Celebrate Juneteenth!

 Though slavery technically ended with the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863 and the Civil War effectively ended April 9, 1865, the announcement of the end of slavery did not reach Texas until June 19, 1865. On that day, General Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas, and announced that slavery had ended and that … read more »

Learning History Through the Stories of Powerful Women

“I had to make my own living and my own opportunity. But I made it! Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them.” Madam C. J. Walker Have you heard of Madam C. J. Walker? She is famous for being one of the first African-American female millionaires. With … read more »

Beyond Pirouettes: How Dance Fosters Global Citizens in the Classroom

I see dance being used as communication between body and soul, to express what it too deep to find for words. – Ruth St. Denis As a proud dance dad with four daughters who eat, sleep, and breathe dance, I’ve come to appreciate dance’s impact on shaping young minds. It’s not just about pirouettes or … read more »

Introducing Women as Changemakers Using Multimedia Text Sets

On December 23, 1867, in Delta, Louisiana, Sara Breedlove was born, and she became a remarkable changemaker better known as Madam C.J. Walker. Her transformative contributions revolutionized African-American women’s hair care and cosmetic industries while establishing her as the first American woman to amass a million dollars. Modern-day changemakers such as Ketanji Brown Jackson and … read more »

Research Skills in the Classroom

Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose. Zora Neale Hurston Most known for writing and researching race, slavery, folklore, and the African-American experience, Zora Neale Hurston was a Harlem Renaissance writer and American anthropologist. While many students characterize research as daunting and many teachers find research skills challenging to teach, … read more »