Zinn Education Project
@zinnedproject.bsky.social
Free classroom lessons, workshops, seminars, campaigns, teacher study groups, & more to teach outside the textbook. Coord. by @rethinkingschools.bsky.social & @teachingchange.bsky.social Donate & more: https://linktr.ee/zinneducationproject
Want to know how “Teaching for Black Lives” study groups are changing education? One group coordinator said their goal is to “create spaces to nurture mutual support and resistance in the midst of attacks on teaching honestly about U.S. history, racism, and LGBTQ+ identity.” Find out more: ⬇️ 🧵
Meet the 2025–2026 Study Groups - Teaching for Black Lives
teachingforblacklives.org
“ZEP resources keep me honest & focused, ensuring I check for biased narratives in my classroom. When I couldn’t find materials on Mexican American studies, ZEP had those lessons done & done well, like the ‘Deportations on Trial’ lesson.” — Rian Spellman, HS history teacher, Houston, TX More: ⬇️
Deportations on Trial: Mexican Americans During the Great Depression
Students analyze who is to blame for the illegal mass deportations of Mexican Americans and immigrants during the Great Depression.
zinnedproject.org
I'm struck by the way that social work organizations, which love to point to high-profile social workers, rarely "claim" Michael Schwerner. He was an MSW student for a year, but grew frustrated at the program's neglect of root causes of poverty. Then he gave his life addressing those root causes.
Schwerner, Michael | Mississippi Encyclopedia
Michael (Mickey) Schwerner was the second son of Nathan and Ann Schwerner of New York City, born on 6 November 1939. Nathan, who operated a wig company, and Ann, a former high school teacher, were bot...
mississippiencyclopedia.org
Zinn Education Project@zinnedproject.bsky.social · yesterday#tdih 1964. Bodies of James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman found in Philadelphia, Miss. 💔 Lynched by KKK with deputy sheriff’s help when they investigated burning of church/freedom school. More + lessons ⬇️ on white supremacy & voting rights. 🧵 www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/ci...
Happy book birthday to @edgeofsports.bsky.social "Dave Zirin’s masterful recounting of Howard Zinn's life is rich in political detail & ideological insight, yet delightfully warm & compelling in its storytelling." — J. Nichols Order from Bookshop or library ⬇️ www.zinnedproject.org/materials/th...
The People’s Historian: The Outsized Life of Howard Zinn
Book — Non-fiction. By Dave Zirin. 2026. 400 pages. A biography of iconic radical historian Howard Zinn, examining his life and work as a progressive icon and thought leader through the story of the t...
zinnedproject.org
Historian Dr. Johanna Fernández died on July 30. 💔 She “delivered radical, rigorous thought to the sort of people that institutions love to exclude, w/ swagger & without condescension. May a legion more follow in her footsteps.” — writer @mollycrabapple.bsky.social 🧵 Learn more about Fernández: ⬇️
Democracy Now!@democracynow.org · yesterdayThe Dominican American historian, activist and prison abolitionist Dr. Johanna Fernández died on July 30 at the age of 55.
If Emmett Till had lived, he would be just over 85 years old today.
“If Emmett Till Lived”: Cultural Historian Sarah Lewis on New Book/Exhibit, Visit to Mississippi
More than 70 years after the kidnapping, torture and lynching of 14-year-old Emmett Till in Mississippi, a major new photography exhibit and companion book ask how the world would be different “If Emm...
democracynow.org
#tdih 1964. Bodies of James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman found in Philadelphia, Miss. 💔 Lynched by KKK with deputy sheriff’s help when they investigated burning of church/freedom school. More + lessons ⬇️ on white supremacy & voting rights. 🧵 www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/ci...
Aug. 4, 1964: Civil Rights Workers Bodies Found
The bodies of three lynched civil rights workers (James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and Andrew Goodman) were found in Neshoba County, Mississippi.
zinnedproject.org
"Pull a standard U.S. history textbook off the shelf and you’re unlikely to find more than a paragraph on the 1919 riots; what you do find downplays both racism and Black resistance, while distorting facts in a dangerous 'both sides' framing." Read more ⬇️ www.zinnedproject.org/if-we-knew-o...
Remembering Red Summer — Which Textbooks Seem Eager to Forget
By Ursula Wolfe-Rocca Confronting a national epidemic of white mob violence, 1919 was a time when Black people defended themselves, fought back, and demanded full citizenship in thousands of acts of c...
zinnedproject.org
Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò@olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social · 4d agoI think today's liberals in the US are used to a social environment where pogroms are rare and don't realize the role armed self defense plays in that state of affairs www.history.com/articles/red...
Are educators at your school or district looking for meaningful professional development and a supportive learning community? Check out the “Teaching for Black Lives” Study Group informational session & start your own study group in your school, district, or state. Learn more and register today:
Informational Session: Teaching for Black Lives Study Groups - Teaching for Black Lives
On Tuesday, August 11, Jesse Hagopian, Teaching for Black Lives co-editor and Rethinking Schools editor, will facilitate a 50-minute informational session for educators interested in forming a Teachin...
teachingforblacklives.org
“The People’s Historian shook free an understanding of Zinn I’d never felt, and made me know that we are so, so prepared to live and fight in 2026.” — author Kiese Laymon Check out these upcoming book tour dates to see if Zirin is coming to a city near you: www.zinnedproject.org/materials/th...
The People’s Historian: The Outsized Life of Howard Zinn
Book — Non-fiction. By Dave Zirin. 2026. 400 pages. A biography of iconic radical historian Howard Zinn, examining his life and work as a progressive icon and thought leader through the story of the t...
zinnedproject.org
Democracy Now!@democracynow.org · 2d agoWe speak to author Dave Zirin about his new book, "The People’s Historian: The Outsized Life of Howard Zinn," which chronicles the life and activism of the legendary historian Howard Zinn.
#tdih 1981, PATCO on strike. Pres. Reagan fired the 11,345 striking air traffic controllers who ignored order to return to work & banned them from federal service for life. The DC area airport is named for him. Who is honored in history paves path to today. 🧵 www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/pa...
Aug. 3, 1981: Air Traffic Controllers Strike
The Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) declared a strike.
zinnedproject.org
Great text for discussion in U.S. history classes. What to call the "Civil War"? Names have meaning. Could apply the same question to use of "civil war" in other countries. When is it the correct term? When is it masking a primary perpetrator? (Similar to the both-sidism of "race riot.")
Anthony Conwright@aconwrites.bsky.social · 3d agoCheck out my latest “Don’t Call It The Civil War” for @nytopinion.nytimes.com I explain how the Civil War got its name, and why we should call it “The Slaveholders’ Rebellion.” tinyurl.com/4yk634pc
"We are living through a very dangerous time. . . The paradox of education is precisely this — that as one begins to become conscious one begins to examine the society in which he is being educated." — James Baldwin (born #tdih 1924) "A Talk to Teachers" ⬇️ www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/ja...
Aug. 2, 1924: James Baldwin Born
James Baldwin was born in Harlem, New York.
zinnedproject.org
Dr. Fernandez was a model of how academics can break out of the academy. She believed knowledge was a birthright, and delivered radical, rigorous thought to the sort of people that institutions love to exclude, with swagger and without condescension May a legion more follow in her footsteps
#tdih 1952 22-yr-old WAC Sarah Louise Keys Evans from NC bravely refused to give up her seat for a white man on charter bus from NJ to NC. She was arrested, filed suit (with lawyer Dovey J. Roundtree), & won in Keys v. Carolina Coach Co. #TeachTruth Read ⬇️. 🧵 www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/sa...
Aug. 1, 1952: Sarah Keys Refuses to Give Up Her Seat on a Bus
Sarah Keys refused to give up her seat on a state-to-state charter bus, prompting the landmark court case, Sarah Keys v. Carolina Coach Company.
zinnedproject.org
Johanna Fernández, ¡Presente! We're heartbroken to learn of the passing of Professor Fernández. When we hosted a class with her in 2022, she began by saying "Talking with teachers is one of my favorite activities." More here: www.zinnedproject.org/news/johanna... Listen ⬇️ youtu.be/9fTLscjOR8s?...
Johanna Fernández Audiogram
YouTube video by ZinnEdProject
youtu.be
#tdih 1763 Native nations defeated British soldiers in siege at Ft. Detroit. Pontiac’s Rebellion (1763-1766) included Ottawa, Ojibwas, Potawatomis, Huron, Miami, Weas, Kickapoo, Mascouten, Piankashaw, Delaware, Shawnee, Wyandot, Seneca, & Seneca-Cayuga. Read ⬇️ www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/ba...
July 31, 1763: Chief Pontiac Wins Battle of Bloody Run at Fort Detroit
Fighting alongside Odawa Chief Pontiac, the unified Native warriors defeated 250 British soldiers during their siege at Fort Detroit during Pontiac’s War.
zinnedproject.org
We all know about book bans, but did you know that censorship has spread to national parks? Hear from a Resistance Ranger (in the America 433+ coalition) at a Red Wine & Blue event tonight at 7:30pm ET. Learn what’s happening in parks nationwide & how to fight back. Learn more and register: ⬇️
Want to learn about why history is being erased in our national parks? Join Us!
Over 433 parks, sites, and monuments fall under National Park Service protection, and this Administration is working to remove or alter historical displays. Join us to hear from the founder of Resista...
secure.ngpvan.com
#tdih 1866 Massacre of African Americans in New Orleans at an interracial voting rights convention.💔 Attacked by white mobs and police (that included ex-Confederates). No charges. #TeachReconstruction and long history of voter suppression. Read ⬇️🧵 www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/ju...
July 30, 1866: New Orleans Massacre
The New Orleans Massacre occurred when white residents attacked Black marchers near the reconvened Louisiana Constitutional Convention.
zinnedproject.org
Historian Ida Jones told me that Charlotte Hawkins Brown’s Palmer Memorial Institute was one of four prominent schools for Black children founded and led by Black women educators during the Progressive Era. We talked about the vision those schools shared and what set Brown apart.
How the Black School Movement Shaped America
Historian Ida Jones explains the radical vision of schools like Charlotte Hawkins Brown’s Palmer Memorial Institute.
newsletter.mariannedhenin.com
“It is in moments of shared discovery and debate that students stop viewing history as a static past and begin seeing themselves as active agents of social change.” — Kenyon Andrews, MS special education teacher, Las Vegas, Nevada Read testimonials & lesson: www.zinnedproject.org/materials/co...
#tdih 1910 White mobs massacred African Americans in Slocum, Texas, leading people to flee their land, homes, and businesses. 💔 One more time, economic advancement by African Americans destroyed and/or stolen. #Terrorism #TeachTruth #Reparations 🧵 www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/sl...
July 29, 1910: Slocum Massacre in Texas
Citizens in the small, predominately African American town of Slocum, Texas, were massacred.
zinnedproject.org
Fort Butler Park and Historic Site was announced to be returned to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians after the local town unanimously voted to restore ownership to the Indigenous people at no cost. theemancipator.org/2026/07/24/n...
Cherokee to Reclaim Trail of Tears Starting Point in North Carolina
A site where thousands of Native people were forced to leave their homeland as part of the deadly Trail of Tears will finally be returned to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Murphy, North Caroli...
theemancipator.org
“ZEP provides tools to tap right into students’ natural curiosity. Instead of relying on dry, standard textbooks, you access vibrant primary sources, forgotten stories, & diverse voices that get your students leaning in.” — Roy Dalisay, MS LA teacher, Schuyler, NE Donate: zinnedproject.org/donate
#tdih 1932: U.S. gov’t attacked WWI vets with tanks, bayonets, & tear gas, under leadership of textbook heroes MacArthur, Patton, & Eisenhower. The WWI vets were in Bonus Army. They had come to D.C. to demand promised wartime bonuses. Videos + more ⬇️🧵 www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/bo...
July 28, 1932: Bonus Army Attacked
The U.S. government attacked an encampment of Black and white WWI veterans with tanks, bayonets, and tear gas.
zinnedproject.org
NYC schools did not teach their own city's history of involvement with enslavement. I know. I was a NYC public school student and a NYC public school teacher.
Zinn Education Project@zinnedproject.bsky.social · last wk.In 1991, construction of a new 34-story office in Lower Manhattan unearthed the remains of roughly 15,000 Africans 20 feet below ground. Many were enslaved to build the city. NPS calls it “the oldest & largest known excavated burial site in N. America for both free & enslaved Africans.” 🧵 More: ⬇️
Aurora History Museum opens exhibit showcasing Black history across Colorado sentinelcolorado.com/metro/aurora...
Aurora History Museum opens exhibit showcasing Black history across Colorado - Sentinel Colorado
"The goal of this project has been to work collaboratively to preserve Colorado's rich and complex Black histories, sharing them broadly and integrating their stories and broadening our understanding ...
sentinelcolorado.com
In 1991, construction of a new 34-story office in Lower Manhattan unearthed the remains of roughly 15,000 Africans 20 feet below ground. Many were enslaved to build the city. NPS calls it “the oldest & largest known excavated burial site in N. America for both free & enslaved Africans.” 🧵 More: ⬇️
The New York of the Past Is Still Visible Today. You Just Have to Look. (Gift Article)
Traces of New York’s layered histories can be found scattered throughout its contemporary urban landscape.
nytimes.com
#tdih 1919 Red Summer in Chicago. Began when white police refused to arrest white man who had stoned Black teen, leading teen to drown. Massacres across country. Read ⬇️ with teaching resources, incl. “1919” by @eveewing.bsky.social via @haymarketbooks.org & critique of U.S. history textbooks. 🧵
July 27, 1919: Red Summer in Chicago
Sparked by a white police officer’s refusal to make an arrest in the murder of a Black teenager, violence in Chicago lasted almost a week. At least 38 people were killed and thousands of Black homes w...
zinnedproject.org