How can you teach about Black History Month and meet the demands of the Common Core English Language Arts Standards? Read short stories and poems by great African American authors! Here are our top 10 selections to help you integrate Black History Month into your classroom:
With Abraham Lincoln’s victory in the 1860 presidential election ensured, South Carolina was spurred into action. On December 20, 1860, after a 15-day convention, delegates voted 169-0 to leave the Union, approving the South Carolina Ordinance of Secession. The ordinance was soon followed by the publication of the Declaration of Causes of Secession, written by Christopher G. Memminger and explaining the reasons behind South Carolina’s decision.
On July 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Emancipation Proclamation to his cabinet, seeking comments for revisions. The executive order freed the slaves from the ten states in rebellion, applying to approximately 3.1 million of the 4 million slaves in the United States.
On July 4, 1854, William Lloyd Garrison set fire to a copy of the U.S. Constitution. “A covenant with death,” he called it, “and an agreement with hell.” Holding the parchment above his head, he repeated forcefully a psalmic rouse to the hundreds of men and women gathered around him: “And let all the people say, Amen.” The crowd exploded: “Amen!”
Distinguished scholar-teachers Amy and Leon Kass demonstrate how short stories, speeches, and songs can be used to enhance civic education and how a pedagogical approach that stresses learning through inquiry can make primary sources come alive for students of all ages.
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“What a wonderful collection of American songs, speeches, and stories. It should be valuable for teachers, students, parents, and readers of all kinds.”
— Diane Ravitch