Students in Ariel Alford’s African American history class at Hayfield Secondary School (FCPS) learned from two artists-turned-educators based in the United Kingdom who shared their stories and curriculum modules designed to champion people of African and African diaspora heritage.

“The Color Line…Teach it! Reconstructing the South…Teach it! Teaching SNCC…Teach it! What we don’t learn about the Prison Industrial Complex…Teach it! The Black Panther Party…Teach it! Who Gets to Vote? Teach it! Those were the chants heard at the African American Civil War Memorial in DC on Saturday, June 11 for the #TeachTruth event hosted nationally by the Zinn Education Project, African American Policy Forum, and Black Lives Matter at School.

By Vanessa Williams

Walking into the front office of Hayfield Secondary School (ACPS), you’re greeted warmly by the office assistant and with cold-looking portraits of the past administrative staff at the school. Nestled in a classroom inconspicuously on the second floor, Ms. Ariel Alford is prepared to launch into a lesson on Black Lives Matter from an international perspective, focusing that day on Denmark.

D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice and the African American Civil War Memorial and Museum invited D.C. area teachers and allies to a convening to decry the GOP legislation that would require teachers to lie to students about the role of racism, sexism, heterosexism, and oppression throughout U.S. history on Saturday, June 12. The rally was part of a national day of action to Teach the Truth organized by the Zinn Education Project and Black Lives Matter at School.

Teachers in our Stories from Our Classrooms alumni group responded to the following prompt in their session on January 28: “In a school where Black Lives Matter, we….” This visioning was ideal preparation for the DC Black Lives Matter Week of Action in Schools.  Read more >>