Hello colleagues, Those teaching American history as part of an HSE or civics class may be interested in checking out this Teaching for Tolerance series of 10 five-minute videos on the key concepts of slavery's impact on the lives of enslaved people as well as how slavery influenced the development of the US as a nation. The video series also discusses the lasting and hugely significant contributions of enslaved people to American culture.
Each video features a well-known spokesperson, who explains one of the 10 key concepts. For example, best selling author and Professor and Director of the Antiracist and Policy Center at American University, Ibram X. Kendi, discusses Concept 1: "Slavery, which Europeans practiced before they invaded the Americas, was important to all colonial powers and existed in all North American colonies" and Concept 9: "Enslaved and freed people worked to maintain cultural traditions while building new ones that sustain communities and impact the larger world."
Each of these brief videos also includes an easily downloadable set of text-dependent questions complete with an answer key for the teacher. Teachers can choose any one of the key concepts to focus on for instruction. Each video includes close-captioning, and also has a downloadable transcript which is available on YouTube.
Though addressing this aspect of US history can be challenging, it is essential to bring this componet of our history to our classrooms. I'm grateful to the Teaching for Tolerance project for making this remarkable video series available to teachers.
You are invited to let us know how you integrate these videos into your instruction.
Cheers, Susan Finn Miller
Moderator, Teaching & Learning CoP