Facing History & Ourselves

As we celebrate Pride Month, we're sharing a recently-updated list of Facing History resources that lift up the history and contemporary experiences of LGBTQIA+ upstanders. From professional learning opportunities to practical tools for classroom use, click through and find inspiration to make the most of this important commemoration.

LGBTQIA+ Resources from Facing History Make space to connect with and lift up the history and contemporary experiences of LGBTQIA+ upstanders.

On June 25, 1964, journalist Walter Cronkite addressed the nation in a segment about James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner—three civil rights activists who had recently disappeared while conducting voter outreach in rural Mississippi. This broadcast galvanized public opinion and government response, eventually leading to the revelation that the three missing men had been murdered by the Ku Klux Klan. While Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner tragically lost their lives for their cause, their efforts were just one of countless collaborations between the Black and Jewish communities during the civil rights era. Click through to read an Ideas This Week article that details moments of historical solidarity from this "Grand Alliance."

“When we stand together, we are a formidable force”: Four Powerful Examples of Black and Jewish Solidarity In anticipation of a new PBS docuseries, Facing History & Ourselves highlights vital moments of collaboration from this so-called “Grand Alliance.”

“The 250th anniversary is more than a birthday. It is an invitation for educators to push past the surface-level fireworks and invite students into the ongoing, messy, and hopeful work of strengthening our democracy.”

With America’s Semiquincentennial on the horizon, Director of Civic Education Erica Hodgin and Senior Director for Organizational Thought Leadership and Special Initiatives Daniel Braunfeld have written a thoughtful piece that delves into the complexity of this celebration and details how Facing History is helping build democratic classrooms and develop civic agency in the next generation.

Beyond the Fireworks: Facing the Complexity of the US at 250 As we enter our semiquincentennial, let us balance celebration and reflection to honor what we've built while working toward our civic aspirations.