramatic moment when her sister first entered the University of Alabama. (H) http://nbcnews.to/165nG5y
31 60th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education II. While the Supreme Court had declared in the first Brown v. Board of Education that racial discrimination in public education is unconstitutional, it next had to consider what steps should to be taken to end such inequities. In a concession to Southern politicians, the court left the implementation to local authorities and only directed that school districts move towards compliance “with all deliberate speed.” That vague phrase allowed endless delays that were challenged through direct action demonstrations.
“With All Deliberate Speed”—Separate Is Not Equal, by the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Behring Center. This section of the Smithsonian’s “Separate Is Not Equal” site focuses on how the vagueness of “with all deliberate speed” worked to segregationists’ advantage. Photographs and political cartoons are included, as are links to other relevant sections. (M, H) http://bit.ly/KdFFmx
Brown v. Board: An American Legacy, by Teaching Tolerance. This article provides readers with the chance to reflect on the landmark Supreme Court case by highlighting events leading up to the case, analyzing the effects of the decision and connecting it to events since the decision. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/17z9Ufs
1 First day of Caribbean American Heritage Month. Caribbean American Heritage Month is a month designated to celebrate the history, traditions and culture of Caribbean Americans.
Caribbean Connections Series, by Teaching for Change. Teaching for Change has developed this six-book series that brings the Caribbean experience to the classroom. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/VBN6Xg
1 First day of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month is celebrated to commemorate the 1969 Greenwich Village riots where gay rights activists clashed with NYC police over discrimination. It aims to achieve equal justice and opportunity for LGBTQ Americans.
Beyond Tolerance: A Resource Guide for Addressing LGTBQI Issues in Schools, by NYQueer and NYCoRE. A comprehensive resource guide with activities, websites, organizations and an annotated bibliography to support educators in addressing queer issues. (E, M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/9nCcFt
Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) Curriculum. The website features tools and resources for teaching about gay issues, for addressing homophobia and for supporting students to start Gay/Straight Alliances. (E, M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/1eI2l8G
The Sylvia Rivera Law Project’s Trans 101, by Jody Marksamer and Dylan Vade. Trans 101 is a resource for beginning discussions with students about transgender people and issues. Their introduction to gender identity can help clarify common misconceptions about transgender people. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/QbIaaY
Speak Up at School, by Teaching Tolerance. This is a guide for teachers and students who want to develop skills and find the courage to speak out against prejudice, bias and stereotypes. (E, M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/SJ1PKw
4 UN Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression. In response to the killing of Palestinian and Lebanese children by the Israeli military, in the 1980s the United Nations General Assembly decided to commemorate June 4 of each year as the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression. It reminds people that throughout the world there are many children suffering from different forms of abuse, and there is an urgent need to protect the rights of children.
Voices of a People’s History. Short video of Alice Walker reading a letter from Rachel Corrie, a young, White American who traveled to the Gaza Strip as part of the International Solidarity Movement and was killed by a bulldozer operated by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) during a protest against the destruction of Palestinian homes by the IDF. (H) http://bit.ly/1gidNZC
Palestine/Israel Education Project. The Palestine/Israel Education Project (PEP) is an initiative of educators and activists based in New York City, created to engage students in critical thinking about the culture, history and current living conditions of Palestinians and Israelis. (M, H) http://bit.ly/1iin3yl
A Little Piece of Ground, by Elizabeth Laird with Sonia Nimr. This novel is about a young boy named Karim who is living through the Israeli occupation of Palestine. (E) http://bit.ly/rxsebu
The Palestine Teaching Trunk, Palestine Solidarity Committee – Seattle. The Palestine Teaching Trunk offers teaching materials for high school teachers to borrow. Each teaching trunk contains lesson plans, poster, artifacts, novels, DVDs and more. The curriculum is also available online to download. (TR) http://bit.ly/1fcJ1Cp
Teaching the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict through Dual Narratives, by Samia Shoman. This curriculum provides insights into the challenges of teaching the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, suggestions for how to present the historical context and current situation using essential and unit questions, and methodology for teaching peace attempts and barriers to peace. (H) http://bit.ly/KFuvbw
5 40th anniversary of the California Agricultural Labor Relations Act (CALRA). CALRA, part of the California Labor Code, was passed after extensive organizing by the United Farm Workers to establish collective bargaining for farmworkers. The Act seeks to “ensure peace in the fields of California by guaranteeing justice for all agricultural workers and stability in agricultural labor relations.”
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type, by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin. In this children’s book, Farmer Brown’s cows unite and take action when he refuses to comply with their requests to improve living conditions. (E) http://bit.ly/18up3R0
5 40th anniversary of World Environment Day. World Environment Day was established by the UN in 1972 to draw attention to environmental issues and inspire public action.
An Inconvenient Truth, directed by Davis Guggenheim. This film explores Al Gore’s commitment to expose the myths and misconceptions that surround global warming and inspire actions to prevent it. The site includes a study guide and interactive activities. (H) http://bit.ly/1bSDlrN
This Is My Planet: The Kids’ Guide to Global Warming, by Jan Thornhill. The book takes a comprehensive look at climate change, beginning with basic information about how the planet works and moving through an in-depth look at human societies and three specific environments—polar, ocean and land. (E, M) http://bit.ly/Maz8YJ
Green-Collar Jobs Campaign Teaching Tools, by the Ella Baker Center. This five-part series features interactive activities on key themes of the Green-Collar Jobs Campaign’s work, including the green economy, eco-equity and eco-privilege, model cities and restorative justice. (M, H) http://bit.ly/19PT7Ux
7 50th anniversary of Griswold v. Connecticut. The US Supreme Court ruled that the 1879 Connecticut ban on contraceptives was unconstitutional on the grounds that it violated marital privacy.
Griswold v. Connecticut, by PBS Learning Media. This video chronicles the landmark Supreme Court case Griswold v. Connecticut, when for the first time the Court tackled what was viewed as a “right to privacy” issue, ruling that Connecticut’s ban on the use of contraceptives violated the right to marital privacy. There is also an accompanying background essay as well as discussion questions. (H) http://bit.ly/18geDPZ
CIVIO—A Civil Rights Game, by Reach and Teach. CIVIO is a strategy card game that explores the relationship of issues, freedoms, laws and Supreme Court cases that have both strengthened and reduced civil rights and civil liberties. Includes information about Griswold v. Connecticut. (M, H) http://bit.ly/bo1bEG
8 50th anniversary of the establishment of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf. The National Technical Institute for the Deaf at New York’s Rochester Institute of Technology was the first technical college for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. The school is today the largest of its kind in the US.
Sound and Fury: Deaf and Diverse, by Angela Guiffreda, PBS.org. In this lesson plan for grades six and seven, students gain an understanding of the beliefs, values, attitudes and language of deaf culture and write reflective compositions. (M) http://to.pbs.org/14gedfi
9 Helen Marot, American writer and trade union activist, born (1865-1940). Marot was a White librarian, trade union activist and writer born in Philadelphia. She investigated and campaigned against child labor, and her efforts helped prompt New York state to enact the 1903 Compulsory Education Act. She served as executive secretary of the New York Women’s Trade Union League and was a life-long advocate for children and women workers.
Daughter of Earth: Reading, Writing and Social Class, by Bill Bigelow. This lesson, which includes an excerpt from Agnes Smedley’s Daughter of Earth, opens up a discussion about who “deserves” education and why. It can serve as a jumping off point for a discussion of Helen Marot’s involvement in the Compulsory Education Act and an entry point into investigating education as a civil right. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/185MfCj
9 Carlos Flores Truan, senator and activist, born (1935-2012). Senator Truan, an education and environmental activist, was the first Chicano to serve as the Dean of the Texas Senate. He worked on the Texas Bilingual Education Act in 1969, which allowed for bilingual education up to grade six, and the Texas Child Care Licensing Act of 1975, which established statewide standards for the safety of children in childcare facilities.
Carlos Truan Interview: The University of Texas at Arlington Center for Mexican American Studies, by Tejano Voices. In this interview, Carlos Truan discusses his upbringing in Texas, his early exposure to politics, his political career and his thoughts on questions regarding Mexican American politics and leadership. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/18UrrhV
12 World Day Against Child Labor. The World Day Against Child Labor aims to raise awareness and encourage activism to prevent child labor.
Labor Rights in the Classroom, by International Labor Rights Forum. Lesson plans connected to several anti-child labor campaigns including cocoa farms, and cotton and rubber plantations. (M, H) http://bit.ly/19U27hb
Iqbal, by Francesco D’Adamo. A powerful story based on the real life and death of a Pakistani child sold into slavery. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/JO8dD5
Do You Want Slavery With That? Modern slavery is still ubiquitous. In this lesson, students hear about it from the slaves themselves (through their stories) and consider what they can do to help. (M, H) http://bit.ly/KFvXL4
Teaching With Documents: Photographs of Lewis Hine: Documentation of Child Labor. This site contains reproducible copies of photos documenting the role of child labor in the development of the industrial United States. (M, H) http://1.usa.gov/1crvP7a
19 150th anniversary of Juneteenth. Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the day Union General Gordon Granger and 2,000 federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take possession of the state and enforce the emancipation of its slaves, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect.
Indentured Servitude and Slavery, by Michael Ray. This six-minute digital history of slavery includes the voices of slave survivors as well as pictures that depict the struggles and inequities that these individuals had to face. (H) http://bit.ly/uuIyHj
“Been Here So Long”: Selections from the WPA American Slave Narratives, by the New Deal Network. Here are 17 of the approximately 2,300 American Slave Narratives collected by the Federal Writers Project with lesson plans. (H) http://bit.ly/uy2uKF
Perspective on the Slave Narrative, by EdSITEment. Lesson about the Narrative of William W. Brown, A Fugitive Slave (1847). The book is analyzed both as a work of literature and for its contribution to the abolitionist movement. (M, H) http://1.usa.gov/Sbn1zt
Rethinkin’ Lincoln on the 150th Birthday of the Emancipation Proclamation, by Bill Bigelow. This article questions the portrayal of President Lincoln as an abolitionist in the movie Lincoln. Bigelow also discusses how he and his students approached the study of the Emancipation Proclamation, beginning with Lincoln’s inaugural address. (H, TR) http://huff.to/UpgZq8
20 20th anniversary of Royal Dutch Shell abandoning plans for a deep-sea disposal of the Brent Spar oil rig. Following the British government’s statement of support for Shell’s proposal to dispose of the Brent Spar oil rig off the coast of Scotland, Greenpeace organized worldwide opposition including service station boycotts and a two-week occupation of the rig by activists. Shell eventually disposed of the rig on shore.
Brent Spar, Greenpeace vs. Shell, Youtube video. This video features testimony from the Greenpeace activists that were involved in the direct action that was part of the movement to reverse the decision to sink the Brent Spar oil rig. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/18D5wep
21 10th anniversary of the conviction of a murderer of civil rights workers. The first trial of Edgar Ray Killen, who conspired to kill civil rights workers James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, ended in a hung jury. He was convicted of manslaughter in 2005, following a campaign to re-try him led by a Mississippi reporter.
Freedom Summer Project, by Wisconsin Historical Society. The Wisconsin Historical Society site encourages teachers, writers, historians and others to use its more than 100 manuscript collections about the Mississippi Freedom Summer Project of 1964. Documents include official records of student organizations, personal papers of movement leaders and activists, internal memos and more. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/1iipaSJ
21 100th anniversary of the Supreme Court finding Grandfather clauses unconstitutional. Several states, mainly in the South, established literacy or property requirements in order for people to register to vote. But they would exempt people whose ancestors had the right to vote before the Civil War. These “Grandfather clauses” effectively disenfranchised Black people whose ancestors were slaves and therefore not eligible to vote. In Guinn v. US, the Supreme Court declared these clauses unconstitutional.
Race and Voting in the Segregated South, by the Constitutional Rights Foundation. This site offers the history of race and voting in the segregated South through the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and describes how Grandfather clauses disenfranchised Black voters. Ideas for discussion, writing, further reading and classroom activities are also offered. (H) http://bit.ly/18kxLwd
21 Father’s Day
Million Father March, by Black Star Project. The Million Father March has grown out of recognition of the power of male involvement in the education of Black students. This site provides more information about the event. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/VqXmiN
23 10th anniversary of the resolution of a school free speech case. The ACLU filed suit on behalf of LaStaysha Myers, a student at Webb City High School in Missouri, who was suspended for wearing pro-gay t-shirts. Ultimately, the school district agreed not to limit free speech.
Declaration of LaStaysha Myers in the US District Court of the Western District of Missouri. Very readable and powerful, this is the actual court declaration submitted by 15-year-old LaStaysha Myers. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/13OTUW0
Ready, Set, Respect! GLSEN’s Elementary Toolkit. This toolkit provides lesson plans that are aligned to Common Core Standards for English Language Arts, as well as strategies for responding to bullying and multimedia resources. This is the type of resource designed to help schools create communities that support students like LaStaysha Myers. (E, M, TR) http://bit.ly/x3Poqe
25 40th anniversary of Mozambique’s independence from Portugal. Later this year Cape Verde and São Tomé and Príncipe also got their independence from Portugal.
26 International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. The International Day in Support of Torture Victims was created by the UN General Assembly in honor of those who have been impacted by torture.
Homeland Guantanamos: The Untold Story of Immigrant Detention in the U.S., by Breakthrough. Viewers of the site take on the role of a journalist visiting an immigrant detainee at Guantánamo and can virtually visit the facilities. Other resources available on the site include detainee stories and ways to take action. (M, H) http://bit.ly/WAOiqh
The Road to Guantánamo, directed by Mat Whitecross and Michael Winterbottom. Part drama, part documentary, The Road to Guantánamo focuses on the Tipton Three, a trio of British Muslims who were held in Guantánamo Bay for two years until they were released without charge. Free online version available at Teach Peace’s website. (H) http://bit.ly/1crvPUR
27 Grace Lee Boggs, social activist, born (1915). Boggs is a Chinese American activist for social justice. She was involved in civil rights and labor struggles in Detroit. Along with her husband, African American activist James Boggs, she authored a number of works on Black labor and struggle. She continues to be a leading organizer for community self-reliance and resistance in Detroit.
The Next American Revolution: Sustainable Activism for the 21st Century. Drawing from seven decades of movement-building experience, Grace Lee Boggs’ latest book shows how to create the radical social change we need to confront new realities. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/19clgok
A is for Activist, by Innosanto Nagara. This ABC book for young children uses illustrations, rhymes and alliteration to teach children about words like “justice,” “freedom” and “advocate.” It is a great way to teach young children about activists such as Grace Lee Boggs. (E) http://bit.ly/1bQCpdf
27 30th anniversary of the end of the first hotel strike in New York. In response to wage increases and contract changes, about 16,000 hotel employees went on strike on June 1, 1985. The strike ended June 27 with the approval of a five-year contract that provided a 23.5% wage increase. Trade unionism was losing support and the strike marked a significant resurgence for worker empowerment and labor rights.
HERB: Social History for Every Classroom. Great collection of social history resources and lesson plans, many focused on labor history, created and curated by the American Social History Project. It is searchable by time period and theme. (E, M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/1lQDCkS
27 110th anniversary of the founding of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). The IWW was founded to fight for laborers’ rights. Also known as the Wobblies, the IWW agitated for the organization of the working class into one big union and for workers’ control of the economy. It was one of the only labor unions at the time to organize women, immigrants, African Americans and Asian Americans.
For the Win, by Cory Doctorow. For the Win introduces the reader to the global economy and the history of organizing, with a focus on the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). The characters in For the Win make a living in virtual gaming all over the world. They connect and organize online (forming the Webblies), and after initial skepticism convince the traditional labor unions to join them. (H) http://bit.ly/123xmA6
Wobblies!: A Graphic History of the Industrial Workers of the World, by Paul Buhle and Nicole Schulman. The IWW, which has been organizing workers since 1905, is often cited yet elusive to scholars because of its eclectic and controversial cultural and social character. Wobblies! presents the IWW whole, scripted and drawn by old-time and younger Wobbly and IWW-inspired artists. (M, H) http://bit.ly/1aL1fs2
27 National HIV Testing Day. National HIV Testing Day is an annual campaign encouraging people to get tested for HIV.
AVERT: Averting HIV and Aids. A variety of resources and information, including quizzes, handouts, videos and lessons for teachers and teens about living with and preventing HIV/AIDS. (M, H) http://bit.ly/1bDVBoP
30 40th anniversary of a landmark Supreme Court case on immigration and policing. US v. Brignoni-Ponce established that it is unconstitutional for a patrol car to stop a driver solely because (s)he appears to be of Mexican descent and that police must have information beyond ethnicity to support their suspicion that a driver is harboring undocumented immigrants. This case was significant for people in the Southwest as it helped reduce Border Patrol discrimination against Latinos.
Editorial Cartoon: Racial Profiling, by Teaching Tolerance. In this lesson, designed for middle to high school students, students will interpret visual and written material in an editorial cartoon and understand how it uses irony to make a political statement. This lesson is the second in the series “Using Editorial Cartoons to Teach Social Justice.” (M, H) http://bit.ly/18m57LS
Rep. Gutierrez House Floor 6/27/12 – Spot the Immigrant, C-SPAN Video Library. In this five-minute video, Rep. Luis Gutierrez (IL) presents a “spot the immigrant” quiz during a discussion regarding the Supreme Court decision on the “Show Me Your Papers” law (Arizona, SB1070). (M, H, TR) http://cs.pn/ZLWTss
30 75th anniversary of first appearance of the comic strip “Brenda Starr” in the Chicago Tribune. The popular character Brenda Starr, female reporter, was a creation of female cartoonist Dale Messick. Starr became a symbol of women breaking into professions dominated by men. The comic strip ran until January 2, 2011.
RIP Brenda Starr, by AAUW. This article summarizes the history and impact of the Brenda Starr comic strip. (TR) http://bit.ly/1hwMSNy
Behind the Brenda Starr Comic Strip, by Chicagotribune.com. This slideshow tells the story of Dale Messick, the creator of Brenda Starr, and how the comic strip changed over the years. Archival Images of the strip are also featured. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/1gaDA6J
1 40th anniversary of César Chávez leading a 1,000 mile march across Central California. Following the passage of the California Agricultural Labor Relations Act (CALRA), which established the collective bargaining rights of farm workers and more, Chávez and other members of the United Farm Workers (UFW) marched 1,000 miles across central California to raise awareness about the upcoming union elections. The UFW won many victories and the Teamsters Union, largely seen as corrupt, withdrew from the fields.
Viva La Causa: The Story of César Chávez and a Great Movement for Social Justice, by Teaching Tolerance. This short documentary film and accompanying teacher’s guide explore the Grape Strike and Boycott led by César Chávez and Dolores Huerta. The free teaching kit includes a 39-minute film on DVD and a teacher’s guide. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/ffoc4E
El Malcriado, Voice of the Farm Workers (Analyzing editorial cartoons), Lesson 5 by the California Department of Education. This lesson provides a lens through which students examine political cartoons on a variety of topics, linking the struggles of California’s farm workers to political cartoons throughout history and to the potential of political cartoons for contemporary action. (H) http://bit.ly/1eCP5WG
2 Medgar Evers, civil rights activist, born (1925-1963). Evers was active in the Civil Rights Movement for more than a decade and served as the NAACP’s first field secretary for Mississippi. He was assassinated in his driveway on June 12, 1963 by Byron De La Beckwith, a member of the White Citizens’ Council.
A Tribute to Medgar Evers: Education Resources. This tribute site contains a photo gallery, a virtual tour of Evers’ home, interviews with family and friends and education resources such as a five-day curriculum guide. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/vxHDGM
3 180th anniversary of the Paterson Textile Strike. Two thousand workers, many of them children, from 20 textile mills went on strike to reduce the workweek from seven to six days, and the workday from 13.5 hours to 11 hours. The strike continued for almost two months. Employers refused to negotiate and ended the strike by declaring a reduction in work hours to 12 hours on weekdays and nine hours on Saturdays.
Kids on Strike!, by Susan Campbell Bartoletti. This book features stories of strikes led by young people in the US to demand better wages, safer working conditions and more. (E, M) http://bit.ly/SrjBIV
4 50th anniversary of the first Reminder Day picket for LGBT civil rights. Picketers staged the first Reminder Day to call public attention to the lack of civil rights for LGBT people. The protests took place at Independence Hall in Philadelphia and continued annually for five years.
Timeline: Milestones in the American Gay Rights Movement. This website has timelines and videos that explain the Stonewall Uprising and other events in the American Gay Rights Movement. (H, TR) http://to.pbs.org/1erJNtV
4 Independence Day
Frederick Douglass Fights for Freedom, by Bill Bigelow. A lesson to introduce students to the numerous and varied ways African Americans resisted their enslavement, using the autobiographical Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, published in 1845. It includes a video of Danny Glover reading Douglass’ speech questioning what Independence Day means to African Americans. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/twIr1s
5 80th anniversary of the National Labor Relations Act. The NLRA, also know as the Wagner Act after Senator Robert R. Wagner of New York, guarantees the rights of private-sector employees to organize into unions, engage in collective bargaining and take collective action, including strike. The law also created the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which enforces the provisions of the NLRA.
Labor Matters lesson plan, by Teaching Tolerance. In recent decades, the right to collective bargaining, ensured by the National Labor Relations Act, has been called into question. This lesson, from the Southern Poverty Law Center, draws on prior knowledge and uses primary source documents to help students to understand the origins of union goals and tactics in the US. (M, H) http://bit.ly/185DPuI
Making Sense of the Employee Free Choice Act, by Teaching Tolerance. In this lesson from the Southern Poverty Law Center, students examine recent legislative debates over changes to the laws governing the formation of unions, examining rhetorical strategies and media bias while developing a deeper understanding of the Employee Free Choice Act. (M, H) http://bit.ly/1blJEcC
7 Margaret Walker, writer and professor, born (1915-1998). Walker was a part of the Black literary movement in Chicago in the 1930s and 40s. Two of her most famous works are the poem For My People and the novel Jubilee. She was a professor at Jackson State University in Mississippi for 30 years.
Margaret Walker, by the Poetry Foundation. This site offers a biography of Walker and links to her poems, podcasts about her poems, articles and more. (M, H) http://bit.ly/193SIMX
Jubilee, by Margaret Walker Alexander. This true story tells the story of Margaret Walker’s great grandmother, Vyry, the child of a White plantation owner and his Black mistress who witnesses the South’s prewar opulence and its wartime ruin. (M, H) http://bit.ly/1humMKH
9 Myles Horton, educator, labor organizer and civil rights activist, born (1905-1990). In 1932, Horton co-founded the Highlander Folk School. Using a community education and empowerment model, the school was active in labor and civil rights organizing. Horton, a White Tennessean, and his colleagues fought segregation within the labor movement and helped in the early planning stages of such civil rights actions as the Montgomery bus boycott.
We Make the Road by Walking: Conversations on Education and Social Change, by Myles Horton and Paulo Freire. This book is a conversation between Horton and Freire on education and their theories of social change. This dialogue between Horton and Freire gives the reader new insights on the meaning of collective struggle, pedagogy and social justice. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/19xMPde
16 70th anniversary of the detonation of the first atomic bomb. The first atomic bomb was detonated in New Mexico. Twenty-one days later the United States dropped a uranium bomb on Hiroshima, Japan and three days after that, a plutonium bomb on Nagasaki, Japan.
The First Atomic Bomb is detonated, by PBS. This article, although brief, covers the creation of the atomic bomb, from the beginning to the US attack on Japan. It also notes the reactions of other countries as the bomb was being created. (M, H, TR) http://to.pbs.org/1f86L9l
17 Eid al-fitr, begins at sunset on 7/16 (Islam). Eid Al-Fitr (Feast of Fast-Breaking) is celebrated at the end of the holy month of Ramadan to mark the end of fasting. It is often celebrated over the course of three days.
Islamic Celebrations, by Teachers’ Domain. In this video from Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, members of the Islamic Center of Washington, DC discuss the religious and spiritual significance of the Eid Al-Fitr annual event. (E, M, H) http://bit.ly/uFXEix
BBC Schools: Guide to Ramadan. This site includes basic information about Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, as well as links to lesson plans intended to help students understand the beliefs and practices of Muslim people. A lesson on Islamic art is included here. Follow links to “BBC Food” for information on Eid al-Fitr around the globe. (M, H, TR) http://bbc.in/bFTw84
The Arab World in the Classroom: An Introduction to lslam, by the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies. “An Introduction to Islam” is a 16-page reader-friendly guide that can be downloaded for free to share with teachers and students. (M, H) http://bit.ly/islam411
Celebrate Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr: With Prayer, Fasting, and Charity (Holidays Around the World), by Deborah Heiligman. This children’s book explores Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr through the use of text, photographs and maps. (E) http://bit.ly/T7pNU9
20 110th anniversary of a Chinese boycott of American goods to protest the mistreatment of Chinese immigrants in the US. In response to the mistreatment of Chinese immigrants in the US generally, and the Chinese Exclusion Act specifically, the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce organized a boycott of US products. The boycott, which spread throughout China and to Chinese communities in other Asian nations, lasted for about six months and did not change US policies.
Boycotts in History, NOW Series on PBS. This resource provides a basic examination of the use of boycotts throughout history and a timeline of major boycotts. The Chinese boycott of 1905 is only mentioned briefly, but you can use this resource in order to contextualize it within a larger history. (M, H, TR) http://to.pbs.org/1bJhh5K
Feel Effects of Boycott, Special Cable from New York Times-London Times. This primary resource is a London Times/New York Times article explaining the impact of the Chinese boycott on American goods. It could be useful in helping students debate the effectiveness of boycotts as a form of protest. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/1f8z1LI
10 Examples of #AAPI’s Rich History of Resistance, by Reappropriate. This post on Reappropriate’s blog describes ten examples of Asian American resistance. Scroll down to number five for information about resistance that took place after the Supreme Court failed to overturn exclusionary laws. (H, TR) http://bit.ly/1eFq1tS
20 Frantz Fanon, anti-colonialist philosopher, born (1925-1961). Fanon was a Martinique-born French philosopher and revolutionary, whose writings have influenced anti-colonial struggles around the world. Fanon supported the Algerian war for independence from France and was a member of the Algerian National Liberation Front. His most famous works are Black Skin, White Masks and The Wretched of the Earth.
Frantz Fanon: Black Skin, White Mask, by Isaac Julien. Interviews, reconstructions and archive footage tell the story of the life and work of the highly influential anti-colonialist writer Frantz Fanon, author of Black Skin, White Masks and The Wretched of the Earth and his professional life as a psychiatric doctor in Algeria during its war of independence with France. (H) http://bit.ly/1fvoJCa
25 20th anniversary of the founding of the American Association of People with Disabilities. Paul Hearne, a disability activist, founded the American Association of People with Disabilities. The AAPD supports the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and promotes equal opportunity, economic power, independent living and political participation for people with disabilities.
Paul G. Hearne, 48, Affable Champion of Disabled, Dies, by Robert McG. Thomas Jr. This article celebrates Hearne’s life and gives readers information about his accomplishments and the affect he had on improving the lives of the disabled. (H) http://nyti.ms/1a1TyfM
28 James Presley Ball, abolitionist and photographer, born (1825-1904). Born in Virginia during slavery, Ball was a free Black man all of his life. His photographs documented the slave trade and the lives of enslaved people on cotton and sugar plantations.
J.P. Ball: African American Photographer, by Deborah Willis, Cincinnati Museum Center. This section of the Cincinnati History Library and Archives provides readers with information about Ball during different stages of his life. His photographs and digital copies of related documents are also featured. (M, H) http://bit.ly/mHhATD
30 50th anniversary of the establishment of Medicare and Medicaid. The Social Security Act of 1965 established Medicare and Medicaid, the first public heath insurance programs in the US. They provide health coverage for the poor and elderly and were signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson as part of his Great Society program.
Medicare Reform: For Educators, by NOW with Bill Moyers and Donna DeTommaso-Kleinert, PBS.org. In this high school lesson plan, students will use handouts, fact sheets, and a broadcast of NOW with Bill Moyers on the new Medicare bill to analyze debate ideas for improvement. (H) http://to.pbs.org/1gg7t8o
31 50th anniversary of the first gay rights protest at the Pentagon. Picketers protested the treatment of LGBT people in the military. In 2011, 46 years later, gays were finally allowed to serve openly in the military.
The Legacy Project Education Initiative. A guide that offers four different approaches to learning about and learning from influential historical figures from the gay rights movement: contributions, additive, transformational and social action. (M, H, TR) http://bit.ly/14cRtwP