Black History Month Resources

From California History - Social Science Project

Black is a Rainbow Color: Freedom Fighters - This lesson, designed for K-2 students, extends from the book Black is a Rainbow Color by Angela Joy. It focuses on women who fought for freedom and invites students to consider how they, too, will fight for freedom. W.E.B. Du Bois - This primary source set is centered around the question: “How did W.E.B. Du Bois’ research challenge dominant narratives about black Americans during the Jim Crow period?” Reconstruction - This 8th-grade lesson is about citizenship from the perspective of African Americans after the Civil War. The purpose of this lesson is for students to consider the challenges that African Americans faced in achieving full citizenship rights, and the actions they took to address this inequality. Civil Rights (MLK) - This lesson aligns with the 9th – 10th-grade reading and writings literacy standards, as well as the 11th-grade history content standards. The lesson examines excerpts from both “A Call for Unity,” and “A Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” Students will cite evidence from both documents in order to answer the following focus question: How did the “Letter from a Birmingham Jail “address those opposed to the civil rights movement?

Resources from the National Museum of African American History and Culture

Black History Month is a time to celebrate the fullness of African American history and culture, but that cannot be contained in one month alone. This year, we celebrate African American artists – including poets, writers, visual artists, and dancers – who have historically served as change agents through their craft.

Visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture

photo of a group of African American midwives

Additional Resources

Black Women in History Black History Month: Teaching the Complete History Black History Month: Teaching Beyond Slavery Black History Month Teaching: Miseducation or Empowerment
Black History Month: Celebrating Black Liberation Movements Black Lives Matter Week of Action The 1619 Project: Pulitzer Center Education Programming We need to Change How We Teach Black History - Time Magazine
Celebrate Black History Month Anti-Defamation League - Black History Month Facing History - Black History Month Resources The Zinn Education Project - A People's History