Black History Month

Get resources for Black Lives Matter at School. Every year in February, educators across the country participate in a week of action to promote racial equity and to counter racism and xenophobia in our schools. Also check out lessons and resources for Black History Month from the NEA.

#BLMAtSchool Resources NEA Resources

Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968)

Timeline of Events in Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Life
A timeline of the life of Dr. King by the Louisiana State University library.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford
An extensive collection of speeches and sermons by and articles about Dr. King plus a wide variety of resources.
Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement
Produced by the Seattle Times — includes news stories, resources, perspectives and more.

ReadWriteThink
A lesson plan for primary grades from the National Council of Teachers of English. Includes a printable template for a Martin Luther King, Jr. and Me journal.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Archive at Boston University
Includes information for educators and students.
Glossary of Non-Violence
Produced by The King Center, which promotes King's philosophy and strategy of nonviolence to eliminate, poverty, racism and violence.
Classroom resources for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Lesson plans, activity ideas and other resources from the NEA.

Nelson Mandela (1918-2013)

From Rebel to Statesman: Teaching About the Life of Nelson Mandela
A wide array of resources about the late civil rights icon from The New York Times blog, "The Learning Network."
The Nelson Mandela Digital Archive Project
A collection of online exhibits, photos and stories produced by the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
The Long Walk of Nelson Mandela
Teaching resources from PBS' "Frontline."
The Best Sites for Learning About Nelson Mandela
A vast collection curated by education blogger Larry Ferlazzo that includes audio, quotes, news stories and remembrances of the South African president.

Barack Obama (1961- )

Barack Obama Presidential Library
Presidential library administered by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), a federal agency.
Biography.com
Offers a written biography as well as photo gallery and video clips from the Biography television series. Students can take an online quiz to see how much they know about our first African American president.
NYTimes.com
News about Barack Obama, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Rosa Parks (1913-2005)

Bus Boycott:: Historical Documents Highlight Integration Milestone
A collection of primary resources and corresponding activities that sheds light on the endurance of peaceful protesters in Montgomery, Ala., who overturned an unjust law.
National Public Radio Parks Archive
Listen to excerpts of interviews with Parks as well as coverage of her 2005 death.
Rosa Parks Library and Museum
Located at Troy University, Montgomery, Alabama.
Heroes and Their Impact: Rosa Parks
A lesson plan for grades 3-5 from Learning to Give, a civil and philanthropic education project based in Michigan.

Brown vs. Board of Education

Looking Back: Brown v. Board of Education
Listen to National Public Radio (NPR) reports the anniversary with legal correspondent Nina Totenberg and other reporters.
Supreme Court Decision
Primary document posted on FindLaw.
Brown. v. Board of Education Reenactment
Educational resources and activities created by the U.S. Courts.

Trial of Anthony Burns

Few incidents galvanized the anti-slavery movement in Massachusetts and the nation like the 1854 trial of fugitive slave Anthony Burns.

The Attempted Rescue of Anthony Burns
Background readings and questions for reflection provided by Assumption College.
Anthony Burns: A History
The full text of Charles Emery Stevens' 1856 book posted by Documenting the American South at the University of North Carolina
The Trial of Anthony Burns
Key themes, questions and historical connections compiled by Massachusetts-based theater company Theatre Espresso

The Civil Rights Movement

A collection of videos curated by the Choices Program at Brown University.

More Educator Resources

U.S. Dept. of Education: African-American History: 10 Ways to Cultivate Greater Appreciation
The New York Times Lesson Plans: Celebrating Black History
Birth of a Nation, the NAACP, and the Balancing of Rights from the National Endowment for the Humanities
Black Inventor Online Museum: Includes Lewis Temple, the New Bedford blacksmith who improved the design of the whaling harpoon.
Little Known Facts About Black History from Biography.com.
African American Lives: Lesson plans for grades 6-8 and 9-12 from PBS's genealogy series.
The Hall of Black Achievement An online gallery of famous African Americans, many with Massachusetts roots and ties: documentary filmmaker Henry Hampton, scholar W.E.B. Dubois, community organizer Melnea Cass and others. Sponsored by Bridgewater State University.

Each year, the American Library Association honors black authors and illustrators with the Coretta Scott King Awards. Past winners are listed online.
The Black Press: Soldiers Without Swords: An online study guide produced by PBS includes sample lessons, a quiz, and transcripts of interviews with prominent black journalists.
Boston African American National Historic Site :Take a virtual tour of Boston's Black Heritage Trail or link to online biographies, timelines and resources on local Black history. Topics on this site, hosted by the National Park Service, include the Underground Railroad, Blacks in the Civil War, and School Desegregation.
African American History: A directory to the resources of the Library of Congress related to African American history in the U.S. including an African American Pamphlet collection, slave narratives, and materials on Jackie Robinson and gospel music.