August
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
June/July

 

August           

3     50th anniversary of Niger’s independence from French rule. 1960 and 1961 were important years for independence from colonialism for African nations. The following countries and regions were liberated: Benin, Niger, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Chad, Central African Republic, Gabon, Mali, Togo, Madagascar, the Congo and Mauritania (from France), the Democratic Republic of Congo (from Belgium), Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and British Cameroon (from Britain).

African Studies Website. This website has a variety of information for K-12 teachers about countries in Africa. A good starting point for people unfamiliar with African countries. (H, TR) http://www.africa.upenn.edu/K-12/menu_EduBBS.html

Africa Is Not a Country by Margy Burns Knight, Mark Melnicove, Anne Sibley O’Brien. Rather than treating Africa as a homogenous setting, this book follows children from several diverse countries on the continent. (E) http://books.google.com/books?id=_UPc7aEmrAQC

 

4     Robert Purvis, anti-slavery activist, born (1810 to 1898). Purvis was a free black man who helped found the American Anti-Slavery Society. As an activist in the Underground Railroad, he used his own house as a station.

Roads to Freedom Lesson Plan: Getting Free in the South by Stephanie Kaufman. Using tools from the National Archives education site, students will learn in more depth about the various strategies for obtaining freedom through the use of primary source documents. (H) http://www.slaveryinamerica.org/history/hs_lp_roadstofreedom.htm

 

6     Hiroshima Day. This annual observance is held to commemorate the dropping of the first atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945.

WWII: The Pacific by Marilyn Fenichel, Discovery Education. Students will study WWII in depth and engage in analysis and debate on whether the use of nuclear bombs was the best way to end the war. (H) http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/programs/worldwarII/

 

7     Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, labor activist and feminist, born (1890 to 1964). Flynn was a white organizer for the Industrial Workers of the World, a founding member of the American Civil Liberties Union and a member of the Communist Party. As a femi- nist, Flynn supported birth control, women!s suffrage and equal pay for women.

Books for Young Readers: A Bibliography of Fiction and Non-fiction books about labor, strikes and politics. A collection of children and young adult fiction and non-fiction books on labor, strikes, and politics. (E, M) http://www.sfu.ca/labour/Bibliography.pdf

The Personal Side of the Smith Act from the Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College. Students will analyze a letter from Elizabeth Gurley Flynn to Mary Kaufman to illustrate the effects of the Smith Act on Americans accused of being communists. (H) http://www.smith.edu/library/libs/ssc/curriculum/kaufman.html

 

7     20th anniversary of Corporal Jeff Paterson refusing to be deployed to Iraq. At 22 years old, US Marine Corporal Paterson became the first active-duty military resister in the 1991 Gulf War.

Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW). IVAW was founded by Iraq war veterans to give a voice to the large number of active duty service people and veterans who are against this war, but are under various pressures to remain silent. (H) http://www.ivaw.org/

 

7     80th anniversary of the lynching of Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith. Shipp and Smith were lynched in Marion, Indiana after a white mob broke them out of the county courthouse, beat and hung them with the cooperation of the police. A photographer took a picture of their bodies hanging from a tree, which became an iconic image of lynching and inspired the song Billie Holiday made famous, Strange Fruit.

Strange Fruit by Joel Katz. This documentary explores the history and legacy of the Billie Holiday classic. Site includes a protest music overview and a resource page (“Learn More”) with websites, books, articles, and lesson plans on protest music. (H, TR) http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/strangefruit/film.html

 

10     330th anniversary of the Pueblo Revolt. On this day Pueblo Indians (Taos, Picuris, and Tewa) from more than two dozen pueblos in what is now New Mexico attacked the Spanish authorities. This revolt was the single most successful act of resistance by Native Americans. Even after the Spanish re-imposed their authority in 1692 they were forced to respect some Native religious traditions, which enabled the Pueblo to retain much of their native culture.

Archives of the West to 1806, PBS. Part of the PBS program, The West. An account of the Pueblo Revolt by Don Antonio de Otermin, governor and captain-general of New Mexico (1680). (M, H, TR) http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/resources/archives/one/pueblo.htm

 

10     Ramadan begins at Sundown (Islam). The dates provided here are based on the dates adopted by the Fiqh Council of North America for the celebration of Ramadan. Note that these dates are based on astronomical calculations to affirm each date, and not on the actual sighting of the moon with the naked eyes. This approach is accepted by many, but is still being hotly debated.

Ramadan by Susan L. Douglass. This book is about Ramadan, which is a holy time of year for Muslims all around the world. During Ramadan Muslims fast and pray each day between sunrise and sunset. At the end of Ramadan Muslims have a special celebration called Eid al-fitr. (E, M, TR) http://bbpbooks.teachingforchange.org/book/9781575055848

Arab Stereotypes and American Educators, Marvin Wingfield and Bushra Karaman. A teacher resource on the impact of Arab stereotyping on students. (TR) https://www.tanenbaum.org/sites/default/files/arab_stereotypes.pdf

 

10     30th anniversary of Shirley Chisholm delivering a speech supporting the Equal Rights Amendment. Chisholm was an outspoken advocate of women!s and civil rights and in 1968 became the first African American woman elected to Congress. On this day she delivered a speech on the floor of the US House of Representatives urging support for the Equal Rights Amendment.

Unbought and Unbossed by Shirley Chisholm, Shola Lynch, Donna Brazile. This book and documentary by the same name chronicle Chisholm’s rise from young girl in Brooklyn to America’s first African American Congresswoman. (M, H, TR) http://bbpbooks.teachingforchange.org/book/9780980059021

Chisolm ‘72: Unbought and Unbossed, a POV documentary. This site includes lesson plans and resources for using Chisholm ‘72. Also provides access to a lending library where teachers can borrow the video for free. (M, H, TR) http://www.pbs.org/pov/chisholm/lesson_plan.php

 

12    International Youth Day. International Youth Day, created by the UN, is designed to draw attention to cultural and legal issues surrounding youth.

Youth Media Info Center by the FreeChild Project. One way for students to participate in International Youth Day is to use media to examine their world and tell their own stories. This website provides a list of youth media organizations and resources. (E, M, H) http://www.freechild.org/youthmedia.htm

 

18     90th anniversary of the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment. The 19th Amendment granted women the right to vote.

National Archives Teaching With Documents: Woman Suffrage and the 19th Amendment. Collection of Relevant Documents with teaching suggestions and links to other related lessons. (E, M) http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/woman-suffrage/script-intro.html

VoteQuest. VoteQuest is an interactive game that will teach students about the struggle for women’s voting rights. (E) http://www.tolerance.org/pt/votequest/index.html

 

21     40th anniversary of Huey P. Newton publicly supporting gay rights. In a letter in the Black Panther Party!s newslet- ter, Newton, co-founder of the Panthers, wrote the first openly pro-gay statement by a major heterosexual movement activist of any race.

The Women’s Liberation and Gay Liberation Movements. Text of speech in which Newton stresses the need for solidarity between oppressed groups. (M, H) www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/newtonq.html

 

23     International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. 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 would play a crucial role in the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade.

Resources on remembering the slave trade by Human Rights Education Association. A rich collection of links resources for teaching about abolitionism and the slave trade in the US as well as materials on modern day slavery. (H, TR) http://www.hrea.org/index.php?base_id=574&language_id=1

 

25     130th anniversary of the founding of the National Association of the Deaf. From its inception the organization defend- ed the use of American Sign Language and the right of deaf people to become teachers of deaf students. It!s the oldest national dis- ability rights organization in the US that is still active today.

National Association of the Deaf website. This is the official website of NAD. It was designed by and for deaf and hard of hearing individuals to provide information about deaf-related civil rights legislation. (TR) http://www.nad.org/

 

26     Women’s Equality Day. Established in 1971, the date commemorates the day the 19th Amendment went into effect. It gave US women full voting rights in 1920.

Everyone Does Better When Women Do Better by Facing the Future. Students enact the roles of citizens and government representatives from various countries. Citizens address their local government representative with concerns about the status of women and girls in their country and potential solutions. (M, H) http://www.facingthefuture.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=b5vUad6W7DM%3d

 

29     5th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

An Unnatural Disaster by the New York Collective of Radical Educators (NYCoRE). This curriculum guide is a tool to help students investigate both the natural and unnatural issues at play in the aftermath of Katrina. (M, H) http://www.nycore.org/PDF/AnUnnaturalDisaster2-5.pdf

September

2     125th anniversary of the Rock Springs Massacre. In Rock Springs, Wyoming a group of white immigrant coal miners attacked Chinatown, part of a wave of anti-Chinese violence in the West. The number of Chinese people killed is unknown but estimated between 28 and 50.

The Chinese Experience in the 19th Century hosted at UIC. 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. It includes a lesson that focuses on the Rock Springs Massacre. (H, TR) http://teachingresources.atlas.uiuc.edu/chinese_exp/index.html

http://teachingresources.atlas.uiuc.edu/chinese_exp/perspectives03.html

3     Eduardo Galeano, author and journalist, born (1940). Galeano, from Uruguay, is best known for writing Open Veins of Latin America. The book was banned by right-wing military governments in Latin America.

Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent by Galeano, Belfrage, and Allende. This book analyzes the history of Latin America from the European “discovery” of the New World to contemporary times, arguing against European and later US economic exploitation and political dominance over the region. (H, TR) http://bbpbooks.teachingforchange.org/book/9780853459910

6     Jane Addams born (1860 to 1935). Jane Addams was co-founder of Hull House in Chicago, the first major settlement house. She was an outspoken pacifist, which eventually won her the Nobel Peace Prize (the first American woman to do so). But her criticism of World War I also led to her being branded unpatriotic. Addams, who was white, was also an advocate for the rights of African American and immigrants.

Jane Addams Childrem’s Book Award. This award honors books that invite children to think deeply about peace, social justice and gender and racial equality. (E) http://www.janeaddamspeace.org

The Hull House Museum. Resources to teach and learn about the history of Hull House and Jane Addams, including websites, videos, readings and lesson plans. (H, TR) http://www.uic.edu/jaddams/hull/hull_house.html

6     140th anniversary of Louisa Swain becoming the first woman voter in the US. At age 70, Louisa Swain cast her ballot in Laramie, Wyoming, the first US territory to grant women the right to vote.

Women's Suffrage: Why the West First? by EDsitement. Lesson plans centered on understanding the obstacles to suffrage. Can be used alone or with other lessons on the site. (M) http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=439

The Day the Women Got the Vote: A Photo History of the Women's Rights Movement by George Sullivan. A photographic record of the women!s movement from Seneca Falls to the present. Photographs and reproductions present a wide range of both well-known individuals and informal shots of unknowns. (E, M) http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9780590475600-0

 

6     Labor Day

Who Built America: Working People and the Nation's History by the American Social History Project. A two-volume textbook examining the history of the US from the perspective of working people accompanied by a collection of videos. (M, H) http://www.ashp.cuny.edu/wba.html

40 Books about Labor compiled by The Cooperative Children's Book Center. A bibliography of 40 children!s books about labor. (E, M) http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/books/detailListBooks.asp?idBookLists=104

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 curriculum from The Brotherhood/Sister Sol helps young people engage in critical inquiry, develop a love of learning and transform their lives. (TR) http:// www.brotherhood-sistersol.org/

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. Christensen demonstrates how she draws on students' lives and the world to teach poetry, essay, narrative and critical literacy skills. (TR) http://www.rethinkingschools.org/ publication/tfjj/tfjj.shtml

9     Eid-al-fitr (Islam)

BBC Schools: Guide to Ramadan. This site includes basic information about Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr and links to lesson plans intended to help students understand the beliefs and practices of Muslim people. (E, M, H) http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/religion/islam/ramadan.shtml

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.

The ABC"s of Teaching about Latino Heritage Month by Teaching Tolerance. Essays, videos and activities to help students gain a deeper understanding of struggles for Latino civil rights. (E, M, H) http://www.tolerance.org/teach/activities/activity.jsp?ar=709

¡Viva la Causa! 500 Years of Chicano History by the Southwest Organizing Project. Based on the book 500 Years of Chicano History in Pictures, this two-part video in English offers a compelling introduction to the history of Mexican American people. (M, H) http://www.highlandercenter.org/r-b-videos.asp

15     180th anniversary of the first National Negro Convention. This convention in Philadelphia focused on abolitionism and the idea of developing a movement to encourage the emigration of free blacks to Canada. The event initiated a trend that continued for three decades, with dozens of other conventions dedicated to issues of African American liberty.

William Hamilton's speech at the Fourth Annual National Negro Convention. Hamilton of New York was chairman of the fourth annual National Negro Convention. (H) http://www.nyscss.org/pdfs/resources/nyandslavery/Chapter%20E/Documents/1834AHAM.4TH.pdf

 

18     160th anniversary of the second Fugitive Slave Act. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was a response to laws passed in some Northern states weakening the original 1793 act. The 1850 law required law-enforcement officials to arrest suspected runaways and imposed penalties on anyone aiding a runaway slave. Suspected slaves were not allowed to speak in their own defense, which led to the enslavement of many free blacks.

Would you have helped out? by National Geographic. This lesson has students investigate the dangers that escaping slaves and their helpers on the Underground Railroad faced and asks them to consider whether they would have helped if they!d been free people during the time of slavery. (M)     http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/17/g68/railroad.html

Fugitive Slave Law simulation by Learn NC. Students face the critical issue of the Fugitive Slave Bill that gave Southerners the right to regain their runaway slaves and return them to bondage. In order to take on the roles of historical actors, students will examine primary source documents from the Documenting the American South collection and critique arguments in favor and opposed to the Bill. (H) http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/2936

18     50th anniversary of the first International Paralympic Games. The games, held in Rome, Italy with the 1960 Summer Olympics, grew out of a 1948 sports competition organized for World War II veterans with spinal cord injuries. Only wheelchair disabilities were included in the first Paralympics.

International Paralympic Committee (IPC). Site includes info sheets, news, photos and video footage. (E, M, H, TR) http://www.paralympic.org/Media_Centre/

19     First day of TV Turnoff Week (Fall)

Turn Off TV...Turn on the Possibilities by Pat Degracia. Describes the significance of TV Turnoff 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://depts.washington.ed/nwmedia/sections/kitsap/training_docs/tv_turnoff_ package.pdf

Organizer"s Kit. Includes kits that you can purchase as well as fact sheets about chil- dren!s television viewing habits. (E, M, H) http://www.tvturnoff.org/

21     International Day of Peace

The Teach Peace Foundation. The Teach Peace website has lesson plans, resources, speakers and activities for teaching peace, non-violence and democratic citizenship. They also have a variety of excellent films that can be viewed online for free. (E, M, H) http://www.teachpeace.com/

22     World Carfree Day. Each year on September 22, people around the world organize events to showcase alternatives to the automobile.

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 mock a “World Energy Summit.” (M, H) http://www.facingthefuture.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=JGLhrOviHsA%3d

22     60th anniversary of the Internal Security Act. The act, also known as the McCarran Act, required that Communist organizations register with the federal government, barred admission to foreign Communists and established a board to investigate people suspected of engaging in subversive activities. Even though sections of the act were ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, some portions remain intact.

World War II and McCarthyism by Gayle Olson-Raymer. Questions and teaching ideas for Chapter 16 of Voices of a People's History of the United States on domestic opposition to the “good war” and the impact of McCarthyism. (H) http://www.zinnedproject.org/posts/1597

Arthur Miller's The Crucible, lesson designed by Susan Latour. Includes links to resources connecting the analysis of The Crucible with McCarthyism. (H)

http://www.bydewey.com/crucible.html

25     First day of Banned Books Week

Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read by American Library Association. This site includes events, lists of banned books and ideas for action. (E, M, H) http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/

October

1     First day of LGBT History Month/Coming Out Month

Safe Schools Coalition Month-by-Month Planning Page. Month-by-month planning provides information and lessons that speak to the intersections between LGBT history and other heritage months. (E, M, H, TR) http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org/blackboard-history.html

Welcoming Schools. Welcoming Schools is a guide for administrators, educators, parents and guardians who want to strengthen their schools! approach to family diversity, gender stereotyping and bullying. It is specifically designed for use in K-5 learning environments and is inclusive of LGBT families and individuals in the broader context of diversity. (E) http://www.hrc.org/welcomingschools/

1     First day of Disability Awareness Month

Disability Social History Project. This site contains a wealth of information including a list of “Famous and Not so Famous” people with disabilities, a timeline and a history of the word “handicapped” via the Serendipity link. (E, M, H, TR) http://www.disabilityhistory.org/people.html

Education for Disability and Gender Equity. More resources as well as detailed lessons related to physics, biology, government and culture. (H, TR) http://www.disabilityhistory.org/dwa/edge/curriculum

The ABCs of Disability Rights by Teaching Tolerance. This site provides lessons and resources that will introduce students and teachers to the history of the disability rights movement and to the powerful ideals and changes it has brought to the country. (E, M, H) http://www.tolerance.org/teach/activities/activity.jsp?ar=872

Disability History Museum. This site was designed “to promote understanding about the historical experience of people with disabilities by recovering, chronicling, and interpreting their stories.” This searchable collection offers documents and images related to disability history in the United States. (M, H, TR) http://www.disabilitymuseum.org/

1     World Vegetarian Day/First Day of Vegetar ian Awareness Month

Chew on This. 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://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/readers_guides/schlosser_chew.shtml

The Meatrix Trilogy. Produced by Sustainable Table and Free Range Studios, The Meatrix is a four-minute online animation that spoofs 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://www.themeatrix.com/

1     510th anniversary of Columbus being returned to Spain on charges of governing tyrannically. During Columbus!s period as governor of the island of Hispanola (now the Dominican Republic and Haiti), he was accused of torture and brutality. Spain appointed a new governor who arrested Columbus and sent him back to Spain in chains. Columbus was quickly pardoned by the monarchy and given funding for another voyage to the Americas.

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://www.transformcolumbusday.org/faqtcd.html

2     Nat Turner, leader of a slave rebellion, born (1800 to 1831). In 1831 Turner, who was enslaved, led a slave rebellion in Virginia, in the process killing more than 50 white people. He was subsequently captured and executed for his role in what is considered the deadliest single uprising in the southern United States. The rebellion resulted in severe reprisals against black people and the curtailment of their rights.

Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property by direc- tor/writer Charles Burnett, California Newsreel. This film chronicles the violent confrontation and shows how the story has been continuously retold since 1831. (H) http://newsreel.org/nav/title.asp?tc=CN0150

3     John Ross, first elected chief of the Cherokee Nation, born (1790 to 1866). Ross helped the Cherokee draft a constitution and establish a new government. He fought the forced removal of Cherokee from Georgia to Oklahoma, a battle that was ultimately unsuccessful. He was also a businessman who owned slaves.

“Slavery and Native Americans” Lesson Plan: 1600-1865 by Tori Austin. Native American tribes, on a small scale, practiced some form of slavery. Using the essay Slavery and Native Americans in British North America and the United States: 1600 to 1865, students will investigate this lesser known area of history. (M, H) 

http://www.slaveryinamerica.org/history/hs_lp_indians_slavery.htm

The Cherokee/Seminole Removal Role Play by Bill Bigelow. This role play has students portray- ing 5 different perspectives to understand the im- pact of the forced removal of Native Americans off their land. (E, M, H) http://www.zinnedproject.org/posts/1142

4     Alan L. Hart, first American to undergo female to male sex change operation, born (1890 to 1962). Born Alberta Lucille Hart, Alan underwent the procedure from 1917 to 1918. He married a woman in 1918 and spent the rest of his life living as a man. As a physician he helped implement TB screening programs that saved thousands of lives.

No Outsiders: Researching Approaches to Sexualities Equality in Primary Schools Website. No Outsiders! website has various resources for educators to teach about transgender, sexuality, and gender. There are lesson plans, books, films, and links to other websites. (E, M, H, TR) http://www.nooutsiders.sunderland.ac.uk/trans-gender-queer-activism-support-information

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 community-based movement against state government in Oaxaca. The first film docu- ments the three decades long struggle by the teachers' union to democratize their union. The other films specifically focus on the 2006 “rebellion,” which lead to the temporary toppling of the state government. (H, TR) http://www.trickleupfilms.org/
http://www.corrugate.org/

8     Faith Ringgold, artist, born (1930). Born and raised in Harlem, Ringgold is best known for her painted story quilts, art that combines painting, quilted fabric and storytelling. Much of her work offers a commentary of race and gender in America.

Faith Ringgold Blog. Short biography of the life of Faith Ringgold who incorporated story quilts, fabrics into her work and also wrote several children!s books. Includes links to the children!s story books that she wrote, her blog and website, historical video excerpts and media resources of her work. (E, M, TR) http://faithringgold.blogspot.com/2009/01/welcome.html

9     John Lennon, lead singer of Beatles, born (1940 to 1980). John Lennon, lead singer of The Beatles, was a peace activist, using his music to protest the war in Vietnam. In 1972 Lennon was ordered to be deported by the Nixon Administration for his anti-war activities, but the order was overturned in 1975.

John Lennon's “Imagine” and the Vietnam War in the 1970s. This lesson plan explores the lyrics of Imagine and encourages students to think about the meaning of these lyrics, especially how they related to Lennon!s feelings about the Vietnam War. Students are also encouraged to think about how these same ideas apply to more recent wars with which the students are familiar. Although it is presented as a single lesson, it can easily be expanded for further understanding. (E, H) http://nellythomas.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/an-example-of-a-lesson-plan.pdf

9     20th anniversary of US beginning to pay reparations to interned Japanese Americans. During World War II the US government forcibly interned about 120,000 Japanese Americans. In 1988 the government apologized for the internment.

Children of the Camps: Internment History by PBS. The Children of the Camps documentary captures the experiences of six Americans of Japanese ancestry who were confined as innocent children to internment camps by the U.S. government during World War II. A teacher's guide is available through distribution@asianamericanmedia.org (E, M, H) http://www.pbs.org/childofcamp/
http://www.children-of-the-camps.org/history/index.html

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://www.asianamericanmedia.org/jainternment/index.html

A Lesson on the Japanese American Intern- ment by Mark Sweeting. High school US history teacher describes a teaching activity he uses to teach the Internment. (TR) http://www.zinnedproject.org/posts/557

Densho. Densho!s mission is to preserve the testimonies of Japanese Americans who were unjustly incarcerated during WWII. Includes lesson plans based on these testimonies. (E, M, H) http://www.densho.org/densho.asp

9     Jody Williams, anti-landmine activist, born (1950). Williams is a teacher and aid worker who received the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize jointly with the campaign she worked for, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. The campaign helped push for the Ottawa Treaty, a 1997 international treaty banning anti-personnel landmines and requiring the destruction of stockpiled mines, which the US has not signed.

Teaching Unit on Landmines by UN Cyberschoolbus. Two UN sites for teaching about land- mines. One is a cyber webquest for students; the other contains lesson plans and resources for teachers. (M, H, TR) http://cyberschoolbus.un.org/sds/introduction/index.asp
http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/banmines/units.asp

11     National Coming Out Day. National Coming Out Day is an internationally observed civil awareness day for coming out and discussion about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues.

The Safe Schools Coalition. An incredible wealth of resources for educators for supporting LGBT youth and creating safer school environments. Explore the entire site, or use the link for specific resources on coming out. (E, M, H) http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org/RG-coming_out.html

11     Indigenous People!s Day (Columbus Day Observed)

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://www.rethinkingschools.org/publication/columbus/columbus.shtml

1492 a song by Nancy Schimmel. A great song to use to teach about Columbus!s arrival from the Native American Perspective. (E) http://www.tolerance.org/activity/1492

14     30th anniversary of the publication of A People's History of the United States. This groundbreaking popular history by Howard Zinn chronicles American history from the perspective of the least powerful groups in our society.

The Website of Howard Zinn. This official site includes tributes and links to many of Zinn's projects, including video clips from The People Speak, print and video interviews and more. (H) http://www.howardzinn.org/default/index.php

A People"s History of the United States: Abridged Teaching Edition: The Civil War to the Present. Abridged Teaching Edition of A People"s History of the United States has made Howard Zinn!s original text available specifically for classroom use. Each chapter in Volume II provides exer- cises and teaching materials that allow students to begin a critical inquiry into the American past. (H, TR) http://bbpbooks.teachingforchange.org/ book/9781565847255

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://www.powells.com/biblio/2-9780316939928-1

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.

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. (E, M, H, TR) http://www.foodfirst.org/en/catalog/101/books

Food, Inc. Classroom Discussion Guide from TakePart.org. This guide, to be used with Food, Inc., helps students connect the issues behind mass production of food and abuse of government subsidies of major food corporations to the challenges of keeping food healthy and affordable. (H, TR) http://www.takepart.com/ news/2009/11/03/food-inc-classroom-discus- sion-guide-now-available

The Omnivore's Dilemma, Young Readers Edition: The Secrets Behind What You Eat by Michael Pollan. Based on Pollan's best-selling adult book of the same title, this version is written for teens. (E, M, H, TR) http://bbpbooks.teachingforchange.org/book/9780803735002

17     International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

Handouts on poverty by Paul C. Gorski. Handouts on many topics, but several on class, poverty, and equity in education. (TR) http://www.edchange.org/handouts.html

Class Matters: A special segment of the New York Times. A NYT exploration of the ways that class—defined as a combination of income, education, wealth and occupation—influences destiny in a society that likes to think of itself as a land of unbounded opportunity. (H, TR) http:// www.nytimes.com/pages/national/class/

19     John Woolman, abolitionist and peace activist, born (1720 to 1772). Woolman was a white Quaker preacher who expressed his beliefs largely through his personal actions. For example, he refused to wear dyed clothing because slaves were used in the making of dyes. When visiting the home of a slaveholder, he paid slaves for their work in attending him. His anti-slavery arguments helped persuade the Quakers to take an official position against slavery.

The Indigo Blues by Jean West. Students will read the essay The Devil's Blue Dye: Indigo and Slavery to understand the hardships faced by slaves on indigo plantations and to investigate gaps in the historical and scientific record that leave our understanding of their lives—and deaths—incomplete. (H) http://www.slaveryinamerica.org/history/hs_lp_indigo.htm

19     Cassius Marcellus Clay, anti-slavery activist, born (1810 to 1903). Clay, a southern aristocrat turned anti-slavery activist in Kentucky, liberated his own slaves and published an anti-slavery newspaper. He supported gradual emancipation rather than immediate abolition and was critical of the post-Civil War policy of Reconstruction. The boxer Muhammad Ali, whose given name was Cassius Clay, Jr., was named after his father who was named after the 19th century Clay.

Slavery and Defiance by Gayle Olson-Raymer. Teaching with Voices of a People's History of the United States. Questions and teaching ideas for Chapter 9 of Voices of a People's History of the United States on black and white resistance to slavery before the Civil War. (M, H, TR) http://www.zinnedproject.org/posts/1536

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. http://www.october22.org/

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 in the present day. (H) http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2004/everymothersson/for.html

ACLU's School-to-Prison Pipeline Game. This online game introduces students to the “school- to-prison pipeline”—policies and practices that push students out of classrooms and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems. (M, H) http://www.aclu.org/school-prison-pipeline-game

Youth and the U.S. Justice System by Community Justice Network for Youth. A 120-page popular education history curriculum that traces developments in the juvenile justice system from the 1500!s to the policies and practices of today. (M, H) http://cjny.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=15&Ite mid=30

23     160th anniversary of the First National Woman's Rights Convention. The aim of this first in an annual series of meetings was to determine whether there was enough national support for a political movement around women's equality. Over 1,000 people attended, including Sojourner Truth and William Lloyd Garrison. The event was derided in national newspapers, but drew attention to the cause.

Women's History and Children's Books. List of books focusing on women throughout history as well as strong fictional female characters. (E, M, TR) http://www.carolhurst.com/subjects/history/ women.html

24     70th anniversary of the 40-hour work week. The 40-hour work week went into effect under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938.

Waging a Living by PBS. Students will become familiar with the difference between “minimum wage” and “living wage” through classroom discussions and media exposure. (H) http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2006/wagingaliving/for.html

26     National 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://www. intersexinitiative.org/index.html

31    Halloween

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://www.tolerance.org/teach/activities/activity.jsp?ar=712

Green Halloween. Green Halloween is a non-profit, grassroots community initiative to create healthier and more Earth-friendly holidays, starting with Halloween. (E) http://greenhalloween.org/index.php?page=home

 

November

1     First day of Native American Heritage Month

American Indians in Children's Literature Blog 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://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/

The Alcatraz Proclamation: A Primary Document Activity. Teaching Tolerance offers a wealth of activity ideas tied to Thanksgiving, Native mascots and indigenous people's proud heritage of resistance. (M, H) http://www.tolerance.org/activity/alcatraz-proclamation-primary-document-a

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 three hundred years tell the story of pivotal moments in US history from the Native American perspective. Website includes teacher's guides. (H) http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/weshallremain/

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 guide and other resources. (E, M, H) http://www.rethinkingschools.org/publication/uis-dvd/

1     El Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)

Celebrations: Day of the Dead mini-unit. Students will learn about Día de Los Muertos through the use of writing, art, cooking, and incorporating the Spanish language. (H) 

http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/tlresources/units/byrnes-celebrations/Day.html

2     Election Day

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://www.projectsouth.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=43&Itemid=37

5     Diwali (Deepavali), Indian Festival of Lights (Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism)

Lights for Gita by Rachna Gilmore. Author Rachna Gilmore 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://www.rachnagilmore.ca/guide-lights.html

 

70th anniversary of the closing of Angel Island Immigration Station. On this day the last group of about 200 immigrants was transferred from Angel Island three months after a fire destroyed the administration building. The station, located on an island off the coast of California, processed approximately one million immigrants, many of whom were from Asia. But it was primarily a detention center for immigrants.

Discovering Angel Island: The Stories Behind the Poems. Curriculum resources from Angel Island Immigration Station including poems from Chinese immigrants written on the walls of the detention center, online videos and lesson plans. (M, H, TR) http://www.kqed.org/w/pacificlink/lessonplans/

Angel Island Immigrant Journeys: A Curriculum Guide by the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation. This site provides free resources, book recommendations and information as to how to order a $15 curriculum guide for teaching about Angel Island. (E, M, H, TR) http://www.aiisf.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=77&Itemid=87

11     60th anniversary of the founding of the Mattachine Society. The Mattachine Society was one of the earliest gay rights organizations in the US.

Hope Along the Wind: The Life of Harry Hay. This documentary follows the life of one of the founders of the Mattachine Society, Harry Hay. The website provides information regarding Hay's life and a transcript of the film. (H) http://www.harryhay.com/AH_matt.html

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. (E, M, H) http://www.veteransforpeace.org/Speakers_List.vp.html

Do-It-Yourself Ribbon Stickers by The Pinky Show. The Pinky Show is an animated online TV show featuring a cat named Pinky. This one and a half minute episode discusses how to make an alternative to the yellow “support our troops” ribbons. (E, M, H) http://www.pinkyshow.org/archives/episodes/060322/

Voices in Wartime Education 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 wit- nesses to war; and then engages students in imagining and creating a less violent world. The site includes the film!s trailer, curricular materials and poetry. (H, TR) http://www.yesmagazine.org/for-teachers/curriculum/voices-in-wartime

14     50th anniversary of the first African American child to attend a white Southern elementary school. After a federal judge ordered New Orleans schools to desegregate, six-year-old Ruby Bridges became the first person to integrate the all-white William Frantz Elementary School. When she arrived an angry mob gathered outside, and she had to be escorted to school by US Marshals. All the white parents pulled their children out of the school, and all but one teacher refused to teach. For the first year, Bridges was in class alone with her teacher, Barbara Henry.

Ruby Bridges. Based on actual events that occurred in Louisiana during 1960, this film tells the story of Ruby integrating an all-white school. (E) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klj5fgaKzIk

Ruby Bridges' Website. Links, music and resources from Ruby Bridges. Also includes information on how to book her as a guest speaker at your school. (E, M, H) http://www.rubybridges.com/

16     Chinua Achebe, author, born (1930).

A Nigerian novelist and poet, Achebe often explores the impact of European culture on African society. He is best known for his novel Things Fall Apart.

Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart: Teaching Through the Novel. This lesson introduces stu- dents to Achebe!s first novel, Things Fall Apart, and to his views on the role of the writer in his or her society. (H) http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=382

16     70th anniversary of the founding of the National Federation of the Blind. The NFB is one of the oldest disability advocacy organizations in the US. Unlike previous blindness organizations, which were largely led by sighted people, the NFB is an organization of blind people. It has fought for equal pay for blind people and the right to rehabilitation services.

The Black Book of Colors by Menena Cottin. This is a storybook designed to help students expe- rience color images through texture and words. The book is written in both Braille and English. A Spanish version is also available. (E) http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/11/06/books/20081109ILLUSTRATEDBOOKS_6.html

17     Eid al-Adha (Islam)

The Best Eid Ever by Asma Mobin-Uddin. During Eid, Aneesa is sad that her parents are thou- sands 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://books.google.com/books?id=yEgP9Zq7QAMC&pg=PT39&dq=My+Name+is+Bilal,+As ma+Mobin-Uddin&client=safari#PPP1,M1

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 dis- cussed in a traditional social studies class. (E) http://www.eslholidaylessons.com/11/international_students_day.html

18     Howard Thurman, theologian and civil rights leader, born (1900 to 1981). Thurman was an ordained Baptist minister. In San Francisco in 1944 this African American preacher founded the first integrated church. Five years later he wrote Jesus and the Disinherited, which laid out the theological foundation for a non-violent civil rights movement and influenced movement leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr.

Howard Thurman - A Values Guided Life. This lesson focuses on Dr. Thurman's influence on Martin Luther King, Jr. (E, M) http://www.teachpeace.com/lphowardthurman.htm

20     Anna “Pauli” Murray, civil rights lawyer, born (1910 to 1985). Murray, the first African American to earn a JSD (Doctorate of Juridical Science) from Yale, was active in the Civil Rights Movement, contributing to the NAACP!s litigation strategy in Brown v. Board of Education. She also helped found the National Organization for Women and the Congress of Racial Equality.

Pauli Murray Project. Housed at the Duke University Human Rights Center, the project docu- ments Murray!s biography as well as some of her legal writing and poetry. (H, TR) http://paulimurrayproject.org/pauli-murray/

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. (E, M, H, TR) http://gsanetwork.org/get-involved/change-your-school/campaigns/beyond-binary

Luna, Julie Anne Peters. This fiction 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. It is included in the Gay- Straight Alliance Network's list of recommended books for and about LGBTQ youth. You can also find information about Transgender Day of Remembrance through this site. (M, H)  http://bbpbooks.teachingforchange.org/book/9780316011273

Transgender Youth and the Prison Industrial Complex by FIERCE. This flow chart outlines the life experiences and institutional factors that place trans youth of color within the prison industrial complex. (M, H) http://www.edliberation.org/resources/records/transgender-youth-and-the-prison-industrial-complex/view

20     100th anniversary of the Mexican Revolution. The revolution of 1910 overthrew the elitist dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz and led to the establishment of a constitutional republic. The Mexican Revolution pushed Mexican political refugees into the US between 1910 and 1917.

Emiliano Zapata: Revolutionary and Champion of Poor Farmers by R Conrad Stein. This biography of Emiliano Zapata is a great read-aloud that gives students an overview of the causes of the Mexican revolution and a history of the life of this hero of the revolution. (E) http://www.alibris.com/search/books/qwork/8236599/used/Emiliano%20Zapata:%20Revolutionary%20and%20 Champion%20of%20Poor%20Farmers

25     50th anniversary of the murder of the Mirabal Sisters. The four Mirabal sisters fought against the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic. As members of a group committed to his overthrow, the sisters were known as las Mariposas (The Butterflies). Three of the sisters were assassinated by the Trujillo regime.

In the Time of The Butterflies by Julia Alvarez. The novel can be used to address themes about loyalty, death and loss, Marxism, and political domination. The most overarching theme in the novel is the empowerment of women and the role of women in society. The website listed gives a number of useful ideas for how to use the novel in a high school setting. (H) http://engl492.wikidot.com/in-the-time-of-the-butterflies

25    Thanksgiving

Oyate. Oyate is a Native American organization that lists recommended children!s books on Native American history and culture. The website features a list of Thanksgiving books to use and ones to avoid. (E, M, H) http://www.oyate.org/

Rethinking Thanksgiving: Myths and Misgivings by Vera L. Stenhouse from Rethinking Schools. As a teacher educator, Stenhouse discusses some of the ways classroom educators can demystify the first Thanksgiving. (E, TR) http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/24_01/24_ 01_thanksgiving.shtml

26     40th anniversary of the National Day of Mourning. In 1970 Frank James, a Wampanoag Indian, was invited by the state of Massa- chusetts 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://www.tolerance.org/activity/thanksgiving-mourning

1621: A New Look at Thanksgiving by Grace, Catherine O'Neill, and Marge Bruchac. Produced in collaboration with the Wampanoag Indian Program at Plimoth Plantation, 1621 weighs Wampanoag oral traditions and English colonial written records against the popular myth of “brave settlers inviting wild Indians over for tur- key dinner.” (E, M) http://www.powells.com/biblio/17-9780792270270-0

26    Buy Nothing Day

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://www.storyofstuff.com/

Rethinking Globalization. A collection of lesson plans that helps to introduce issues of corporate power, wealth distribution and power to youth. One sample lesson has cookies represented as wealth distributed to students who represent the global population. Some students receive more cookies than others. (E, M, H) http://www.rethinkingschools.org/publication/rg/index.shtml

Labor Rights in the Classroom. Workers all over the world suffer from conditions that many would consider unbearable. These conditions are in part a result of corporations taking advantage of workers and their rights. The lessons on this website help students to understand how con- sumerism and corporate greed here in the US affect workers around the world. (M, H) http://www.laborrights.org/labor-rights/labor-rights-in-the-classroom#sweatshops

Shop Till You Drop? by Facing the Future. In this simulation, students experience how resources are distributed and used by different people based on access to wealth. (M, H) http://www.facingthefuture.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=%2bPAkfEiPrI4%3d

28    Friedrich Engels, political theorist, born (1820 to 1895). Engels was a German author who co-founded communist theory. In his work, he discussed the appalling conditions of the working class in England, especially in regards to child labor and the poor environment, and the relationship of capitalism to those conditions.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Communism by Christine Shirley. In this unit, students read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, alongside Marx and Engels' Communist Manifesto, trying to understand how political ideas are often presented in popular culture. Students also learn how to evaluate what they read for such things as sexism and racism and how to connect the ideas presented throughout the unit to their own lives. (E, M) http://www.lessonplanspage.com/LASSCharlieAndTheChocolateFactoryAndCommunism68.htm#

 

December

1     Richard Pryor born (1940 to 2005). Pryor, an actor, director, screenwriter    human societies and three specific en- and stand-up comic, saw a society that denied blacks humanity and used his talents as a performer to appeal to the common humanity of both whites and blacks. His outside-the-norm style of comedy brought issues that had previously been ignored into the public eye.

Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy. Directed by Robert Townsend, Why We Laugh is a groundbreaking film examining the cultural influence of black comedy, including a segment on the role of Richard Pryor’s racially charged style of stand-up. (H) http://festival.sundance.org/2009/news/article/qa_why_we_laugh_black_comedians_on_black_comedy/

 

1     World AIDS Day

Radical Math. Radical Math offers a variety of lessons, articles, graphs and links that provide students with statistics and tools to better understand the impact of AIDS. (M, H) http://www.radicalmath.org  and enter "AIDS” in the search engine

 

2     40th anniversary of the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA was created to implement the various requirements laid out in the 1970 National Environmental Policy Act.

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://bbpbooks.teachingforchange.org/book/9781897349076

 

3     International Day of Persons with Disabilities

ADAPT. ADAPT is a national grass-roots community that organizes disability rights activists. Teach and learn about their struggle to ensure the civil and human rights of people with disabilities to live in freedom. (E, M, H, TR) http://www.adapt.org/index.php

 

7    Muharram begins (Islam). Muharram is the beginning of the first lunar month of the Islamic calendar. The dates provided here are based on the dates adopted by the Fiqh Council of North America for the celebration of Al-Hijra/Muharram.

My Name is Bilal by Asma Mobin-Uddin. Bilal, a young Muslim boy, having transferred to a new school, tries to fit in. He pretends his name is Bill and ignores the teasing of his sister for wearing a head scarf. With an understanding teacher, Bilal reconnects with his faith and school. (E) http://books.google.com/books?id=_UPc7aEmrAQC\

Salaam: A Muslim American Boy’s Story by Trish Brown. This is a biography about a Muslim American boy named Imran. It tells about how he 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://bbpbooks.teachingforchange.org/book/9780805065381

 

8     Bodhi Day (Buddhism)

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://www.amazon.com/UnderBodhiDharmaBuddhistAssociation/dp/0881393193/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238335074&sr=1-1

 

10     Human Rights Day. This day celebrates the UN!s adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights through a variety of events throughout the world.

Human Rights in Action. The UN!s Cyberschoolbus page for students to explore the history of human rights, and ways to advocate for human rights. (E, M, H) http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/humanrights/resources.asp

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: environment, poverty, discrimination, children!s rights to education and health, and law and justice. (E, M, H, TR) http://www.hrea.org/index.php?base_id=167

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. (E, M, H, TR) http://www.amnestyusa.org/educate/page.do?id=1102117

We Are All Born Free, 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://bbpbooks.teachingforchange.org/book/9781845076504

 

12     140th anniversary of the election of the first African American to the House of Representatives. Joseph H. Rainey was the first African American directly elected to the House of Representatives. Representing South Carolina, he was one of a group of African Americans elected during Reconstruction.

Freedom’s Unfinished Revolution: An Inquiry Into the Civil War and Reconstruction by William Friedheim and Joshua Brown, American Social History Project. This text with illustrations and photos examines the ways that “ordinary” people experienced and helped shape the events during the Civil War and Reconstruction. The vital role of African Americans is especially highlighted. (M, H, TR) http://www.zinnedproject.org/posts/1454

http://www.thenewpress.com/index.php?option=com_title&task=view_title&metaproductid=1383

Freedom Road by Howard Fast (Forward by W.E.B. Dubois). Excellent work of historical fiction centering around the South Carolina Constitutional Convention of 1868 where more than half of the delegates were black. (H) http://bbpbooks.teachingforchange.org/book/9781563244407

 

15     120th anniversary of Sitting Bull being killed by the police. Sitting Bull, a Hunkpapa Lakota chief and religious leader, advocated armed resistance against the US government. He fought in many battles against US soldiers, including the Battle of Little Bighorn, and was a leader in the Ghost Dance movement, a spirit dance that was revived as a form of resistance to US imperialism. Sitting Bull was killed when Lakota police, under federal orders, tried to arrest him.

Sitting Bull. The tragic yet inspiring tale of Sitting Bull, sung by musician and artist Jeffrey Lewis. (E) http://www.history.com/videos/sitting-bull#sitting-bull

 

18     International Migrants Day. There are close to 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 farm workers. Written in English and Spanish, it celebrates the work, skills, and love of Herrera’s parents. (E) http://bbpbooks.teachingforchange.org/book/9780892391660

 

19     Mary Livermore, journalist and activist, born (1820 to 1905). Livermore, a white teacher and writer, was active in almost every progressive movement of the 19th century, including abolitionism, the struggle for women's rights and the temperance movement. As a journalist and lecturer she actively promoted these issues.

My Story of the War: The Civil War Memoirs of the Famous Nurse, Relief Organizer, and Suffragette by Mary Livermore. This autobiographical book details Livermore’s life during the Civil War years and shows the value of women during this time of national turmoil. (M, H) http://bbpbooks.teachingforchange.org/book/9780306806582

 

26     First day of Kwanzaa (Umoja = Unity)

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, M, H)          http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/index.shtml

 

27     Second day of Kwanzaa (Kujichagulia = self-determination)

Kwanzaa books at Busboys and Poets. A collection of children’s books on Kwanzaa.(E) http://bbpbooks.teachingforchange.org/search/apachesolr_search/kwanzaa

 

29    120th anniversary of the Massacre at Wounded Knee. Many Lakota had been brought to the Wounded Knee Creek campsite by soldiers who intercepted them seeking refuge after Sitting Bull was killed. About 300 Lakotas, including Chief Big Foot, were killed by the US military who were attempting to arrest him. The massacre ended the Ghost Dance movement, a spirit dance that was revived as a form of resistance to US imperialism. Twenty-nine US soldiers were also killed, likely the victims of friendly fire, and around twenty members of the Seventh Cavalry were awarded the Medal of Honor.

Wounded Knee Museum. This is an online exhibit about the Wounded Knee Massacre. (M, H) http://www.woundedkneemuseum.org/index.htm

 

31     Odetta Holmes, singer and activist, born (1930 to 2008). Odetta Holmes, an African American singer and songwriter, was known as the “Voice of the Civil Rights Movement.” She influenced many of the key figures of the folk revival of the 1950s and 1960s.

Voices of the Civil Rights Movement. This double-CD documents the role that the arts plays in the civil rights movement. These 43 tracks are a series of musical images, of a people in conversation about their determination to be free. (E, M, TR) http://www.folkways.si.edu/albumdetails.aspx?itemid=2269

Odetta Speaks About Her Life As An Activist. YouTube video of Holmes reflecting on her life. (M, H) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXVjM_4XHIE&feature=related

 

January

1     180th anniversary of the publication of the abolitionist newspaper, The Liberator.  On this day William Lloyd Garrison began publishing The Liberator newspaper, the official periodical of the antislavery movement. 

The Liberator Files. This site hosts a wealth of articles that appeared in The Liberator between 1831-1865. (H) http://www.theliberatorfiles.com

 

2      Robert Marshall, environmental activist, born (1901 to 1939). Marshall, who co-founded the Wilderness Society, was an advocate of wilderness protection. His work helped shape policies that would legally protect millions of acres of land.

Wilderness Preservation. This lesson plan helps students understand the struggles of wilderness preservation and its connections to political and cultural issues. Students will conduct research and hold discussions about the factors contributing to the destruction or preservation of wilderness. (H) http://www.nationmaster.com/lps/lesson_plan_Wilderness_Preservation

FernGully: The Last Rainforest. The magical inhabitants of a rainforest called FernGully fight to save their home that is threatened by logging and a polluting force of destruction called Hexxus. The YouTube link has the film in several parts. (E) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ae7x3sp4vIQ

4     C.L.R. James, historian and socialist, born (1901 to 1989). James, who was from Trinidad, was a leading writer and theorist in the anti-colonialist movement and was involved in Pan-African and socialist organizations. One of his best known books is The Black Jacobins, an historical account and analysis of the Haitian revolution.

C.L.R. James Archive. This website provides access to a number of James! writing on Marxism and Black studies. (H, TR) http://www.marxists.org/archive/james-clr/index.htm

Teaching about Haiti by Teaching for Change. This downloadable PDF, last reprinted in 1994, provides insights into Haiti’s strong history of resistance and serves as a critical tool in helping students gain an understanding of current issues. (M, H) http://www.teachingforchange.org/publications/haiti

 

5     Alvin Ailey, dancer and choreographer, born (1931 to 1989). Ailey is credited with popularizing modern dance and revolutionizing African American participation in 20th century concert dance. He founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York.

Alvin Ailey by Andrea Pinkney. This is an illustrated children’s book about Alvin Ailey. (E) http://www.amazon.com/Alvin-Ailey-Andrea-Pinkney/dp/0786810777

 

6     70th anniversary of Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms speech. In a State of the Union Address, President Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced the Four Freedoms: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from want and freedom from fear. These freedoms were later used as part of the preamble to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The Four Freedoms. This lesson has students discussing The Four Freedoms, along with considering and creating a list of their own. Students are asked to critically think about how the previously addressed freedoms apply to today’s world. (E, M, H) http://www.eastconn.org/tah/FourFreedoms.pdf

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Students learn about the UDHD—what the rights are, how they were developed, who developed them—and how these rights apply to their lives. Once the students have done this, they work to explore how these rights are viewed/used throughout the world. (E, M, H) http://alkek.library.txstate.edu/swwc/cdv/further_study/lesson_4.pdf

 

6     Charles Sumner, US Senator, born (1811 to 1874). After the Civil War, Sumner, a Senator from Massachusetts, was a leader in the effort to establish civil and voting rights for the freedmen and to block ex-Confederates from returning to power.

Letter to John Bright by Charles Sumner, March 13, 1865. A letter written by Sumner to John Bright, discussing the use of lands of slaveowners to enable the emancipation of enslaved peoples. (M, H) http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/index.asp?document=1750

 

7     Zora Neale Hurston, author and anthropologist, born (1891 to 1960). Hurston was a leading figure in the Harlem Renaissance. She wrote novels and short stories that celebrated African American rural life and used Black rural dialect. Later in life she was criticized for opposing the effort to desegregate schools and supporting conservative politicians.

Zora Hurston and the Chinaberry Tree by William Miller, Cornelius Van Wright, Ying-Hwa Hu. Based on the autobiographical writings of acclaimed novelist Zora Neale Hurston, this book tells the “poignant saga of how one of our most significant storytellers learned to dream.” (E) http://bbpbooks.teachingforchange.org/book/9781880000335

Teachers Guide: http://www.leeandlow.com/images/pdfs/zora.pdf

 

11     50th anniversary of the integration of the University of Georgia. Charlayne Hunter and Hamilton Holmes, two African American students, started classes on this day after a US District Court ruled that the university had to integrate. The controversy surrounding the ruling ultimately led state legislators to repeal earlier legislation that had prohibited state funds from going to integrated schools.

The University of Georgia’s Freedom on Film Site. This site includes information about the integration and its response, and includes video clips of the Board of Regents decision to bring Hunter and Holmes back to campus. (H) http://civilrights.uga.edu./cities/athens/index.htm

Athens Bibliography. This website provides an extensive list of resources on the integration of the University of Georgia. (H) http://civilrights.uga.edu./cities/city_bibliographies/athens2_bibliog.htm

 

15     70th anniversary of A. Philip Randolph proposing a march that eventually led to the creation of the Fair Employment Act. The march in Washington, DC was proposed to persuade President Franklin Roosevelt to integrate the military and provide equal access to defense industry jobs. A week before the march Roosevelt established by executive order the Fair Employment Act to prohibit racial discrimination in the national defense industry. Subsequently, the march was canceled. The act, however, did not address integration of the military.

A. Philip Randolph Exhibit by the George Meany Memorial Archives. This online exhibit includes photographs, articles, a bibliography and classroom activities about A. Philip Randolph. (H) http://www.georgemeany.org/archives/apr.html

 

16     Religious Freedom Day. Each year, the President declares January 16th to be Religious Freedom Day. The day is the anniversary of the passage, in 1786, of the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom.

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. (E, M, H) http://www.tolerance.org/activity/maintain-neutrality

 

17     Pablo Manlapit, labor organizer, born (1891 to 1969). Manlapit, who was born in the Philippines, came to Hawaii as a plantation laborer. In Hawaii he became a lawyer and labor activist. He helped found the Filipino Labor Union and was a key organizer in several major strikes. He was deported to the Philippines for his activism in the 1930s.

Lakas and the Makibaka Hotel/Si Lakas at ang Makibaka Hotel by Anthony Robles. This English/Tagalog bilingual picture book begins with a note from the author about his Filipino grandparents, who came to the US as farm workers and brought Makibaka, the spirit “of struggle, of love, and of laughter,” with them. The book tells the story of a contemporary boy who organizes his community to resist gentrification. (E) http://www.powells.com/biblio/62-9780892392131-0

 

17     Martin Luther King Day

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. (H) http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/liberation_curriculum/resources/

Putting the Movement Back Into Civil Rights Teaching by Deborah Menkart, Alana Murray, Jenice L. View. The book includes interactive and interdisciplinary lessons, readings, writings, photographs, graphics and interviews, with sections on education, labor, citizenship, culture and reflections on teaching about the Civil Rights Movement. (E, M, H) http://bbpbooks.teachingforchange.org/book/9781878554185

The ABCs of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Legacy 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. (E, M, H) http://www.tolerance.org/activity/lesson-dr-king-and-movement

 

30     50th anniversary of President Kennedy announcing his plans for the Peace Corps. In his first State of the Union Address, Kennedy affirmed his campaign promise to start the Peace Corps, which was established by executive order later that year.

The Peace Corps World Wide Schools Website. This website has many resources for students and teachers to connect with teachers and students all around the world. Students can use this search engine to find stories about countries all over the world on an array of topics for all subjects and grade levels. (E, M, H, TR) http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/stories/

 

31     40th anniversary of the “Winter Soldier” investigation of US war crimes in Vietnam. The Vietnam Veterans Against the War sponsored this three-day event in which veterans gave testimony about war crimes. It inspired a similar event by veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan in 2008.

Sir! No Sir! A film by David Zeiger. This documentary tells the story of the anti-war movement within the ranks of the United States Military during the Vietnam War. (H, TR) http://www.sirnosir.com/

 

February

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 tremendous amount of resources useful in teaching about African American schooling experiences. (E, M, H) http://www.ithaca.edu/wise/topics/race_african_american.htm

African American Odyssey by the Library of Congress Comprehensive online display of materials and primary resources related to the African American experience. (E, M, H) http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aointro.html

U.S.History-African American: Lesson Plans by EdSITEment. Multiple K-12 lesson plans on African American History. (E, M, H) http://edsitement.neh.gov/tab_lesson.asp?subjectArea=3&subcategory=

 

3     Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, doctor and women’s rights advocate, born (1821 to 1910). Blackwell was the first woman to graduate from medical school. A pioneer in educating women in medicine, she was also prominent in the emerging women’s rights movement.

First Grade Women’s History Curriculum Lesson Plan: Elizabeth Blackwell. Through this lesson, students will learn about and become inspired by Blackwell’s achievements. They will also think about their own career aspirations and some of the realistic steps they would take to attain that career. (E) http://www.palmbeach.k12.fl.us/multicultural/curriculum/Women/1st%20blackwell.pdf

3     Chinese New Year. Year of the Rabbit

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://www.asianamericanbooks.com/lny_bks.htm

3     Tet, Vietnamese New Year. Year of the Cat

Vietnamese Americans Interdisciplinary Curriculum Guide by Teaching Tolerance. This curriculum guide sheds light on the complexities of the Vietnamese Americans experience. (M, H) http://www.tolerance.org/magazine/number-25-spring-2004/vietnamese-americans-lessons-american-history

 

4     Betty Friedan, feminist, born (1921 to 2006). Betty Friedan, a major leader in the “Second Wave” of feminism, cofounded the National Organization for Women (NOW) and founded the National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws, which is now the NARAL Pro-Choice America.

The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan, Anna Quindlen. First published in 1963, this book defined “the problem that has no name,” and helped launch the Second Wave of the feminist movement. http://bbpbooks.teachingforchange.org/book/9780393322576

Lesson: Voices Across Time; A Survey of the Women’s Liberation Movement. This three-lesson set on the Women’s Liberation Movement utilizes 1970!s women’s music to explore how self-actualization, political activism, and lesbianism played pivotal roles in helping women achieve equal status in American society. (H) http://www.voicesacrosstime.org/come-all-ye/ti/2006/Lesson%20Plans/09CooperWomensLiberation.html

 

7     First day of Freedom to Marry Week

Freedom to Marry. This campaign website provides historic and current information about nationwide efforts to secure equal marriage rights for all couples. Includes ideas for social action. (TR) http://www.freedomtomarry.org/

Uncle Bobby’s Wedding by Sarah S. Brannen. This picture book is about a little girl who is worried, not about his gay wedding, but that she might not be as special to him once it’s over. (E) http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/all/library/record/2364.html

And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson, Peter Parnell, 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://bbpbooks.teachingforchange.org/book/9780689878459

 

8     Saraswati Puja (Hinduism)

Information on Hinduism by Mandy Barrow. Provides some basic information about Hinduism for children. (E, M, H) http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/Homework/religion/hinduism.htm

 

14 Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day in the Classroom by 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. Also includes an educator resource page called Labor Rights in the Classroom, with links to lesson plans on the topics of child labor, sweatshops, workers! rights, and the Sweatfree Schools movement. (E, M, H, TR) http://www.laborrights.org/creating-a-sweatfree-world/fairness-in-flowers

Win Win Solutions: An Introduction to Fair Trade and Cooperative Economics by Equal Exchange. Composed of four units, this curriculum raises students' awareness of core issues surrounding food production and trade. (E, M) http://www.equalexchange.coop/educationaltools

Fair Trade in the Classroom by Global Exchange. Through this Valentine 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://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/fairtrade/cocoa/fairtradeintheclassroom.html

 

15     Presidents' Day

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://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/16_04/Writ164.shtml

 

15     LaDonna Harris, Comanche activist, born (1931). Harris is the founder and president of Americans for Indian Opportunity, a national advocacy organization that draws on traditional Indigenous philosophies. She has helped Native American tribes get federal recognition and supported them in strengthening tribal governance.  She is also active in feminist, environmental and peace movements.

LaDonna Harris: INDIAN 101. A documentary film about Comanche activist LaDonna Harris, who led an  extensive life of Native American political and social activism, and is now passing on her traditional cultural and leadership values to a new generation of emerging Indigenous leaders. Site includes a lengthy and helpful trailer of the film. (M, H) http://www.indian101movie.com

 

18     Toni Morrison, author, born (1931). Toni Morrison is a Pulitzer Prize winning novelist and the first African American to win the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Toni Morrison - The Nobel Prize in Literature 1993 Acceptance Speech. Her speech is here both in text and audio form. (M, H, TR) http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1993/morrison-lecture.html

 

20     World Day of Social Justice

The United Nations News Centre. This website contains video of the UN meeting which declared February 20 the World Day of Social Justice as well as the full text of the UN resolution. (M, H) http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/csd/2009/videos/10feb/Social.Justice.html

 

20     Buffy Sainte-Marie, Canadian singersongwriter, born (1941). Sainte-Marie, a Canadian First Nations singer-songwriter, is the founder of Cradleboard Teaching Project. The Project aims to raise self-identity in present and future generations of Indian children by introducing them to enriching, accurate information about Native American people and cultures.

The Cradleboard Teaching Project. Using online curriculum and resources, this website provides lessons, the Cradleboard Teaching Project provides an aboriginally developed and enhanced interactive multi-media Native studies curriculum for use in elementary through high school level. (E, M, H) http://www.cradleboard.org/main.html

 

21     10th anniversary of National Disabled Students Union. The National Disabled Students Union is a national, cross-disability student organization. It was formed in response to a Supreme Court decision limiting the enforcement of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act.

Civil Rights and Americans with Disabilities: Early Grades Activity by Teaching Tolerance. A resource and lesson plan that can be used to analyze how individuals and groups in American society have struggled for equal rights that the principles of American democracy promise. (E) http://www.tolerance.org/activity/civil-rights-and-americans-disabilities-

 

27     Dominican Republic Independence Day

Caribbean Connections: The Dominican Republic. This book provides an overview of the history, politics and culture of the fourth largest Latino community in the United States. Spanish language companion available. (M, H, TR) http://www.teachingforchange.org/store/ccdr

My American Girls by P.O.V. This film is about a year in the life of the Ortiz family, Dominican immigrants who live in Brooklyn and dream of retiring one day in their native country. Their American-born daughters have different ideas and aspirations. These contradictions form the core of the film. P.O.V offers a lending library for teachers who register on their site. (E, M, H, TR) http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2001/myamericangirls/fullfilm.html
Lesson Plans: http://www.kqed.org/w/mosaic/latino/laciudad.html

 

March

1     First day of Women’s History Month

Gender Issues by Ithaca College WISE. This site includes a list of links, a bibliography and films related to gender issues. (M, H, TR) http://www.ithaca.edu/wise/topics/gender.htm

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, TR) http://www.beyondmedia.org/about_us.html

 

3     20th anniversary of the Rodney King beating. Caught on camera, the brutal beating of Rodney King by LA police officers caused public outrage that increased anger over police brutality and social inequalities in the African American community. The four LAPD officers were later acquitted of wrongdoing, and the public response sparked the 1992 Los Angeles uprisings.

Something is Wrong by Project NIA. This free 350-page curriculum guide challenges youth to think about a) the roots of violence in their lives; b) the enforcers and victims of violence; c) the effects of violence on both victims and perpetrators; and d) how violence can ultimately be minimized through systemic changes. (H) http://www.project-nia.org/event_curriculum-guide.html

 

6     40th anniversary of revelation of the existence of the FBI's COINTELPRO program. The Citizens' Commission to Investigate the FBI broke into an FBI office removing documents that revealed the existence of COINTELPRO which was devoted to the infiltration and disruption of “subversive” organizations such as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the Black Panthers, and Martin Luther King.

InCOINTELPRO: FBI"s War on Black America. Combining declassified documents, interviews, rare footage and exhaustive research, this documentary establishes historical perspective on COINTELPRO which aimed to discredit black political figures and groups. (H) http://www.teachpeace.com/conintelprofbiswar.htm

 

8     100th anniversary of International Women’s Day. In 1910 German socialist Clara Zetkin proposed March 8 as a working-class women’s holiday to celebrate past victories and to carry the fight forward. The first observance took place in 1911.

3 Women’s Stories of Another Color. Three lesson plans with audio downloads of women storytellers. 1) Nepantla: Caught Between Two Worlds, Growing up Mexican American in Los Angeles. 2) The Spirit Survives: The American Indian Boarding School Experience: Then and Now. 3) Hidden Memory: Internment: Knowing Your Family!s Story and Why it Matters. (M, H) http://www.racebridgesforschools.com/womenshistory

Not Yet Rain by Lisa Russell of Governess Films. A film about unsafe abortion and reproductive rights in Ethiopia told through the voices of women who have struggled for safe health care. The website has other resources about how to get involved. (H) http://www.NotYetRain.org

MADRE. As a human rights organization, MADRE works internationally with women who are affected by violations to help them win justice and change the conditions that gave rise to human rights abuses. Website includes videos, blogs, papers and other resources that can be used in the classroom. (H, TR) http://www.madre.org/

 

18     William H. Johnson, artist, born (1901 to 1970). This African-American artist was known for his Scandinavian landscapes, his scenes of African- American daily life and his series of portraits of African-American “Fighters for Freedom.”

Li'l Sis and Uncle Willie by Gwen Everett. Through the eyes of Li'l Sis, the colorful story of Uncle Willie unfolds, a story that changes a little girl’s perceptions of art and the world around her. The book is based on the life of African-American artist William H. Johnson (1901–1970) and is illustrated with his paintings. (E) http://americanart.si.edu/visit/stores/online/books/?ID=315

Homecoming: The Art and Life of William H. Johnson by Richard J. Powell. A fully illustrated monograph on Johnson, this book gives attention to his life and work. Images and text trace Johnson’s path from expressionism to a highly original, folk-inspired style depicting the black experience. Visit the 2nd link for a full curriculum unit using the book. (M, H) http://americanart.si.edu/visit/stores/online/books/?ID=72

http://americanart.si.edu/education/guides/whj/index.cfm  (cut and paste link to browser window)

 

20     8th anniversary of the Iraq War. Organizations and individuals around the country hold vigils for peace, justice and human rights in Iraq on this day.

Whose Terrorism? by Bill Bigelow. This lesson uses fictional countries to engage students in critical analysis of terms such as "terrorism” and "patriotic” and the ways they are being used for political ends. (H, TR) http://www.radicalmath.org/docs/Kokka_CostofWar.doc

Camouflaged: Investigating How the U.S. Military Affects You and Your Community by NYCoRE. This resource collection is a tool for educators to help students explore the role of the military in their lives and in their communities. (M, H) http://www.nycore.org/camo.html

The Recruiter directed by Edet Belzburg. This curriculum, which accompanies the documentary The Recruiter, provides teachers with tools to take students beyond their own perspectives on war, and into the lives of teenagers choosing to enlist in the United States Army. It also prompts discussion about the personal circumstances of the teenagers themselves, and the nature of the war in which they are participating. (H) http://www.propellerfilms.com/recruiter/resources/

Survey of Latino Attitudes on the War in Iraq. This survey examines the attitudes of US born and foreign born Latinos and their perspectives on the War in Iraq. (H, TR) http://pewhispanic.org/files/reports/37.pdf

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://www.civilrightsproject.ucla.edu/resources/KnowYourRightsComplete.pdf

10 Ways to Fight Hate by Teaching Tolerance. This guide sets out 10 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.scribd.com/doc/3771686/Ten-Ways-to-Fight-Hate

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://store.yesmagazine.org/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=11&products_id=258

 

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. 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://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/19_01/wate191.shtml

Flow: For the Love of Water. 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://www.flowthefilm.com

 

25     100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. A fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company in New York City killed 146 workers, mainly women. 100,000 people marched in a memorial parade which increased public awareness about unethical labor conditions in factories.

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire Online Exhibition by The Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives. This web exhibit presents original documents and secondary sources on the Triangle Fire. (H) http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/trianglefire/student_tips.html

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire (Disasters in History) by Jessica Sarah Gunderson. This graphic novel depicts the labor conditions, the fire and the ensuing movement for labor rights. (E) http://www.powells.com/biblio/61-9780736868785-0

Sweatshop Accounting by Rethinking Schools. Intolerable working conditions are not a thing of the past. Look at contemporary issues on economic justice in relation to sweatshop labor. (H) http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/19_01/swea191.shtml

 

30     80th anniversary of the Lemon Grove Incident, the first successful school desegregation case in the US. Lemon Grove Grammar School near San Diego barred students of Mexican descent from entering the school. Their parents successfully sued the district in California Superior Court.

For All the Children (Para Todos los Niños). This film documents the life of Sylvia Mendez 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 Mendez family fought back. (E, M, H, TR) (The link to the film no longer works. The following is a link to a radio interview with Mendez.) http://uprisingradio.org/home/?p=1896

 

31     César Chávez Day

Viva La Causa: The Story of Cesar Chavez 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: 39- minute film on DVD and Teacher’s guide. (M, H, TR) http://www.tolerance.org/kit/viva-la-causa

Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez by Kathleen Krull. This picture book chronicles Chavez! youth and the struggles he endured on his journey to becoming a leader. (E) http://books.google.com/books?id=ZiEhe9pOt10C

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://chavez.cde.ca.gov/ModelCurriculum/Teachers/index1.aspx

April

1     First day of National Poetry Month. National Poetry Month celebrates the art of poetry and looks to ensure it maintains an important place in American culture.

Hip Hop and the Classics for the Classroom by Alan Sitmor and Michael Cirelli. This collection of lesson plans analyze the poetry of Hip-Hop and compare 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. (M, H) http://www.hiphopintheclass.com/

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 hiphop generation. (E, M, H) http://kahlilalmustafa.com/_product_28961/Growing_Up_Hip-Hop

The Hip-Hop Education Guidebook Volume 1 by Marcella Runnell Hall and Martha Diaz. The H2ED Guidebook addresses the tenets of critical hip hop pedagogy, framing the issues of concern and strength within hip-hop culture. The book offers an array of innovative and interdisciplinary lesson plans for teachers by teachers. (M, H) http://www.lulu.com/content/656880

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 the audience members. The first episode of the HBO series which chronicles the 2008 festival is available online. (M, H) http://www.bravenewvoices.org

 

1     10th anniversary of Netherlands becoming the first nation to legalize marriages for same-sex couples. Laws that permit marriage for same-sex couples and grant adoption rights to same-sex couples came into effect.

Safe Schools Coalition Marriage Equality Page. A list of resources from ice-breakers to talking points about the national movement to create marriage equality. (M, H, TR) http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org/RG-gay_marriage.html

2     80th anniversary of a female pitcher striking out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. 17-year old Jackie Mitchell, one of the first women to pitch in the minor leagues and be signed to an all-male team, pitches an exhibition game against the New York Yankees and strikes out both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. The next day the Baseball Commissioner voided her contract, claiming baseball was too strenuous for women. The ban was not overturned until 1992.

Reducing Gender Stereotyping and Homophobia in Sports by Teaching Tolerance. This lesson asks students to identify and discuss homophobia and gender stereotyping in athletics and think about how to combat these attitudes and behavior at their own schools. (E, M, H) http://www.tolerance.org/activity/reducing-gender-stereotyping-and-homophobia-sports

The Girl Who Struck Out Babe Ruth by Jean L. S. Patrick. Jean L. S. Patrick’s book tells the story of Jackie Mitchell. Patrick also makes visits to school speaking and giving dramatic readings of her book. (E) http://www.jeanpatrick.com/baberuth.htm

http://bbpbooks.teachingforchange.org/book/9781575054551 

 

6     80th anniversary of the beginning of the Scottsboro Boys trial. The Scottsboro Boys were nine young black men falsely accused of raping two white women on board a train near Scottsboro, Alabama in 1931. The trial sparked international demonstrations that succeeded in highlighting the racism of the American legal system.

Scottsboro: An American Tragedy. The PBS documentary and companion website offer insights into topics in American history including race relations, civil rights, the Depression, the Communist Party of the United States, and judicial due process. (H) http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/scottsboro/

 

7     World Health Day

Critical Condition and other films about healthcare. Films from P.O.V. and Media That Matters about healthcare. (H) http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2008/election/issues/

Health and Healthcare resources by Radical Math. A collection of materials for teaching about health and healthcare through mathematics. (M, H) http://www.radicalmath.org/browse_socialjustice.php?t=health%20care

Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick? by PBS. This 7-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. (M, H, TR) http://www.unnaturalcauses.org/

 

9     20th anniversary of Georgia’s independence from the Soviet Union. 1991 was an important year for Eastern European and Central Asian countries gaining independence with the collapse of the Soviet Union. The following became independent: Estonia, Belaurs, Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Lithuania and Latvia.

Collapse of the USSR 10 Years On. This website provides maps, photos and a detailed chronology and analysis of how and why the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. It also reports on how each of the fifteen newly independent states were doing in 2001. (H) http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/europe/2001/collapse_of_ussr/default.stm

 

11     130th anniversary of the founding of Spelman College. Spelman was the first institution of higher education for black women.

Undaunted By The Fight: Spelman College And The Civil Rights Movement, 1957-1967 by Harry G. Lefever. This book tells the story of Spelman College students and faculty engagement in the Civil Rights Movement from 1957 to 1967. (H, TR) http://www.zinnedproject.org/posts/5544

 

11    50th anniversary of the trial of Adolf Eichmann. Eichmann, oftentimes called “the architect of the Holocaust,”  assisted Hitler in sending millions of Jews to concentration camps.

The Trial of Adolf Eichmann. This PBS documentary and accompanying website provide teachers with activities to learn more about the role that Eichmann played in the Holocaust. (H)

Teacher resources: http://remember.org/eichmann/

Documentary: http://www.amazon.com/Trial-Adolf-Eichmann-David-Brinkley/dp/6304446772

 

12     150th anniversary of the start of the Battle of Fort Sumter. The Confederate bombardment and the Union’s surrender of Fort Sumter near Charleston, South Carolina started the American Civil War.

Why Did the South (Excluding the Border States) Secede? Columbia American History Online: Point-Counterpoint series. Follow the related topics link to explore this online collection’s extensive resources on the Civil War including document based questions, teaching activities and classroom simulations. (H, TR) http://caho-test.cc.columbia.edu/pcp/14002.html

 

13     Vaisakhi (Sikh)

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://www.amazon.com/My-Sikh-Year-Religious-Festivals/dp/0750240555

 

18     First day of TV Turnoff Week (Spring)

Media Literacy / TV Turn-Off Week. This 5-day unit deals with topics such as time spent watching TV by students, the discrepancy of people they can identify (Social Activist vs. Celebrities), and ways to spend TV Turnoff Week. (E, M) http://www.usd116.org/mfoley/tv.html

Media Awareness Network. This Canadian organization provides a wealth of lesson plans, resources, and information to support students! critical literacy development. (E, M, H) http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/teachers/index.cfm

 

20     140th anniversary of the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1871. The Civil Rights Act of 1871 was intended to protect African Americans from violence perpetrated by the Ku Klux Klan. The act was designed to enforce the Fourteenth Amendment and provided civil and criminal penalties for perpetrators.

Ku Klux Klan Activity from Harper’s Weekly by Oakham School in Oakham, England. This activity about the Ku Klux Klan from Harper’s Weekly includes instructions, primary documents, and the text of the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871. (H) http://www.edliberation.org/resources/records/ku-klux-klan

 

22     Earth Day

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. (M, H) http://humaneeducation.org/sections/view/online_games

http://humaneeducation.org/sections/view/environmental_preservation_activities

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. (H, TR) http://www.urbanhabitat.org/rpe

Nature, Race and Justice by Teaching Tolerance. Poor and minority neighborhoods are the ones most likely to face environmental hazards. These lessons help your students grasp the impact of environmental racism. (E, M, H)

http://www.tolerance.org/activity/introducing-kids-idea-environmental-raci

http://www.tolerance.org/activity/environmental-justice-birth-movement

 

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://www.edliberation.org/resources/records/teachers-guide-for-cobblestone-armenian-americans

Crimes Against Humanity and Civilization: The Genocide of the Armenians. This resource provides students with the latest scholarship on the genocide. (H) http://www.gifttool.com/shop/ShopProductDetails?ID=1332&VER=1&LNG=EN&PID=36373&DID=857

 

25     10th anniversary of the first successful lawsuit brought against Monsanto by residents of Anniston, Alabama. Residents of this largely low-income community in Alabama sued Monsanto for their widespread contamination of the community for over 40 years. The nearly $43 million settlement marked the first time Monsanto settled in a case based on charges of personal injury.

Millions Against Monsanto Campaign by the Organic Consumer Organization. This site hosts petitions, resources and articles that uncover Monsanto’s impact on agriculture, health and the environment. (H, TR) http://www.organicconsumers.org/monlink.cfm

The World According to Monsanto. A French documentary that looks at the domination of the agricultural industry by one of the world’s most powerful companies. (H, TR) http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6262083407501596844#docid=7839257956440741135

27     50th anniversary of Martin Luther King addressing the United Auto Workers. Dr. Martin Luther King addressed the UAW 25^th anniversary celebration in Detroit.

MLK Jr.'s Speech to the UAW 25th Anniversary Dinner. Text of King’s address to UAW. (M, H)  http://newsouthstpete.blogspot.com/2007/01/reverend-martin-luther-king-jr-speech.html

 

27     10th anniversary of UN Commission on Human Rights declaration that living free of pollution is a basic human right. On this day, the UN Commission on Human Rights declared that everyone has the right to live in a world free from toxic pollution and environmental degradation.

Cap and Trade by Annie Leonard. The Story of Cap & Trade online video looks at the leading climate solution policy. It introduces the energy traders and Wall Street financiers at the heart of this scheme and reveals the devil’s in the details: free permits to big polluters, fake offsets and distraction from what’s really required to tackle the climate crisis. (M, H, TR) http://www.storyofstuff.com/capandtrade/index.php

 

29     Arbor Day. Arbor Day is a day that celebrates the planting of trees.

The Rainforest Alliance lesson on Deforestation. For Arbor Day, teach about deforestation and its effects on communities and wildlife in countries such as 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, TR) http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/education.cfm?id=fifth_l3

The Vanishing Rainforests. The lesson uses math to discuss the importance of Rainforests and how we can analyze their health. (M) http://www.teachersforjustice.org/2009/02/curriculum-math-vanishing-rainforests.html

 

May

1     International Worker’s 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 a dozen demonstrators.

3PLUS-U. This UN Cyberschoolbus site provides an interactive experience for students to inquire about labor rights. (E, M, H) http://cyberschoolbus.un.org/3PLUSU/treeHouse.html

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. (M, H, TR) http://www.amazon.com/Power-Our-Hands-Curriculum-History/dp/0853457530

 

1     First day of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

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) www.asianamericanbooks.com

Ancestors in the Americas, PBS series by Loni Ding. This series and companion website provide stories, timelines and historical resources helpful in teaching about the experiences of Asian Americans. (M, H) http://www.pbs.org/ancestorsintheamericas/

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, TR) http://www.filam.si.edu/curriculum/index-teacher.html

 

1     First Day of National Bike Month

Tools for Life: A Start-Up Guide for Youth Recycling & Bicycling Programs by Transportation Alternatives. This website has a guide for helping youth to start bicycle recycling programs based on the successful NYC Recycle-a Bicycle program. Includes curricula and resources. (H) http://www.transalt.org/files/resources/toolsforlife/

Have Wheels, Will Travel by YES! Magazine. A visual learning exercise that introduces students to bamboo bicycles. (E, M, H) http://www.yesmagazine.org/for-teachers/curriculum/visual-learning-bamboo-bikes

 

1     Holocaust Remembrance Day

Days of Remembrance. The Holocaust Museum has extensive resources for honoring Holocaust Remembrance Day. (H, TR) http://www.ushmm.org/remembrance/dor/

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, H, TR) http://www.tolerance.org/kit/one-survivor-remembers

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. This book tells the story of a young girl and her life in Denmark during World War II. Annemarie and her family are determined to help Ellen survive the “relocation” program for all Jews. These sites include lesson plans for the book. (E) http://bbpbooks.teachingforchange.org/search/apachesolr_search/Number+the+Stars

http://www.glencoe.com/sec/literature/litlibrary/pdf/number_the_stars.pdf

http://www.mce.k12tn.net/reading23/number_the_stars.htm

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, H) http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/focus/homosexuals_02/

Paper Clips. This 2004 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 stands permanently in their schoolyard, shows how a committed group of children and educators can make a difference. (E, M, H) http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/paper_clips/

 

2     Beginning of National Children’s Book Week

Using Picture Books to Explore Identity, Stereotyping, and Discrimination by Loraine Woodard. In this unit, students explore three picture books to better understand and further discussion, and action, on ideas of identity, stereotyping, and discrimination. (E, M) http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/using-picture-books-explore-952.html?tab=1#tabs

 

3     World Press Freedom Day. World Press Freedom Day highlights the importance of a free press to society.

Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism. This film provides an in-depth look at Fox News and the dangers of ever-enlarging corporations taking control of the public’s right to know. (H) http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6737097743434902428&hl=en-GB

IndyKids. IndyKids is a free newspaper and teaching tool that aims to inform children on current news and world events from a progressive perspective and to inspire a passion for social justice and learning. It is geared toward kids in grades 4 to 8 and high school English Language Learners. IndyKids is produced five times during the school year. (E, M) http://www.indykids.net/

Media Literacy lessons by Educators for Social Responsibility. Six lessons that help students deconstruct media messages and the construction of the news. Create a free account to access the lessons. (H) http://www.esrnational.org/otc/view_lessons.php?action=theme&themeid=15

3     National Teacher Day. Celebrate National Teacher Day by re-asserting what you believe is in the best interest of teachers and students. Link up with like-minded educators to take action inside and outside of your 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. Look for a group near you or find a local cause and get involved! (TR) http://www.teacheractivistgroups.org/

 

4     50th anniversary of the start of the Freedom Rides. Leaving from Washington DC, an integrated group of activists called the Freedom Riders rode buses through the American South in an effort to test the government’s willingness to enforce a court ruling declaring segregation on interstate buses illegal. The trip was marked by outbreaks of violence instigated by southern Whites.

The Freedom Riders, a Stanley Nelson film. The story behind a courageous band of civil rights activists called the Freedom Riders who in 1961 creatively challenged segregation in the American South. (M, H) http://www.freedomridersfilm.com/

 

5     80th anniversary of armed confrontation between deputies and striking Kentucky coal miners. Coal miners in Harlan County, Kentucky went on strike to protest unsafe working conditions and low wages and demand the right to unionize. The miners lived in “company towns” in which the coal companies exerted significant oppressive control over their lives. After nearly a decade, the federal government finally granted the miners the right to form unions. The strike inspired the Florence Reece song, Which Side are You on?

Harlan County, USA by Barbara Kopple. This Oscar-winning documentary about the coal miners’ strike uses archival footage, Appalachian coal mining songs, and intimate footage from the picket lines and union meeting rooms to give voice to the miners and their wives who stood up against the owners and violent scabs. (M, H) http://bbpbooks.teachingforchange.org/book/0037429208328

 

5    Dorothy Louise Taliaferro “Del” Martin, gay activist, born (1921 to 2008). In 1955 Martin, a white Lesbian rights activist, co-founded Daughters of Bilitis, the first social and political organization for Lesbians in the US.

Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon’s Wedding Video. A Groundspark's video of lifelong LGBT activists, Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon’s marriage, which was the first marriage performed in San Francisco under Gavin Newsom. (M, H, TR) http://groundspark.org/del-and-phyllis

No Secret Anymore: The Times of Del Martin and Phyllis Lewis directed by JEB. This 57-minute film about the founders of the lesbian rights movement reveals their inspiring public activism as well as their charming and very funny private relationship. (H) http://www.jebmedia.com/

 

5     Cinco de Mayo. Cinco de Mayo commemorates the 1862 Battle of Puebla during which outnumbered Mexican soldiers defeated the French outside Mexico City. It is often misrepresented as Mexican Independence Day and is celebrated more in the United States than in Mexico.

Celebrate, don’t desecrate Cinco de Mayo. Article tracing the origins of the celebration of Cinco de Mayo in the United States to the Chicano anti-imperialist movement in the 1960s. (TR) http://edjustice.blogspot.com/2006/05/celebrate-dont-desecrate-cinco-de-mayo.html

Cinco de Mayo Inc. This blog examines the commercialization of Cinco de Mayo. The holiday has become more popular in the US than in Mexico in part because of corporate America’s desire to profit off the Latino consumer market. The holiday’s portrayal perpetuates damaging stereotypes about Latino culture while not educating the American public about the historical significance of this day. (M, H, TR) http://cincodemayoinc.blogspot.com/

 

15     International Conscientious Objectors! Day

Conscientious Objection: Youth and Militarism 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/Youth&Militarism/

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://www.warresisters.org/dmz

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 that takes an unflinching look at the nature of war and its unforeseen consequences. (E) http://bbpbooks.teachingforchange.org/book/9780060753856

 

17     Vesak (Buddhism)

Wesak by Open-Sez-Me Books. Information and Activities to recognize Wesak or Vesakha and learn more about Buddhism. (E) http://www.open-sez-mefestivals.co.uk/wesak.htm

 

17     International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO). IDAHO aims to coordinate international events to call respect to lesbians, gays and transgendered people world-wide.

International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) Website. Resources about LGBT injustices all around the world and ways to contribute to campaigns fighting for LGBT justice. (M, H, TR) http://idahomophobia.org

Speaking about Silence: Addressing Homophobia in the Sports World. Resources for addressing and teaching about homophobia in sports. (M, H, TR) http://www.homophobiaday.org/default.aspx?scheme=1239

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://www.educationrevolution.org/actingout.html

 

19     Yuri Kochiyama, human rights activist, born (1921). Kochiyama is a Japanese-American activist who was interned during World War II. She has fought for human rights for all people and was one of Malcolm X!s closest political allies. She was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005.

Yuri Kochiyama: Passion for Justice a film by Pat Saunders and Rea Tajiri. This documentary chronicles Kochiyama's contribution to social change through her involvement with the Black Liberation movement, the Puerto Rican independence struggle, and the Japanese American Redress movement. See link for institutional rentals. (M, H) http://www.wmm.com/filmCatalog/pages/c110.shtml

The People Speak: Sandra Oh reads Yuri Kochiyama. YouTube video of Actress Sandra Oh reading a speech given by Yuri Kochiyama based on her experience in a Japanese internment camp during WWII. (M, H) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApXSv6845cU

 

19     90th anniversary of the Emergency Immigration Act of 1921, which established the first quota system for immigrants. The law set an annual maximum for immigrants and limited immigration from a specific nation to three percent of that nation’s population living in the US at the time of the 1910 census. It had the effect of drastically reducing immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe. This act was the first to include any quantitative restrictions on immigration and led the way to even stricter controls.

The Chinese Experience in the 19th Century hosted at the University of Illinois, Chicago. This unit focuses on the Chinese immigrant experience inlate-19th-century America. Their coming raised issues of social and cultural diversity, discrimination, and national identity—issues that are still being debated today. A section focuses on the process of exclusion including immigration acts. (M, H, TR) http://teachingresources.atlas.uiuc.edu/chinese_exp/index.html

http://teachingresources.atlas.uiuc.edu/chinese_exp/process.html

Major Events in US Immigration History by the Partnership for Immigrant Leadership and Action. This timeline provides a detailed history of immigration in the US as well as a parallel graph of levels of immigration over time. It has a West Coast focus. (M, H) http://www.pilaweb.org/images/stories/PILA/pdfs/Resources/Major_Events_Timeline.pdf

The Trail of Dreams. This site and film tells the story of four undocumented young people who embarked on a 1,500-mile walk from Miami, FL, to Washington, D.C in 2010. Their goal is to share their stories so that everyday Americans understand what it’s like for the millions of immigrants, especially young people, unable to fully participate in society. (M, H) http://trail2010.org

 

21     40th anniversary of Marvin Gaye releasing What’s Going On. The album tells the story of a Vietnam War veteran returning to the country he had been fighting for and witnessing injustice, suffering and hatred.

And You Don’t Stop - 30 Years of Hip-Hop. Lesson plan analyzing the lyrics of What’s Going On as well as Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, focusing on their impact on the Civil Rights movement and how students can create their own lyrics for social justice. (M, H) http://www.vh1.com/partners/vh1_music_studio/thismonth.html

 

22     10th anniversary of an international treaty to ban “dirty dozen” toxic chemicals. The treaty eliminates or restricts the use of certain hazardous chemicals and contains provisions by which new chemicals can be added.

Hazardous Chemicals in Your Neighborhood by PBS. This science lesson helps students investigate how chemicals negatively affect neighborhoods. The lesson includes role-playing ideas and links to the EPA. (M, H) http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/teachers/lessonplans/science/pollution_10-3.html

 

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.

African Voices, an online exhibition of the Smithsonian. African Voices examines the diversity and global influence of Africa’s peoples and cultures. Featuring contemporary interviews, literature, prayers, folk tales, and oral epics, It also includes a section on independence from colonialism. (M, H) http://www.mnh.si.edu/africanvoices/

Wonders of the African World by Henry Louis Gates. This website explores the great African civilizations including Nubia, Timbuktu, Ethiopia, and the Kingdoms of Dahomey and the Ashanti. It includes African American perspectives on Africa. The website parallels the PBS/BBC video series of the same name. (E, M, H) http://www.pbs.org/wonders/

 

28     50th anniversary of the publication of an article that led to the founding of Amnesty International. British lawyer Peter Benenson launched a worldwide campaign, “Appeal for Amnesty 1961” with the publication of a prominent article, The Forgotten Prisoners, in The Observer newspaper. He was inspired to write it after reading about two Portuguese students imprisoned for toasting freedom. This campaign led to the founding of Amnesty International.

Amnesty International Website. Students can use this website to research human rights violations by topic or country, and can also join ongoing campaigns against abuses worldwide. (H, TR) http://www.amnesty.org/en

 

29     160th anniversary of Sojourner Truth’s speech “Ain't I a Woman?” Sojourner Truth, a well-known anti-slavery speaker, delivered this now famous speech decrying the mistreatment of black women at a women’s convention in Akron, Ohio.

Sojourner Truth’s Step-Stomp Stride by Andrea Pinkney, Brian Pinkney. Step-Stomp Stride tells the story of one of the most unique and courageous women in American history, Sojourner Truth. (E) http://bbpbooks.teachingforchange.org/book/9780786807673

Only Passing Through: The Story of Sojourner Truth by R. Gregory Christie, Anne Rockwell. A powerful picture book biography of one of the abolitionist movement’s most compelling voices. (E) http://bbpbooks.teachingforchange.org/book/9780679891864

Ain't I A Woman? by Sojourner Truth. A copy of the speech delivered in 1851 at the Women’s Convention in Akron, Ohio. (E, M, H) http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/sojtruth-woman.html

 

30     50th anniversary of Rafael Trujillo’s assassination. For 31 years Trujillo remained in absolute control of the Dominican Republic, primarily through his command of the army which he aggressively protected. The people were stripped of their civil and political liberties until he finally lost support of the army.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz. In the novel The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by the Dominican-American author Junot Díaz, the legacy of Trujillo’s reign is depicted through a family of second generation Dominican-Americans living in the United States. (H) http://bbpbooks.teachingforchange.org/book/9781594483295

 

30     Memorial Day

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://www.projectyano.org/

 

31     90th anniversary of the beginning of the Sacco and Vanzetti trial. The trial of Sacco and Vanzetti, who had been arrested for robbery and murder, was largely condemned as unfair and prejudiced towards the defendants because they were immigrants and anarchists. Both men were convicted and executed despite multiple appeals and international protests.

Voices of a People’s History. Short video of actor Steve Earl reading Bartolomeo Vanzetti’s speech to the court. (H) http://www.vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=1274700&server=www.vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1&autoplay=1

A People’s History of American Empire by Howard Zinn. This graphic novel is a general source for discussing US actions in the world. Zinn specifically includes a chapter on the Sacco and Vanzetti trial. (M, H) http://www.zinnedproject.org/posts/1341

 

31     90th anniversary of the start of the Tulsa Race Riot. After reports surfaced that a young black shoe shiner might have assaulted a white female elevator operator, riots broke out in Greenwood, a prosperous neighborhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma built entirely by African Americans. Its main street had been dubbed “Black Wall Street.”

Oklahoma Historical Society’s Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. A good brief history of Oklahoma’s all-Black towns. (H, TR) http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/A/AL009.html

Before They Die - The Story of Black Wall Street and the Survivors. This film tells the story of the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot and the survivors! Journey for justice. The two-day riot is one of the worst instances of racial violence in our nation’s history, but it is a story unknown to most citizens. The film chronicles the remaining survivors! struggle for reparations for their losses. (H) http://beforetheydiemovie.com/

June

1     First day of Gay and Lesbian Pride Month

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) http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/all/library/curriculum.html

 

4     UN Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression. Appalled by the great number of innocent Palestinian and Lebanese children victims of the Israeli military, the United Nations General Assembly decided in the 1980s 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.

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://www.thinkpep.net/

A Little Piece of Ground by Elizabeth Laird w/ Sonia Nimr. This novel is about a young boy named Karim who is living through the Israeli occupation of Palestine. (E) http://leftbooks.com/store/product16.html

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://www.vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=1274721&server=www.vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1&autoplay=1

 

5     160th anniversary of the publication of first installment of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. This socially and politically influential novel appeared in installments in the abolitionist newspaper, the Washington National Era. It fueled the debate over slavery and raised the consciousness of America and Europe.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin Unit of Study by David Cope. This unit examines Uncle Tom’s Cabin and its effects on American society and culture during and after the slave era. Through seven lessons, students investigate primary and secondary sources to explore Harriet Beecher Stowe and the content of and context for the novel. (H) http://www.slaveryinamerica.org/history/hs_lp_uncletomcabin.htm

 

5     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. 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://www.aninconvenienttruth.com.au/truth/guide.htm

Green-Collar Jobs Campaign Teaching Tools by the Ella Baker Center. This fivepart series features interactive activities on key themes surrounding Green-Collar Jobs Campaign’s work, including: the green economy, eco-equity and ecoprivilege, model cities, and restorative justice. (M, H) http://www.ellabakercenter.org/?p=gcjc_teaching_tools

 

12     World Day Against Child Labor. The World Day Against Child Labor is recognized to raise awareness and promote activism to prevent child labor.

Stop Child Labor Lesson Plans by International Labor Rights Forum. Lesson Plans connected to several antichild labor campaigns including cocoa farms, and cotton and rubber plantations. (M, H) http://www.laborrights.org/stop-child-labor

http://www.laborrights.org/labor-rights/labor-rights-in-the-classroom#child

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://www.powells.com/biblio/62-9781416903291-0

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://humaneeducation.org/sections/view/human_rights_activities

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://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/hine-photos/

 

13     40th anniversary of the publishing of the Pentagon Papers. The Pentagon Papers refer to a US government report about the military’s involvement in Vietnam that was leaked to the New York Times by military analyst Daniel Ellsberg. The papers revealed much more extensive military activity than the government had claimed. The government obtained a restraining order against the newspaper to prevent further publication, an injunction that was eventually lifted by the Supreme Court.

CIVIO. 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. It includes information on the Pentagon Papers case and many others. (H) http://www.reachandteach.com/content/index.php?topic=civio

 

14     10th anniversary of US announcing an end to bombing exercises in Vieques, Puerto Rico. After decades of protesting the US Naval presence on the island of Vieques, Puerto Rican activists succeeded in getting President Bush to announce an end to the Navy bombing exercises Vieques.

The University of Connecticut Puerto Rican and Latino Studies Project: The Vieques Struggle. Motivated by their visit to Vieques and discussions with island residents, University of Connecticut students developed this film to publicize the years of human rights struggles by island residents. The health crisis, health disparities, and reparation claims against the United States Navy are documented in this film as a means of advocacy and show of support to the ongoing struggle. (H, TR) 

http://www.ssw.uconn.edu/our-community/centers-institutes-projects/puerto-rican-and-latin-studies-project/video-the-vieques-struggle

Vieques: Worth Every Bit of Struggle (5 Min Video Link TV). In this film, Puerto Ricans recount the grim story of the “occupation” of Vieques—the health impacts, the protest movement, and the eventual exit of the US military. (H) http://www.linktv.org/programs/vieques

 

16     Tupac Amaru Shakur, rapper, born (1971 to 1996). In addition to his status as a top-selling recording artist, Shakur was a promising actor and a social activist. Most of Shakur's songs are about growing up in ghettos amidst violence and hardship in a racist society.

The Rose that Grew from Concrete by Tupac Shakur. Released after his death, these seventy-two poems written from the time he was 19 embrace his spirit, his energy—and his ultimate message of hope. (M, H) http://bbpbooks.teachingforchange.org/book/9780671028459

After Tupac and D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson. Jacqueline Woodson's award winning novel addresses topics ranging from Tupac's art to friendship and foster care. (M, H) http://bbpbooks.teachingforchange.org/book/9780399246548

 

17     James Weldon Johnson, artist and activist, born (1871 to 1938). Johnson’s eclectic life included careers as school principal, lawyer, author, Broadway songwriter, newspaper editor and organizer for the NAACP. He wrote the lyrics for Lift Every Voice and Sing, which later became known as the Negro National Anthem. In 1920 he was sent by the NAACP to investigate the US occupation of Haiti and wrote a series of articles critical of its brutality in The Nation magazine.

Sweet Chariot: The Story of the Spirituals. This multimedia website provides historical overviews, audio clips and historical analysis of the significance on spirituals in African American history. (H) http://ctl.du.edu/spirituals/

18     Autistic Pride Day. The Autistic Pride movement is based on the idea that the neurological differences present in people diagnosed with autism can and should be celebrated. Autistic Pride Day celebrates this diversity and potential for all people to achieve great things.

Temple Grandin. This movie was shown on HBO as a mini-series. It chronicles the life of Temple Grandin, a woman with autism, who revolutionized livestock handling in the USA and has written several books about her life with autism. (M, H) http://www.hbo.com/movies/temple-grandin/index.html

 

19     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 had gone into effect.

Slavery and Indentured Servitude by Michael Ray. This 6-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. (E, M, H) http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/digital_stories.cfm  (click on “Slavery and Indentured Servitude”)

“Been Here So Long”: Selections from the WPA American Slave Narratives by the New Deal Network. Here are seventeen of the approximately 2,300 American Slave Narratives collected by the Federal Writers! Project with lesson plans. (H) http://newdeal.feri.org/asn/index.htm

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. (H) http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?ID=321

 

20     World Refugee Day. For many years several African countries celebrated June 20 as Refugee Day. As an expression of solidarity with Africa, which hosts the most refugees, in 2000 the UN declared June 20 World Refugee Day.

The Lost Boys of Sudan directed by Megan Mylan and Jon Shenk. Lost Boys of Sudan is an Emmy-nominated documentary that follows two Sudanese refugees on an extraordinary journey from Africa to America. The site includes information, action and study guides and links to other information about refugees. (M, H) http://www.lostboysfilm.com/take.html

 

21     10th anniversary of the discovery of the body of two-spirit Native American teen Fred Martinez. Fred Martinez, who was bludgeoned to death, was a transgendered teen who identified as “two-spirited,” a Navajo term that implies a masculine spirit and a feminine spirit living in the same body.

Two Spirits directed by Lydia Nibley. The film Two Spirits interweaves Fred Martinez’s life and murder with an examination of the two-spirit tradition among American Indians, telling a nuanced story of what it means to be poor, transgendered, and Navajo. The website’s resources link offers several books and resources to learn more about two-spriritness. (M, H, TR) http://www.twospirits.org/film.html

“Bias Crime, Hatred, and Extremism” section and “Bullying, Harassment, and School-Based violence” section of the Safe Schools Coalition website. A variety of resources including handouts, videos, lessons and other materials for addressing discrimination ranging from bullying to extremism. (M, H) http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org Follow links to both sections.

 

 

25     Crystal Eastman, women’s rights activist, born (1881 to 1928). Crystal Eastman was one of the authors of the Equal Rights Amendment and was one of the founders of what is now the ACLU.

Sybil Liberty Student Sheets, ACLU. Using student-friendly language, Sybil Liberty explains students! rights to privacy, equality in education, fair treatment, and free expression. (E, M, H) http://www.aclu.org

 

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.

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 Guantanamo Bay for two years until they were released without charge. Free online version available at Teach Peace’s website. (H) http://www.teachpeace.com/roadtoguantanamo.htm

 

27     National HIV Testing Day. National HIV Testing Day is an annual campaign encouraging people to “take the test, take control.”

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://www.avert.org/educate.htm

 

28     60th anniversary of the Amos "n" Andy television show. Amos "n" Andy was a radio show featuring two white actors mimicking African American dialects. When it became a TV sitcom, it starred two African American actors. The first show with an all Black cast, the show was cancelled after two years, in part due to protests over the stereotypical and offensive portrayal of African Americans. It was both one of the most popular and most protested shows in American history.

Ethnic Notions by producer/director Marlon Riggs. This Emmy Award-winning documentary takes students on a 150- year journey through ethnic stereotypes. Clips from cartoons, feature films, advertisements, household objects and even children’s rhymes introduce students to the dehumanizing caricatures of black people which are still buried in our national psyche. (M, H, TR) http://www.youtube.com/user/californianewsreel#p/c/FB65B65B2C2E4762/21/IHMo64KSApQ

 

29     Stokely Carmichael, civil rights activist, born (1941 to 1998). A civil rights leader, anti-war activist, and Pan-African revolutionary, Carmichael participated in SNCC sit-ins and Freedom Rides, and held the title of Honorary Prime Minister of the Black Panther Party.

Stokely Carmichael - Black Power Speech delivered October 1966 at UC Berkeley. These two links provide the audio and text of Carmichael’s 1966 speech in which he defines the concept of Black Power. (H) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJnRETjl0AE&feature=related

http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/speeches/stokely_carmichael_blackpower.html

 

30     40th anniversary of the founding of the Southern Poverty Law Center. Founded by civil rights lawyers Morris Dees and Joseph Levin Jr. in 1971, the SPLC is internationally known for tracking and exposing the activities of hate groups. They also started the Teaching Tolerance program which produces and distribute teaching materials that promote tolerance and respect in our nation’s schools.

Southern Poverty Law Center and Teaching Tolerance. These links to SPLC and Teaching Tolerance both provide a wealth of information about racial justice and anti-bias work. (H, TR) http://www.splcenter.org/ 

http://www.tolerance.org/

Hate Crimes Legislation Lessons by Teaching Tolerance. In these lessons, students will review the nature of hate, understand how laws are created in America, and deepen their knowledge of Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. (E, M, H) http://www.tolerance.org/activity/hate-crimes-legislation?newsletter=TT030210

 

July

1     40th anniversary of the voting age changing from 21 to 18. The 26^th Amendment, which lowered the voting age, was ratified on this day. It was established in response to student activism against the Vietnam War.

National Youth Rights Association Voting Age Campaign. Compelling arguments about the growing movement to lower the voting age to 16. (H) http://www.youthrights.org/votingage.php

 

2     Sylvia Rivera, transgender activist, born (1951 to 2002). Rivera was a Puerto Rican transgender activist. She was a founding member of the Gay Liberation Front and helped found STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries), a group dedicated to helping young, homeless street transgendered people.

Sylvia Rivera Law Project. Sylvia Rivera Law Project’s website has several training and reference materials to teach about the discrimination against Transgender and gender non-conforming people. (M, H, TR) http://srlp.org/resources/