AFT, NEA Offer Black History Month Teaching Tools

by James Parks, Jan 31, 2010

AFT and the National Education Association (NEA) have compiled a variety of resources to help educators celebrate Black History Month, which begins Feb. 1.

The AFT site here highlights key facts and figures about African Americans, important historical events, influential figures and the continuing contributions of African Americans. For instance, did you know that African Americans were largely responsible for developing our railway system? More than 40 different patents were awarded to African Americans for inventions of machinery and parts vital to the function of trains, tracks and passenger safety.

This AFT site features a special focus on the landmark 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education, which made segregation in public schools illegal. The site includes profiles of the suit’s leaders, key events, recommended readings for grades K-12 and links to primary documents and lesson plans. There also is a video highlighting AFT’s efforts to obtain civil rights for all and desegregate America’s classrooms.

The NEA has joined with syndicated radio and TV host Tavis Smiley and the America I AM exhibition to offer educators a historically relevant, culturally diverse curriculum for use in classrooms as part of Black History Month observances.

America I AM lesson plans, activity sheets and other learning materials tailored around African American history and its impact on the country are available free of charge for the length of the exhibition’s four-year run at www.americaiam.org.

The educational materials are tailored by grade level, covering grades 5 through 12, and can be used as a stand-alone history unit or linked to other curricula, including social studies, economics, math, art and literature.

The exhibition is currently on display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles and will travel to other cities over the next four years.

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