Petition for Freedom to the Massachusetts Legislature, 1877
This 1777 primary source is an antislavery petition from a group of African Americans in Massachusetts.
![Picture of the Massachusetts State House](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-10/MAstatehouse62.jpeg?h=0b07f5aa&itok=UA8fiBWD)
“On the Equality of the Sexes” by Judith Sargent Murray, 1790
This 1790 primary source is an influential essay from a white female writer and intellectual.
![Portrait of Judith Sargent Murray (1751-1820).](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-11/John_Singleton_Copley_-_Portrait_de_Madame_John_Stevens.jpeg?h=96011bc1&itok=CV309K7y)
Journalists and Social Media
Journalists discuss how social media was used in the aftermath of Michael Brown's death in Ferguson, Missouri.
![](/sites/default/files/brightcove/videos/images/posters/image_611.jpg)
Looking Back at Ferguson
Journalists, media professionals and a high school student reflect on the challenges of reporting and understanding what was going on in Ferguson, Missouri, during protests there.
![](/sites/default/files/brightcove/videos/images/posters/image_614.jpg)
Avoid Fueling Polarization When Taking Action
This reading contains excerpts from researcher Arthur Brooks about types of activism that move beyond “us” and “them” narratives.
![Students in classroom setting.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2024-05/6-1-22FacH10814.jpg?h=4362216e&itok=uFU4RoiQ)
What Is Democracy?
Use this selection of quotes about democracy to prompt reflection on democracy's complex definition.
![English language newspaper from election day with an "I voted" sticker.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-08/media_democracy_newspaper_voting_wikimedia_commons.jpeg?h=424dc15a&itok=URCrHs-G)
A Strength of My Neighborhood
A high school student describes how his neighborhood in Los Angeles helps him feel connected to the traditions of his family’s “old world” heritage in Mexico.
![Female student learning in a classroom.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-06/2015_AD9A0664_FH221025.jpg?h=59f9d53c&itok=m4cVPcs7)
A Strength of My Neighborhood
In Spanish, a high school student describes how his neighborhood in Los Angeles helps him feel connected to the traditions of his family’s “old world” heritage in Mexico.
![Female student learning in a classroom.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-06/2015_AD9A0664_FH221025.jpg?h=59f9d53c&itok=m4cVPcs7)
What Are You?
Canadian writer Anna Fitzpatrick describes how she moved beyond the labels and stereotypes about Indian culture to find a deeper connection to her family's history.
![A man and woman warm up for a run on an outdoor trail.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-06/2022_WhatKindofAsianAreYou_FH2170285.jpg?h=ae1281eb&itok=Bd0IyTwf)
What Are You?
In Spanish, Canadian writer Anna Fitzpatrick describes how she moved beyond the labels and stereotypes about Indian culture to find a deeper connection to her family's history.
![A man and woman warm up for a run on an outdoor trail.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-06/2022_WhatKindofAsianAreYou_FH2170285.jpg?h=ae1281eb&itok=Bd0IyTwf)
What Does It Mean to “Be American?”
Here are a selection of answers to New York Times reporter Damien Cave’s question, “What does it mean to be American?”
![High school students in class.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-06/2017_5117FacH07750_FH256384.png?h=2992ba0a&itok=ZYr_k9G8)