Facing History & Ourselves

09/03/2026

“No class of men can, without insulting their own nature, be content with any deprivation of their rights.”

On September 3, 1838, 20-year-old Frederick Douglass made his escape from slavery. First boarding a train in Baltimore, he then dressed as a sailor with fake identification papers and crossed the Susquehanna River by ferry and the Delaware River by steamboat to Philadelphia—eventually arriving in New York City at the safehouse of abolitionist David Ruggles. Over the next 57 years, Douglass would go on to become arguably the most important American civil rights leader of the 19th century.

Click through to read a passage from "What The Black Man Wants," an 1865 speech to the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society where Douglass advocated for voting rights and civil equality for Black Americans.

Frederick Douglass demands voting rights and civil equality for Black Americans in an 1865 speech.

09/01/2026

On this day in 1941, N**i German officials decreed that all Jews throughout the Reich older than six years old must wear a yellow Star of David on their clothes in public. Already policy in Poland since the invasion in 1939, this practice was intended to humiliate Jews while officially dehumanizing them in the eyes of the people. Click through to explore a lesson from our Holocaust and Human Behavior unit that details N**i treatment of Polish Jews during and after the occupation.

Build your understanding of the N**is’ devastating treatment of the Jews in Poland during the German occupation.

08/29/2026

As a new school year begins, educators are often looking for innovative ways to build community in their classrooms. In our on-demand Centering Belonging and Student Voice through Audio Storytelling workshop, our friends from KQED Education join us to detail how audio storytelling can help students reflect on their identities and build a lasting sense of community! 🎧

What’s covered:
- Strategies to integrate audio storytelling into your curriculum
- Downloadable classroom-ready resources
- Guidance on how students can publish their audio pieces through KQED’s First Person Youth Media Challenge

Watch the workshop today and discover the impact of centering student voices: https://hubs.ly/Q04vJ40W0

08/28/2026

On this day in 1955, fourteen-year-old Emmett Till was abducted and brutally murdered while visiting family in Mississippi. After his killing, his mother Mamie Till-Mobley unflinchingly shared his story with the world—helping inspire a generation of deeply affected Americans to join the civil rights movement. Click through to explore our six-lesson unit on the history and legacy of Till's murder, which helps students explore the courage and determination that it takes to achieve true justice and equality.

This six-lesson unit delves into the history and legacy of the murder of Emmett Till, considering what we can learn from it as we work to achieve racial justice.

08/27/2026

While school was briefly on pause for summer break, societal pressures like rising polarization and bigotry carried on unabated. In our latest Ideas This Week article, President & CEO Desmond K. Blackburn, PhD shares how educational leaders can prioritize extracurriculars, professional development, and classroom-ready resources to set a foundation for long-term success.

Read the full piece in the comments below 👇

08/26/2026

Today is Women's Equality Day, celebrated on August 26 each year to commemorate the adoption of the 19th Amendment in 1920. Click through to read an Ideas This Week article that details women throughout history who have shaped and advanced human rights and democratic ideals, from early American intellectual advocates like Judith Sargent Murray to suffragettes including Frances E.W. Harper.

Throughout history, women have shaped and advanced human rights and democratic ideals by challenging societal norms and championing gender equality and civic freedom.

08/24/2026

The groundbreaking LGBTQ+ activist Marsha P. Johnson was born on this day in 1945. A lifelong performer and champion for causes including transgender rights, she was a major figure in the gay liberation movement who participated in the Stonewall uprising and AIDS activism until her tragic passing in 1992. Sometimes called the "Saint of Christopher Street," in 2019 she was one of the inaugural fifty pioneers and heroes inducted onto the National LGBTQ Wall of Honor at the Stonewall National Monument.

If you’re looking for inspiring ways to decorate your classroom, click through to download a Facing History poster featuring trailblazing upstanders like Johnson, Rosa Parks, and Judy Heumann.

Inspire and engage students with motivational classroom posters designed to foster a thoughtful and reflective learning environment.

08/23/2026

Educators know that adolescence is a pivotal time when young people explore their identities and seek a sense of belonging. That’s why our Community Matters advisory curriculum was designed to equip teachers with practical tools to cultivate an inclusive and supportive learning environment. Centering themes of membership and participation, this curriculum offers a year’s worth of activities and discussion prompts to help students build empathy and discover their voices.

Tap the link to discover practical tools, student handouts, and strategies to create an inclusive advisory space. 👉

Our advisory curriculum contains a year’s worth of activities, student handouts, and best practices to help you build student-centered spaces where honest questioning, discussion, and social and academic growth can occur.

08/21/2026

As teachers return to the classroom, it’s essential to create a welcoming, reflective, and supportive environment during the first weeks of the school year.

Our free, virtual back-to-school professional development opportunities provide educators with ready-to-use strategies and tools to foster classroom communities that drive student belonging and success.

Click to explore our full suite of resources today!

Explore our back-to-school professional development opportunities and classroom materials for educators.

08/20/2026

On or near this day in 1619, the first enslaved Africans were brought to North America through the British colony of Jamestown. First kidnapped in what is called Angola today, they were shipped across the Middle Passage on a Portuguese vessel before being captured by privateers and sold to the governor of Virginia. Click through to discover a Facing History lesson plan that details how ideas of race and racism developed in colonial Virginia, paving the way for 246 years of legalized bo***ge and brutality.

Learn how race and racism evolved within North America’s first European settlements with the stories of two African Americans who secured freedom in colonial Virginia.