I am so grateful for the Zinn Education Project and the Teach the Black Freedom Struggle series. As an equity coach for the Somerville, Massachusetts, school district, it is my job to not only coach educators in their classrooms, but to also provide rich and transformational professional development experiences. One priority topic has been for educators to learn more about Black history, and to do so through a lens of strength, contribution, celebration, and joy. The Teaching the Black Freedom Struggle series is the perfect fit! This series teaches many of us stories we had never learned before — stories of brilliance, resilience, resistance, and massive contributions to our country.
Based on the gift of this series, I was able to design a for-credit professional development series in which educators attend the monthly classes (led by amazing historians!) and then engaged in both in-person and online community discussions. Each month, educators share what was striking, provocative, and/or new knowledge, as well as how they might bring these histories into their learning environments. It is so powerful that educators have asked for us to offer it again.
Here are some responses to our collective experience:
I learned a lot in this PD and really appreciated the sharing of resources. I incorporated some texts and resources almost immediately into my U.S. history classroom, like a chapter from The Sum of Us.
It has broadened my thinking on equitable practices and made me explore the bias that Black students face daily. It has supported me to reflect on my own practice and how I will bring the stories I heard into the classroom.
I feel more compelled to directly explore some of these topics in my social studies class, and also feel more compelled to unpack and critique my own practices and my district’s practices.
It has helped to serve as a reminder that inequities exist even in my own classroom. It has framed the way I approach difficult conversations.
This PD has offered me many opportunities to hear from a variety of voices and reflect on my own practice. It has me thinking about ways to bring what I learned, especially the stories of others.
This PD opened my eyes to the Black history that I have never been exposed to. I learned more in depth about the history of African Americans and how their history still impacts our lives today and our communities.
I developed awareness that the Black Freedom Struggle is ongoing and by incorporating Black history and the amazing contributions and hurdles Black people have overcome, we can empower our students.
As the presenters say, or imply in each Zinn Ed Project session, history instruction and content can enable the white supremacy status quo or it can disrupt it. I want my curriculum to disrupt it.
Heidi Given was the equity coach for the Somerville School District in 2024. The Somerville Teaching for Black Lives Study Group has continued to attend the monthly Teach the Black Freedom Struggle class, now with the leadership of Jamie Ballerini and Maggie Simeone.