Teaching Hard History
85 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 258 ratingsWhat we don’t know about American history hurts us all. Teaching Hard History begins with the long legacy of slavery and reaches through Reconstruction, Jim Crow, and the civil rights movement into the present day. Brought to you by Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance) and hosted by Dr. Hasan Kwame Jeffries and Dr. Bethany Jay, Teaching Hard History brings us the lessons we should have learned in school through the voices of scholars and educators. It’s great advice for teachers and good information for everybody.
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Episodes
Using the WPA Slave Narratives – w/ Cynthia Lynn Lyerly
February 14, 2020 18:19 - 1 hour - 45.2 MBFrom 1936 to 1938, the Federal Writers’ Project collected stories from people who had been enslaved. The WPA Slave Narrative Collection at the Library of Congress is a valuable resource; these oral histories are also problematic. Interpreting these narratives within literary and historical context, students can develop primary source literacy. Historian Cynthia Lynn Lyerly outlines unique insights these texts can add to your curriculum. You can find a complete transcript in the show notes ...
Groundwork for Teaching Indigenous Enslavement – w/ the Turtle Island Social Studies Collective
February 08, 2020 01:44 - 1 hour - 50.8 MBTo better understand the United States’ past and present, we need to better understand Indigenous identities—and our classrooms play a huge role. This starts with examining what’s missing from our social studies, history, civics and government curricula. Throughout this episode, we reference the K-5 Framework for Teaching Hard History as we shed light on key topics like sovereignty, land and erasure. You can find a complete transcript in the show notes for this episode, along with a list o...
Mid-season Recap: Key Lessons on Indigenous Enslavement
January 24, 2020 13:00 - 27 minutes - 18.9 MBEducators can no longer ignore our country’s history of Indigenous enslavement. Our students need a fuller understanding of the pivotal history of slavery to comprehend the present and develop a vision for our nation’s future. In this mid-season recap, we highlight key lessons about this consequential part of American history—along with teaching strategies and resources—through the voices of leading scholars and educators featured so far. Educators! Get a professional development certifica...
Silver, Resistance and the Evolution of Slavery in the West – w/ Andrés Reséndez
December 20, 2019 15:54 - 1 hour - 51.6 MBThroughout the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, the forced labor and bondage of Indigenous peoples was integral to the economic and political history of what became the Southwestern United States. Historian and author Andrés Reséndez outlines the significance of silver mining, Indigenous enslavement and resistance in the history of New Mexico and Latin America. We also examine how, as white settlers moved west, so-called “free soil” states like California continued to institutionalize coerced ...
The Other Slavery – w/ Andrés Reséndez
December 06, 2019 21:36 - 1 hour - 49.5 MBA hundred years before the first ship carrying enslaved Africans arrived in Virginia, Europeans introduced the commercial practice of enslavement in “The New World.” And for the next 400 years, millions of Indigenous people throughout the Americas were enslaved through several forms of forced labor and bondage. Historian and author Andrés Reséndez calls this “The Other Slavery,” and his work is changing our understanding of the transatlantic slave trade. Educators! Get a professional devel...
Coming Soon: Conversations with Andrés Reséndez
November 25, 2019 21:30 - 4 minutes - 3.25 MBAndrés Reséndez is the author of The Other Slavery: The Uncovered Story of Indian Enslavement in America. His work has changed conventional wisdom about the institution of slavery in the Atlantic World. Over the next two episodes, host Hasan Kwame Jeffries and Reséndez will discuss key turning points in this history—exploring how it expands our understanding of the transatlantic slave trade and the lasting legacy of colonialism, which continues to reverberate in our communities. Be sure to j...
Teaching Slavery through Children's Literature, Part 2 – w/ Debbie Reese
November 08, 2019 12:00 - 58 minutes - 40.3 MBEach autumn, Thanksgiving brings a disturbing amount of inaccurate information and troubling myths into classrooms across the United States. Most students don’t learn much about the history of Native nations—and even less about Indigenous peoples today. Dr. Debbie Reese explains what to look for and what to avoid (or teach with a critical lens) when selecting children’s books by and about Indigenous people. She also recommends specific books to counter common misconceptions in your classroom...
Teaching Slavery through Children's Literature, Part 1 – w/ Ebony Elizabeth Thomas
October 25, 2019 13:53 - 1 hour - 49 MBChildren’s books are often the primary way young students are exposed to the history of American slavery. But many books about slavery sugarcoat oppression. Professor Ebony Elizabeth Thomas examines what we should consider when it comes to how children’s books portray African Americans and Indigenous people, their cultures and the effects of enslavement. She also explains why it’s crucial to create “a balance of narratives” when selecting books about marginalized and underrepresented commu...
In the Elementary Classroom – w/ Kate Shuster, Marian Dingle, Bria Wright, Marvin Reed and Alice Mitchell
October 04, 2019 17:28 - 1 hour - 60.5 MBFor elementary teachers approaching the topic of slavery, it can be tempting to focus only on heroes and avoid explaining oppression. But teachers’ omissions speak as loudly as what they choose to include. And what children learn in the early grades has broad consequences for the rest of their education. Dr. Kate Shuster guides us through the new Teaching Hard History K–5 framework from Teaching Tolerance. We also learn how four elementary teachers are beginning to use it in their classroom...
Indigenous Enslavement: Part 2 – w/ Christina Snyder
September 20, 2019 17:16 - 1 hour - 46.7 MBUnderstanding Indigenous enslavement expands our conception of slavery in what is now the United States. It spread across the entire continent and affected millions of people of different backgrounds. If we define slavery too narrowly, we can fail to see its persistence over time and even its modern-day permutations. Historian Christina Snyder examines the Civil War, Lincoln and emancipation with Indigenous people in mind. Educators! Get a professional development certificate for listening...
Indigenous Enslavement: Part 1 – w/ Christina Snyder
September 06, 2019 12:22 - 1 hour - 58.8 MBMillions of Indigenous people lived in North America before European colonial powers invaded. Along with an insatiable desire for free labor, Europeans brought systems of slavery that significantly differed from the historical practices of enslavement among Native nations. Historian Christina Snyder explains what happened when these worlds collided. European concepts of bondage transformed the way Native nations interacted, resulted in the enslavement and death of millions and sparked widesp...
The Hidden History of American Slavery – w/ Maureen Costello, Eduardo Díaz and Renée Gokey
August 23, 2019 14:38 - 1 hour - 61.3 MBAmerican slavery shaped our modern world and most certainly the foundation and development of what is now the United States. The Smithsonian’s Eduardo Díaz and Renée Gokey discuss the importance of learning about Indigenous enslavement. And Teaching Tolerance Director Maureen Costello explains all of the program’s classroom resources available for teaching this history, including a first-of-its-kind K-5 framework. Educators! Get a professional development certificate for listening to this ...
Coming Soon: Season 2 of Teaching Hard History
August 13, 2019 21:18 - 8 minutes - 6.01 MBWe’re turning our attention to the enslavement of Indigenous people, spending more time with teachers in the classroom and adding support for K–5 educators. Tune in next week for more advice about teaching the history and long legacy of American slavery. And you'll find a full episode transcript on our site.
Wrap up: Questions from the Classroom – w/ Bethany Jay
February 14, 2019 18:59 - 54 minutes - 37.6 MBHistorian Bethany Jay returns – answering questions from educators across the country. Host Hasan Kwame Jeffries and the co-editor of Understanding and Teaching American Slavery confront teacher anxieties and counter misconceptions in our season finale. Visit the show notes for this episode to find a complete transcript and a list of resources to help you teach the ideas explored by our guests. And educators! Get a professional development certificate for listening to this episode—issue...
Young Adult Trade Books – w/ John H. Bickford
February 07, 2019 22:58 - 58 minutes - 40.3 MBFrom elementary to high school, YA literature can introduce fundamental themes and information about slavery, especially when paired with primary sources. John H. Bickford shows how to capitalize on the strengths and weaknesses of trade books about slavery. Educators! Get a professional development certificate for listening to this episode—issued by Learning for Justice. Listen for the special code word, then visit learningforjustice.org/podcastpd. And be sure to visit the show notes fo...
Sample Lessons w/ Jordan Lanfair and Tamara Spears
January 23, 2019 19:02 - 30 minutes - 20.8 MBUsing the present to explore the past. Tamara Spears and Jordan Lanfair suggest a Social Studies unit about Resistance & Kanye West, and a set of English Language Arts lessons examining holidays to understand the legacy of American slavery. With host Hasan Kwame Jeffries. (Teaching Tolerance / Southern Poverty Law Center)
Sample Lessons – w/ Jordan Lanfair and Tamara Spears
January 23, 2019 19:02 - 31 minutes - 21.7 MBUsing the present to explore the past. Tamara Spears and Jordan Lanfair suggest a Social Studies unit about Resistance & Kanye West, and a set of English Language Arts lessons examining holidays—from Juneteenth to Columbus Day—to understand the legacy of American slavery. Visit the show notes for this episode to find a complete transcript and a list of resources to help you teach the ideas explored by our guests. And educators! Get a professional development certificate for listening to...
Classroom Experiences w/ Tamara Spears and Jordan Lanfair
January 15, 2019 22:23 - 56 minutes - 38.8 MBHow it’s done. Tamara Spears teaches middle school Social Studies in New York and Jordan Lanfair is a high school English Language Arts teacher in Chicago. Each has been developing additional lessons about slavery for years. They share their experiences. With host Hasan Kwame Jeffries. (Teaching Tolerance / Southern Poverty Law Center)
Classroom Experiences – w/ Tamara Spears and Jordan Lanfair
January 15, 2019 22:23 - 57 minutes - 39.4 MBHow it’s done. Tamara Spears teaches middle school Social Studies in New York and Jordan Lanfair is a high school English Language Arts teacher in Chicago. Each has been developing additional lessons about slavery for years. They share their experiences. Educators! Get a professional development certificate for listening to this episode—issued by Learning for Justice. Listen for the special code word, then visit learningforjustice.org/podcastpd. And be sure to visit the show notes for t...
Coming Soon: Stories from the Classroom (and more)
January 14, 2019 19:33 - 3 minutes - 2.74 MBOver the next few episodes, we're bringing Season One to a close. Tune in for stories from the classroom, guidance for elementary teachers and language arts classes. And answers to questions from listeners like you. With host Hasan Kwame Jeffries. (Teaching Tolerance / Southern Poverty Law Center)
Slavery Today w/ James Brewer Stewart
June 29, 2018 18:46 - 1 hour - 48.3 MBEnslavement didn’t end with Emancipation. Historian James Brewer Stewart discusses modern-day slavery happening across the world—and right here in the U.S. – showing educators how to connect the past with the present. With host Hasan Kwame Jeffries. (Teaching Tolerance / Southern Poverty Law Center)
Slavery Today – w/ James Brewer Stewart
June 29, 2018 18:46 - 1 hour - 48.9 MBEnslavement didn’t end with Emancipation. Historian James Brewer Stewart discusses modern-day slavery happening across the world—and right here in the U.S. – showing educators how to connect the past with the present. Visit the show notes for this episode to find a complete transcript and a list of resources to help you teach the ideas explored by our guests. And educators! Get a professional development certificate for listening to this episode—issued by Learning for Justice. Listen fo...
Drop Us A Line – Your Questions. Your Stories. Your Episode!
June 04, 2018 19:13 - 10 minutes - 7.49 MBA listener’s question leads to a meaningful moment. And now we want more! Take a listen, then email [email protected] to tell us your story about teaching hard history for an upcoming, special episode. With host Hasan Kwame Jeffries. (Teaching Tolerance / Southern Poverty Law Center)
Confronting Hard History at Montpelier
May 29, 2018 17:02 - 1 hour - 51.9 MBAt James Madison’s Montpelier, the legacy of enslaved people isn’t silenced—and their descendants have a voice. Christian Cotz, Price Thomas and Dr. Patrice Preston Grimes explain how that happened, and why it’s important. Educators! Get a professional development certificate for listening to this episode—issued by Learning for Justice. Listen for the special code word, then visit learningforjustice.org/podcastpd. And be sure to visit the show notes for this episode, for a complete tran...
Slavery in the Supreme Court – w/ Paul Finkelman
May 10, 2018 06:06 - 55 minutes - 38.6 MBIn the United States, justice was never blind. Historian Paul Finkelman goes beyond legal jargon to illustrate how slavery was entangled with the opinions of the Court—and encoded into the Constitution itself. Visit the show notes for this episode to find a complete transcript and a list of resources to help you teach the ideas explored by our guests. And educators! Get a professional development certificate for listening to this episode—issued by Learning for Justice. Listen for the sp...
Slavery in the Constitution – w/ Dr. Paul Finkelman
April 26, 2018 19:34 - 40 minutes - 28.1 MBConstitutional historian Paul Finkelman explains the deeply racist bargains the founding fathers struck to unify the country under one document and discusses what students should know about how slavery defined the United States after the Revolution. Educators! Get a professional development certificate for listening to this episode—issued by Learning for Justice. Listen for the special code word, then visit learningforjustice.org/podcastpd. And be sure to visit the show notes for this e...
Ten More … Film and the History of Slavery w/ Ron Briley
April 12, 2018 17:45 - 21 minutes - 14.9 MBFilm historian Ron Briley returns with more documentary, feature film & miniseries suggestions for history & English teachers. From Ken Burns to Black Panther, this episode offers background & strategies to incorporate pop culture into classroom lessons. Visit the show notes for this episode to find a complete transcript and a list of resources to help you teach the ideas explored by our guests. And educators! Get a professional development certificate for listening to this episode—issu...
Film and the History of Slavery w/ Ron Briley
March 29, 2018 21:35 - 46 minutes - 32.2 MBFilm has long shaped our nation's historical memory, for good and bad. Film historian Ron Briley offers ways to responsibly use films in the classroom to reframe the typical narrative of American slavery and Reconstruction. Educators! Get a professional development certificate for listening to this episode—issued by Learning for Justice. Listen for the special code word, then visit learningforjustice.org/podcastpd. And be sure to visit the show notes for this episode, for a complete tra...
Diverse Experience of the Enslaved w/ Deirdre Cooper Owens
March 15, 2018 01:41 - 35 minutes - 24.6 MBMost students leave school thinking enslaved people lived like characters in Gone with the Wind. Dr. Deirdre Cooper Owens reveals the remarkable diversity of lived experiences within slavery and explains the gap between what scholars and students know. Visit the show notes for this episode to find a complete transcript and a list of resources to help you teach the ideas explored by our guests. And educators! Get a professional development certificate for listening to this episode—issued...
Resistance Means More Than Rebellion – w/ Kenneth S. Greenberg
March 02, 2018 01:32 - 1 hour - 46.2 MBTo see a more complete picture of the experience of enslaved people, you have to redefine resistance, Dr. Kenneth S. Greenberg offers teachers a lens to help students see the ways in which enslaved people fought back against the brutality of slavery. Educators! Get a professional development certificate for listening to this episode—issued by Learning for Justice. Listen for the special code word, then visit learningforjustice.org/podcastpd. And be sure to visit the show notes for this ...
In the Footsteps of Others: Process Drama – w/ Lindsay Randall
February 15, 2018 23:06 - 43 minutes - 29.9 MBStudents learning about slavery often ask, “Why didn’t enslaved people just run away or revolt?” Lindsay Anne Randall offers a lesson in “Process Drama”—a method teachers can use to answer this question, build empathy and offer perspective. Visit the show notes for this episode to find a complete transcript and a list of resources to help you teach the ideas explored by our guests. And educators! Get a professional development certificate for listening to this episode—issued by Learning...
Dealing With Things As They Are: Creating a Classroom Environment – w/ Steven Thurston Oliver
January 31, 2018 23:14 - 43 minutes - 30.1 MBIn many ways, the U.S. has fallen short of its ideals. How can we explain this to students—particularly in the context of discussing slavery? Professor Steven Thurston Oliver has this advice for teachers: Face your fears. Educators! Get a professional development certificate for listening to this episode—issued by Learning for Justice. Listen for the special code word, then visit learningforjustice.org/podcastpd. And be sure to visit the show notes for this episode, for a complete trans...
Slavery & the Northern Economy – w/ Christy Clark Pujara
January 30, 2018 17:06 - 33 minutes - 23.1 MBWhen we think of slavery as a strictly Southern institution, we perpetuate a “dangerous fiction,” according to Professor Christy Clark-Pujara. Avoid the trap with this episode about the role the North played in perpetuating slavery and the truth behind the phrase “slavery built the United States.” Visit the show notes for this episode to find a complete transcript and a list of resources to help you teach the ideas explored by our guests. And educators! Get a professional development ce...
Slavery & the Civil War, Part 2 – w/ Dr. Bethany Jay
January 29, 2018 20:29 - 29 minutes - 20.7 MBDr. Bethany Jay is back to talk about teaching the end of the Civil War, and how enslaved people’s participation in the war helped subvert the institution of slavery. Educators! Get a professional development certificate for listening to this episode—issued by Learning for Justice. Listen for the special code word, then visit learningforjustice.org/podcastpd. And be sure to visit the show notes for this episode, for a complete transcript and resources to help you teach the ideas explore...
Slavery & the Civil War, Part 1 – w/ Dr. Bethany Jay
January 29, 2018 16:42 - 32 minutes - 22.7 MBWhat really caused the Civil War? In this episode, Salem State University Professor Bethany Jay offers tips for teaching lesser-known history that clarifies this question and cuts through our cloudy national understanding of the Confederacy. With host Hasan Kwame Jeffries. (Teaching Tolerance / Southern Poverty Law Center) Visit the show notes for this episode to find a complete transcript and a list of resources to help you teach the ideas explored by our guests. And educators! Get a pr...