There are many phrases used in education circles; the phrase reading is fundamental must be one of the most used. I used to scoff at the phrase as a child. Sadly, it wasn’t until college where I actually believed...
Tag - Black History
If you take the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, add the massive Black-white wealth gap, and then mix in America’s ungodly lack of social safety nets; Black families are about to be served a hellacious helping of...
On March 13, 2020 at 10:14AM, I posted, If the School District of Philadelphia shuts down, I will offer free virtual African American History instruction to any child currently taking the course (regardless of whether...
But what of black women?… I most sincerely doubt if any other race of women could have brought its fineness up through so devilish a fire. – W.E.B DuBois Two of the dopest Black women I know decided to merge Black...
Have you ever sat in a staff meeting where the tension was so thick you can cut it with a knife, where you were not sure if a comment would spark an all-out race riot amongst teachers? Well, three years ago I sat in...
“Until the lion tells his side of the story, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.” While many Americans are waiting with baited breath for July 4, today Black people around the...
Teaching in Philly is hard. Five billion dollars are necessary to complete all outstanding repairs in our buildings. Teachers reach into their own pockets for classroom supplies, playing the roles of librarian, counselor, and...
Almost every December 31, at 7:00 p.m., my family joins the Avenging the Ancestors Coalition (ATAC) to honor our ancestors who awaited in breathtaking suspense for Lincoln’s promise of an Emancipation Proclamation. This...
I Started This School Year Talking About My History So My Students Could Discover Their Own Identity
I started this year with only two things on my mind: 1) helping my students develop positive racial identities and 2) building a community within a community. Last year, because of the events that happened in Charlottesville...
On June 19, 1865, two years after Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation freeing (only) some of the enslaved, Union Major General Gordon Granger, rode into Galveston, Texas and announced: The people of Texas are informed...