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Black History


Black People Around the World: Legal Rights and Protections
Grades 9-12. Students investigate how rights function in practice for Black communities across five different global regions. Using short videos, a verified resource sheet, and a consistent four-indicator framework, students collect evidence, learn about regional systems, and analyze graphs to identify patterns and differences. The lesson focuses on the difference between rights on paper and rights in daily life.


Being Brave and Fair: Rosa Parks
Grade K-2: In this lesson, students are introduced to Rosa Parks, a woman who helped make the world more fair by calmly and bravely standing up for what was right. Through a short, illustrated read-aloud video, students learn that being brave does not always mean being loud, and that one person can help others by making kind and fair choices.


Honorable John Lewis (1940-2020): Civil Rights Leader, Great American
Grade 6-12: Students will learn about the life and legacy of the late U.S. Representative John Lewis, a major leader in the Civil Rights Movement. Through two short videos, discussion, and activities, students will explore leadership, nonviolence, and standing up for justice.


Ruby Bridges - Courage Shapes the World We Live In
Grade: 3-5. Students learn who Ruby Bridges was and why her actions mattered. Through a short video, guided discussion, and role-play, students examine how Ruby’s courage and kindness in the face of discrimination helped create change. Students also explore how telling trusted adults and making thoughtful, safe choices can help create more inclusive spaces for everyone.


Ruby Bridges - Making Spaces Welcoming and Kind
Grade: K-2. Students learn about Ruby Bridges, a young girl who helped change history during desegregation as the first African American student to attend an all-white school in her community. Ruby showed bravery and kindness when she faced unfair treatment at school.


Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. & the March on Washington - Analysis of a Social Justice Movement
Grades 9-12. Students will examine the civil rights movement through two key films: Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech and The March (1964), a restored documentary on the March on Washington. After viewing, students will use 10 criteria to evaluate whether the movement meets the standards of a true social justice movement.


American Thought Leaders: Black Christians Enslaved in Africa, an Interview With Simon Deng and Charles Jacobs
Grade 11-12. This moving interview on American Thought Leaders introduces two modern day heroes - Simon Deng and Charles Jacobs - who discuss the ongoing struggle against slavery, human trafficking, and genocide in Africa, and the impact of Islamist extremism. Simon Deng, formerly enslaved, shares his personal story of escape and the horrors of slavery in Sudan. He and Charles Jacobs, who helped free tens of thousands of slaves in Sudan, highlight the international community'


Dorothy Pitman Hughes: Life and Legacy
Grades 6-8. In this lesson, students will explore the life and contributions of Dorothy Pitman Hughes, a Black feminist, child welfare advocate, and community activist.


Asian American Activists in the Civil Rights Movement
Grades 7-12. The fight for justice has never been fought alone. Asian American activists worked alongside Black, Latinx, and Indigenous leaders to challenge oppression and demand equality. Their contributions remain inspiring and relevant today, offering powerful lessons on solidarity, resilience, and social change.


The Young Lords Grassroots Activism and Social Change - Fighting for Justice, Then and Now
Grades 6-12. The Young Lords Grassroots Activism and Social Change - Fighting for Justice, Then and Now


Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel & Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – A Shared Struggle for Justice
Grades 6-8. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were united by a deep commitment to justice and human dignity. Heschel, a Jewish theologian and Holocaust survivor, believed that the fight for Black civil rights was a moral and spiritual imperative. He famously marched alongside Dr. King during the Selma to Montgomery march in 1965, later saying, “I felt my legs were praying.”
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