Throughout Black History Month in February, the National Constitution Center recognizes extraordinary African Americans and the impact their stories have had on our nation’s history. Explore all programs at the Center

As you build lesson plans, here are some educational resources and opportunities to incorporate learning about and celebrating Black history in your classroom:

• Schedule a free virtual Scholar Exchange and give students the opportunity to discuss civil rights and liberties or the Civil War and Reconstruction Era.

• Include the exploration of primary sources in lessons to help promote a deeper connection and understanding of key moments in Black history. Here are some suggestions—more can be found in our Classroom Resource Library:
• Artifact spotlight videos:
• Blanche Kelso Bruce
• Howard University Sorority Letter
• Hiram Rhodes Revels
• Historic documents:
• W.E.B. DuBois, The Souls of Black Folk (1903)
• Ida B Wells, Self-Help (1892)
• NAACP, “Platform Adopted by National Negro Committee”(1909)

• Use our Constitution 101 student-led course to teach key time periods in Black history:
• Unit 7: America’s Second Founding: Slavery, the Civil War, Emancipation, and Reconstruction
• Unit 8: The 14th Amendment: Citizenship, Freedom, and Equality

Reconstruction and the Constitution

America’s Town Hall:

Reconstruction and the Constitution: A Historical Perspective

Monday, February 10 | 9:45-11:45 a.m. ET

In-person and Online 

The National Constitution Center and the Federal Judicial Center will convene leading historians for conversations on Reconstruction and the Constitution Pamela Brandwein of the University of Michigan, Sherrilyn Ifill of Howard University School of Law, and Ilan Wurman of the University of Minnesota Law School will explore the 14th Amendment and the history of Reconstruction, and Martha Jones of Johns Hopkins University, Kate Masur of Northwestern University, and Dylan Penningroth of the University of California, Berkeley, will delve into the broader legal and social effects of Reconstruction beyond the amendments. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates. 

Live Student Programs

As part of the National Constitution Center’s Black History Month programming, we are offering two live student programs in February. If you cannot attend at the live time, please register and a recording of the program will be made available to you for viewing with your students on-demand.

🗓️ Civil Rights Virtual Tour With The Henry Ford

Tuesday, February 4 | Noon ET

Join the NCC, in virtual partnership with The Henry Ford, as we celebrate the birthday of civil rights leader Rosa Parks. Tour the bus Parks was riding the day she refused to give up her seat to a white passenger, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a pivotal event in the Civil Rights Movement. Students will learn more about Parks’ life and work, get the opportunity to explore the archives of the Henry Ford Museum, and hear the stories of other people central to the fight for equality. Register your students to attend

🗓️ Civil War and Reconstruction Virtual Tour: The History of Black Labor

Tuesday, February 25 | Noon ET

Explore the Center’s compelling exhibit, Civil War and Reconstruction: the Battle for Freedom and Equality, as one of our museum educators leads participants through the history and significance of Black labor during the Antebellum, Civil War, and Reconstruction periods. Register your students to attend

Professional Learning Session

Equality in the Constitution

Wednesday, February 19 | 6:30–8 p.m. ET

Join us for a free virtual professional learning session that will explore the 14th Amendment and the battles for equality in America.

Educators will examine the clauses of the 14th Amendment and the battle over their meaning from Reconstruction to the Supreme Court’s landmark decision on marriage equality in Obergefell v. Hodges. We will also explore America’s first and second civil rights movements, the Constitution and women, and modern interpretations of the 14th Amendment.

The Latest Constitution Daily Blogs

The birthright citizenship question and the Constitution

“On taking office, President Trump issued a Birthright Citizenship order entitled “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship.” The order argues that ‘the Fourteenth Amendment has never been interpreted to extend citizenship universally to everyone born within the United States. The Fourteenth Amendment has always excluded from birthright citizenship persons who were born in the United States but not ‘subject to the jurisdiction thereof.’”...Read more

Do presidential pardons remove the Fifth Amendment rights of recipients?

“Before leaving the White House, President Joe Biden granted several pardons to people who may be asked to testify in the future before Congress. But do those pardons, if accepted, remove the recipients’ rights to “take the Fifth” if subpoenaed during a federal investigation?”...Read more

Connect With Us

Constitution 101 | Professional Learning | Virtual Student Programs | Events Calendar 

About the National Constitution Center’s Educational Resources 

The National Constitution Center provides K-12 curriculum, professional learning, and student programs that make constitutional education engaging and relevant. Learn more at: constitutioncenter.org/education or contact the NCC Education team at [email protected].

Update your email preferences by clicking the Update Profile link below to subscribe to other National Constitution Center newsletters and manage how often you hear from us.