White Supremacy in History: a Learning Opportunity

There are so many ways to honor and celebrate Black History Month, from seeking out movies and literature that center Black joy to teaching about lesser known Black historical figures in your classroom. As we head into the final week of February, we'd like to share with you an opportunity to learn about the complexities of teaching history: whose narratives are generally considered "true" and why. This coming Tuesday, join the CRCNA Office of Race Relations for a Virtual Roundtable Discussion on this question: "Why do white people and Black people remember the history of racial injustice so differently?" The mission of this free event, titled Black History / White Memory, is to teach the "importance of seeing history from other perspectives than your own and arouse a curiosity in the collective story." ​ Before you head to the event on Tuesday, check out this interview with a Harvard historian about his upcoming book called “Teaching White Supremacy: The Textbook Battle Over Race in American History.” In this book, Donald Yacovone pays particularly close attention to the pattern of history textbooks from the 19th and 20th centuries defining 'American' as "...white and only white." Through his research, Yacovone hopes to show the importance of teaching hard history in the classroom: "This is essential work that has to be done. If America is to be a nation that fulfills its democratic promise, the history of slavery and white supremacy have to be taught in schools across the country. We need to acknowledge that white supremacy remains an integral part of American society and we need to understand how we got to where we are." This is the final week of Black History Month, but it is imperative that you carry your curiosity, energy, and passion for a more equitable approach to education past the end of February. Check out our home page for more workshops and learning opportunities this week that will inspire you to keep the ball rolling! ​ *This event has past but please check out the link above for more information from this organization.