Ideas This Week
Ideas This Week is your hub for updates on all things Facing History—from announcements and featured press to expert interviews, impact stories, and essays on the ideas driving our work.
Contracting and Re-Contracting in the New Year
Elizabeth Carroll, New England Program Director at Facing History, explores the value of contracting and re-contracting in January each year.
![Photo of students smiling in class with a teacher](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-04/students_smiling_class_teacher_photo.png?h=a6c55029&itok=m-jGZ2IZ)
9 Resources for Teaching about MLK's Legacy
Here are 9 Facing History resources that can help you reflect on your own teaching practices, teach the history of the Civil Rights Movement, and explore contemporary issues around racial justice and democracy in the United States.
![Black and white photo of MLK and Mathew Ahmann in a Crowd](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-04/Civil_Rights_March_MLK_Mathew_Ahmann_crowd.jpeg?h=c652c7b1&itok=wD55zs-I)
Facing History on Martin Luther King Day: A message to our educators
Martin Luther King Day is a moment for reflection and service; for considering the life and legacy of an extraordinary individual; and for recommitting ourselves to the unfinished work he championed. At a time of extraordinary bigotry and violence, Dr. King challenged all Americans to confront our history of racial discrimination, to open our eyes to injustice, and to be intentional about building a better future.
![B&W photo of Martin Luther King Junior giving a speech](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-04/martin_luther_king_jr_speech_b%26w.jpeg?h=243ab64f&itok=KywjX2nD)
COP26, Environmental Justice, and Human Rights
The 26th U.N. Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) that took place in Glasgow, Scotland from October to November 2021 was, in many ways, a historic event. However, even though the COP remains a crucial space for international cooperation in the fight against climate disaster, there is notable consternation over the unique burdens that various policies may place on poorer nations and those most vulnerable to adverse climate events.
![Photo of Earth and African continent from space](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-04/photo_earth_from_space.jpeg?h=a8d93925&itok=dhi2SXIm)
6 New Books on Human Rights
Below are 6 books published in 2021 that speak to underacknowledged dimensions of human rights in history, teaching, and contemporary global society.
![The words, "human rights" are highlighted within a text.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-04/istock-178100128_human_rights_text.png?h=a6c55029&itok=rh8-tcu0)
The Power of Native Language Revitalization
Learn about the Wôpanâak Language Reclamation Project, one of many grassroots efforts dedicated to healing the lasting wounds inflicted by residential schools and cultural genocide of Native peoples.
![Still of jessie baird from We Still Live Here - Âs Nutayuneân (Makepeace Productions, 2011).](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-05/still_jessie_baird_we_stil_live_here_as_nutayunean_makepeace_productions_2011.jpeg?h=7843b95a&itok=hO0bfEUt)
7 Must-See Films on Native American History and Life
The seven documentaries series listed below cover wide-ranging subject matter including Native American peoples’ roles within and perspectives about the film medium, the women’s rights movement, K-12 education, political leadership, literary arts, musical performance, and language protection efforts.
![A portion of the Without a Whisper documentary film poster.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-05/without_whisper_film_poster.jpeg?h=e2256408&itok=3Pm57673)
Teaching Settler Colonialism: Lessons from Canada
Jasmine Wong—Senior Program Associate for Facing History Canada—discusses her team’s groundbreaking work on their case study and curricular program Stolen Lives: The Indigenous Peoples of Canada and the Indian Residential Schools, including the wins and challenges her team has encountered while executing this work, and takeaways that educators can consider as they explore how to address settler colonialism in their own contexts.
![Cree Students Classroom All Saints Indian Residential School Lac La Ronge Saskatchewan March 1945.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-05/CreeStudentsClassroomAllSaintsIndianResidentialSchoolLacLaRongeSaskatchewanMarch1945CreditBudGlunzNationalFilmBoardCanada.jpg?h=c66e968f&itok=I0CwGxxk)
5 New YA Books on Native American Lives
Members of our staff are exploring these five new books published written by a group of Indigenous authors across North America for readers ages 12 and up and we invite you to explore them alongside us. These texts address themes including Indigenous youth navigating adolescent identity, community, and resistance.
6 Indigenous-Led COP26 Events You Can Stream
With the 26th U.N. Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) currently taking place, Facing History hand-selected a curated list of conference events that speak to the Indigenous ways of conceiving of the natural world and its relationship to humanity.
![Indigenous Justice is Climate Justice sign in crowd protesting for environmental justice.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-06/ijicj_large.jpeg?h=5dc822d2&itok=9Da4VNUE)
5 New Books on Native American History, Life, and Resistance
In honor of Native American Heritage Month this November, Facing History staff members selected five new books exploring significant thematic grounds of Native American history and identity to highlight the importance of engaging students in exploring the histories and contemporary realities of Native American peoples beyond this month.
![Cropped Black Snake book cover.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-06/BS_Large.jpeg?h=8215e639&itok=byqW5CSY)