Labor & Employment Law

AFT, NEA Offer Black History Month Teaching Tools

By James Parks

AFT and the National Education Association (NEA) have compiled resources to help educators celebrate February as Black History Month.

The AFT site here highlights key facts and figures about African Americans, important historical events, influential figures and the continuing contributions of African Americans. For instance, did you know that Elijah McCoy, an African American, invented an oil-dripping cup for trains. Other inventors tried to copy McCoy’s oil-dripping cup, but none worked as well as his, so customers started asking for “the real McCoy.” The expression is still used today when people want the best or the genuine article. 

The AFT site also features a special focus on the landmark 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education, which made segregation in public schools illegal.  The site includes profiles of the suit?s leaders, key events, recommended readings for grades K-12 and links to primary documents and lesson plans. There also is a video highlighting AFT?s efforts to obtain civil rights for all and desegregate America?s classrooms.

The NEA is joining with dozens of partners to present star-studded  tributes to honor human rights in America and around the world. Click here for more information on the tributes, which will include such big stars as B.B. King, Ludacris and Jessye Norman.

To help teachers integrate Black History Month into their classroom, NEA offers a selection of lesson plans, activities and other instructional tools that cover a variety subjects and that can be adapted to fit multiple grade levels.

Check out the NEA Black History Month site here.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on February 18, 2011 (boomark / email).