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Zinn Education Project News
A shackled group of enslaved peapiople passing the Capitol grounds. Image: Library of Congress.
A shackled group of enslaved people passing the Capitol grounds.
Missing from Presidents' Day: 
The People They Enslaved 
By Clarence Lusane 

Schools across the country are adorned with posters of the 44 U.S. presidents and the years they served in office. U.S. history textbooks describe the accomplishments and
challenges of the major presidential administrations----George Washington had the Revolutionary War, Abraham Lincoln the Civil War, Teddy Roosevelt the Spanish-American War, and soon.

Children's books put students on a first-name basis with the presidents, engaging readers with stories of their dogs in the Rose Garden or childhood escapades. Washington, D.C.'s Smithsonian Institution welcomes visitors to an exhibit of the first ladies' gowns and White House furnishings.

Nowhere in all this information is there any mention of the fact that more than one in four U.S. presidents were involved in human trafficking and slavery. These presidents bought, sold, and bred enslaved people for profit. Of the 12 presidents who were enslavers, more than half kept people in bondage at the White House. Continue reading.

Related Resources
By Bob Peterson
A teaching activity on how a 5th-grade teacher and his students conducted research to answer the question: "Which presidents owned people?"
By Clarence Lusane
The untold story of African Americans in the White House from the 18th century to the present, including the presidents who held people in bondage.

 
Black History Month and All Year Long
Despite the renewal of interest in Civil War history and abolitionism, blacks have largely been absent from these portrayals. To counter this invisibility, the Zinn Education Project features this profile series on black abolitionists, both on our Facebook page and on our website.
50th Anniversary of Malcolm X's Assassination
February 21 marks the 50th anniversary of Malcolm X being shot and killed in Harlem in 1965. We honor his life's struggle for dignity and justice by featuring materials for students to learn more about Malcolm X, including a documentary that is available online.
Continue reading.

Ten Things You Should Know About Selma
Before You See the Film
There is a "people's history" of Selma that we all can learn from----one that is needed especially now. This article by historian Emilye Crosby has been very popular on Common Dreams and the Huffington Post. Teachers have used the article with students before and/or after watching the feature film. Continue reading
Teaching About Ferguson
Here are a few ideas and resources for the classroom to help students think critically about Ferguson, the #BlackLivesMatter movement, and ways they can be proactive in their own communities.
Continue reading
 
People's History for the Classroom


Thank you to our 2014 donors who made this year's Zinn Education Project accomplishments possible. We enjoy reading the dedications and comments that accompany the donations. Here are just a few:

Thanks for helping me get through my first year of teaching with engaging social justice lesson plans!" ----Rachel Bernkopf

Students consistently find activities from the Zinn Education Project engaging, enlightening, and inspiring. The discussion and motivation that is spurred by your projects make my classroom the community of change I work for it to be. Thank you!!
----
Diane Brace
 
Zinn told it like it was. We need more truth in history! ----Mary McCracken

Yes, we need more truth in history. With your support, we can continue to bring a more honest, engaging, and complex understanding of U.S. history to classrooms across the country. Help expand our reach in 2015----donate today!

 
Upcoming Educator Conferences
Call for Proposals
Mark Your Calendars
See the schedule of upcoming conferences
and proposal deadlines. You can request
Zinn Education Project materials online to distribute at your upcoming workshop.
Apply to Present People's History  
The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) is now accepting proposals for the 2015 conference. We encourage the Zinn Education Project network to apply to present on teaching people's history. Let us know if you plan to present and/or would like feedback on your proposal. Continue reading.
 
Zinn Education Project
The goal of the Zinn Education Project is to introduce students to a more accurate, complex, and engaging understanding of United States history.
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