Black History Month offers a wonderful opportunity to explore the many remarkable people, events, and accomplishments that have shaped our nation and changed our lives forever.
As you look for ways to bring a new dimension to these powerful milestones, consider ways to go beyond what’s commonly covered to help your students draw more meaningful connections to their learning. Introduce your class to the first African American women to travel to space or dig into the impact of the Harlem Renaissance. Offering new perspectives and experiences will drive deeper cultural understanding and help your students seem themselves in the history.
Celebrating Black History
All Grade Levels
Find everything you need in this comprehensive collection of high-quality content and vetted Black History Month learning resources found through your DE platform. Browse content highlighting the lives and contributions of Black writers, soldiers, scientists, politicians, artists, and more! Learn about a variety of prominent figures in history with resources while offering new perspectives and helping students see themselves in history.
African American Experiences
All Grade Levels
Show students how the contributions, struggles, and triumphs of African Americans are woven into the fabric of American history and culture. Developed in partnership with Los Angeles Unified School District, these learning resources are organized by two frameworks: the Learning for Justice Social Justice Standards and the African American Studies curriculum organization of Culture, History, and Politics. Students will learn about America’s complex history, gain insight into the experiences of classmates, and imagine a more equitable future for all.
Ready-to-Use Activities
All Grade Levels
Explore these ready-to-use activities to incorporate into your Black History Month lesson! Spanning all grade levels, browse Sentence Fix-Its for younger students or full February Activity Calendars for grades K-8 that offer an activity for every day of the month! Or, check out this comprehensive Student Choice Board that lets students pick from a variety of topics to follow their own interests and then “show what they know” with one of the recommended SOS Instructional Strategies.
Hidden Figuras: How Mae Jemison Diversified Space
Grades 6-8, 9-12
Introduce students to Mae Jemison, the first female African American astronaut to travel to space and one of the most accomplished women of her time—in addition to astronaut, she is also a doctor, engineer, author, and philanthropist!
This video is also a part of our BESE Channel, a curated collection of digital resources that recontextualize narratives around how young people connect to today’s America. Founded by actress Zoe Saldana, each series from BESE promotes inclusivity and navigates the American tapestry of cultures, identities, and nations.
Find more timely and relevant resources through our This Month at DE blogs and Studio Boards!
Honor the Red Tails
Grades 3-5, 6-8. 9-12
Share the incredible true story of the Red Tail Squadron as told by Colonel Charles McGee, one of the last living members of the Tuskegee Airmen. Dive into the history of the Tuskegee Airmen and the accomplishments of African American pilots during World War II. Then learn how the Red Tails fought, not only to protect American lives, but to also end segregation and racism in the US Armed Forces. End the video with a panel discussion featuring Colonel McGee and his fellow Tuskegee Airman, Cadet William T. Fauntroy, Jr., as well as Command Sergeant Major Michele S. Jones—the first woman in the U.S. Army Reserve to reach the esteemed position.
African American History: Achievement in a Hostile Era
Grades 3-5, 6-8
Celebrate the achievements of black advancement and pride at the turn of the 20th century with this insightful audio clip. From George Washington Carver to ragtime musician Scott Joplin and writer Paul Lawrence Dunbar, the track reviews the accomplishments of African Americans in the arts and sciences while going on to explain the contrasting ideologies of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois, two leaders who made a lasting difference in American history and culture.
Curiosity: Rosa Parks
Grades PreK-2, 3-5
Part of the Discovery Education Curiosity series, this animated video for younger students expands on the incredible life of Rosa Parks and highlights the many remarkable contributions she made to the civil rights movement. Show students how Parks fought against segregation and Jim Crow laws as a young woman, made history in 1955 when she refused to give up her bus seat for white passengers, and then continued to stand up for civil rights until her death in 2005 at the age of 92.
