Facing History & Ourselves

06/04/2026

On this day in 1919, the US Congress officially passed the 19th Amendment—which prohibits the denial of voting rights based on gender. While much of the credit is often attributed to suffrage activists like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, not enough recognition has been given to the role of Black sorority sisters like Mary Church Terrell. Click through to read an interview with historian and academic Dr. Tara White that details this fascinating aspect of a watershed moment in American history.

Dr. Tara White illuminates the role Black sorority sisters like Mary Church Terrell played in securing women’s suffrage in the United States.

06/03/2026

Educational leaders know the importance of cultivating inclusive schools and classrooms that prioritize belonging and student learning. That’s why all summer long, Facing History is offering impactful workshops and seminars where participants will connect with peers, center professional growth, and discover tools and resources for improving student outcomes, teacher efficacy, and school climate. Explore our full slate of opportunities and sign up today. https://bit.ly/43E2jPq

06/02/2026

Spots are filling up fast for our virtual summer 2026 Holocaust and Human Behavior seminar!

From June 29-July 2, attendees will engage with leading scholarship and survivor testimony—discovering an evidence-based approach to teaching this sensitive subject matter and increasing their ability to facilitate respectful discussions on difficult issues such as racism, antisemitism, and other forms of exclusion. Educator participants will walk away with classroom-ready resources that allow their students to wrestle with profound moral questions raised by this history while fostering their skills in critical analysis, empathy, ethical reflection, and civic engagement.

Click through for more details and register for this important professional development opportunity while you still can.
https://bit.ly/4uaD0PZ

06/01/2026

All June long we're observing Pride Month, a chance to celebrate the history and contributions of the LGBTQ+ community. Here at Facing History, that means an opportunity to shine the spotlight on lesser-known historical figures. Today we're sharing Brother Outsider, a documentary illuminating the life and work of Bayard Rustin—a gay Black man and visionary activist who has been called "the unknown hero" of the civil rights movement. The chief organizer of the famous 1963 March on Washington, Rustin's identity was a major factor in his life story and legacy as a civil rights hero.

This documentary illuminates the life and work of Bayard Rustin—a visionary activist who has been called “the unknown hero” of the civil rights movement.

05/31/2026

On May 31, 1921, an angry mob of white citizens and civil authorities stormed the thriving African American community of Greenwood in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The mob burned countless buildings to the ground in an attack that took the lives of an estimated 300 Black people. Click through to listen to a conversation with Dr. Karlos K. Hill—Associate Professor and Chair of the Clara Luper Department of African and African American Studies at the University of Oklahoma—that explores the Tulsa Race Massacre's enduring legacy of resilience.

Listen to a conversation with Dr. Karlos K. Hill on the Tulsa Race Massacre's enduring legacy of resilience.

05/30/2026

On this day in 1942, Japanese-American civil rights activist Fred Korematsu was arrested for refusing to obey Executive Order 9066 by attempting to live outside of a designated internment camp. This would eventually lead to the Korematsu v. United States Supreme Court decision, a dark moment in American history that wasn't rectified until Korematsu's conviction was overturned in 1984. Click through for a lesson that details legal challenges to Japanese-American incarceration by both Korematsu and Gordon Hirabayashi.

Learn about Gordon Hirabayashi and Fred Korematsu's Supreme Court cases challenging the legality of Japanese American incarceration.

05/29/2026

Teachers and educational leaders know how important it is to create learning environments where all students, regardless of background, feel seen, heard, and valued, and where they are supported in reaching their full potential. From June 23-25, we're thrilled to be hosting our Transformational Education for All Students Summer 2026 Institute—an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the legacy of educational inequity in the US and get tools and resources to help you adopt more equitable teaching practices.

This interactive learning experience will include conversation, self-paced learning, and breakout sessions that allow you to connect with peers as you explore the history of race, schooling, and academic identity to better understand the root causes of present-day educational inequities. Click through for more details and register today while you still can!

Join us to gain a deeper understanding of the legacy of educational inequity in the US and get tools to help you adopt more equitable teaching practices.

05/28/2026

"Each teacher and young person impacted by these partnerships creates a ripple effect, ultimately moving local and national discourse away from anger and radicalization and towards a place of understanding, inclusiveness, and humanity."

In our latest Ideas This Week article, President & CEO Desmond K. Blackburn, PhD reflects on the value of Facing History & Ourselves district partnerships via the firsthand experiences of teachers and administrators in Palm Beach County, Florida.

President & CEO Desmond K. Blackburn, PhD reflects on the value of Facing History & Ourselves district partnerships via the firsthand experiences of teachers and administrators.

05/27/2026

On this day in 1939, the ship MS St. Louis arrived in Havana, Cuba carrying 937 Jewish refugees fleeing N**i Germany. However, the refugees were denied permission to disembark and would soon also be turned away from the United States, forcing them to return to Europe where 254 of the passengers would be killed in the Holocaust. Click through to explore a lesson from our Holocaust and Human Behavior collection that details the voyage of the St. Louis and allows students to consider why this story remains relevant today.

Consider why countries including the United States refused to accept Jewish refugees aboard the M.S. St. Louis who sought escape from N**i-occupied Europe.

05/26/2026

Each year, Facing History partner schools in California identify and nominate students and educators who have made differences in their communities, big and small. From coordinating volunteers and advocating for inclusion to taking on leadership roles and simply showing kindness, courage, and solidarity, these upstanders make us hopeful in a time full of challenges. Click through to learn about the two events this spring where we recognized and honored their incredible achievements:

At two events this spring, we recognized and honored student and educator upstanders from our Partner Schools Network.