BRI's Educator Newsletter

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Its origin was "Negro History Week," established by historian Carter G. Woodson and other eminent African Americans in February of 1926. It would expand to a month-long celebration in the coming decades in communities and college campuses throughout the nation. It wasn't until 1976 when President Gerald Ford officially recognized February as Black History Month, urging all Americans to "seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

BRI is proud to celebrate and highlight the achievements of Black Americans from many backgrounds in the resources in this newsletter. You can start by checking out this playlist on our new website. ([link removed])

BRI Lessons and Resources

Barbara Jordan, Watergate, and Justice
In this lesson ([link removed]) , students will learn how Barbara Jordan sought justice during the Watergate scandal. They will also learn how they can protect justice in their lives.

The Blues and the Great Migration
In this lesson from our free digital U.S. History resource ([link removed]) , ([link removed]) developed by and included with the permission of Teach Rock, students will analyze various accounts of the Great Migration to address the following question: How did the Great Migration spread Southern culture and help give the blues a central place in American popular music?

On My Own Ground: Madam C.J. Walker and Identity
In this narrative and lesson ([link removed]) , students will understand how Madam C. J. Walker challenged the gender roles, prejudice, and discrimination of her times in America.

Courage Under Fire: The Selfless Decision of John Robert Fox
John Robert Fox was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in May 1915. Fox was from an ordinary family in an ordinary city leading an ordinary life, yet he would grow up to embody the virtues of self-sacrifice and courage. Learn more with this narrative and lesson. ([link removed])

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What timeless messages does the James Baldwin-William F. Buckley Debate teach about the discussion about race in the 1960s? ** In this week's Scholar Talk video ([link removed])
, BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams sits down with ** Nicholas Buccola ([link removed])
, writer and expert in American political thought, to discuss Buccola's new book, The Fire is Upon Us.

BRI News and Other Opportunities
Does the U.S. Government Have the Authority to Address Perceived Racism?
President Biden has signed a number of executive orders in his first few weeks in office. A few of these have been civil rights measures designed to bring an end to perceived discriminatory policies. These orders have raised important constitutional questions regarding the role of the federal government in addressing racism. ** Encourage your students to join in on this latest debate on Think the Vote. ([link removed])
The students and their referring teachers who make the strongest case on each side win gift cards and Bill of Rights Institute swag.

Stossel Essay and Video Contest: $20k in Cash and Prizes
Encourage your students to put their critical thinking and creative skills to work by entering ** Stossel in the Classroom's essay & video contests ([link removed])
. This year's topic is inspired by the recent @SpaceX mission and has entrants examining the relationship between entrepreneurship & innovation. Plus, teachers could win one of 20 $25 gift cards!

** ([link removed])
Podcast: Selma, Montgomery, and "Good Trouble"
** In this Fabric of History podcast episode ([link removed])
, Gary, Mary, and Eryn reflect on a particularly important moment in the civil rights movement, the march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965, exploring how the events of Selma fit into the bigger picture of the civil rights movement and the passage of the Voting Rights Act.

BoE: Bottom of Email

Dear John,

I am especially grateful to be able to celebrate Black History Month this year. Honoring the incredible Black lives that are part of our shared history is even more important in the wake of last summer's protests and the ongoing racial challenges that so many communities are facing.

How are you celebrating in your classroom? In your community? I have committed to watching or reading a biographical piece each day about Black Americans I don't already know much about. I am regularly inspired by the lives of ** Frederick Douglass, ([link removed])
** Martin Luther King, Jr ([link removed])
., ** Ida B. Wells ([link removed])
, ** Harriet Tubman ([link removed])
, ** Rosa Parks ([link removed])
, ** Elizabeth Eckford ([link removed])
, and more, but I want to explore lesser-known stories. What do you suggest? I already have ** Henrietta Lacks ([link removed])
, ** Percy Julian ([link removed])
, ** Jacob Lawrence ([link removed])
, ** Vivien Thomas, ([link removed])
** Anna Julia Cooper ([link removed])
, ** Mary Church Terrell ([link removed])
on my list. Who should I add? Reach out to us on Twitter or Facebook!

As we start this month, I am inspired by the words of Martin Luther King, Jr. in his ** Letter from a Birmingham Jail ([link removed])
. I hope you will be too...

"Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our fear-drenched communities, and in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty."

Warmly,

Rachel Davison Humphries
Director, Outreach
Bill of Rights Institute
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