Why I Love a Country That Once Betrayed Me
In his TED talk, actor and activist George Takei looks back at how his life in a Japanese incarceration camp shaped his surprising, personal definition of patriotism and democracy.
Big Paper Examples
This handout contains images for a Big Paper activity where students explore examples of people promoting belonging and safety.
Black Teen Shot in Mo. Was Unarmed
An article in the Washington Post about the events in Ferguson, published two days after the incident, provides larger context for the shooting.
Brown Remembered As a Gentle Giant
A profile of Michael Brown published two days after he was killed features recollections from friends and teachers and details of the community's response.
Committee for Freedom of the Press Letter
A letter in response to police detention and harassment of journalists, delivered to the Ferguson and St. Louis County Police departments and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
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.
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.
The Influence of "The Birth of a Nation"
The three-hour silent film The Birth of a Nation did “incalculable harm” to Black Americans by creating a justification for prejudice, racism, and discrimination for decades to follow.
A Lifeline for Democracy
In her 2005 commencement speech at the University of Vermont, Ruth Simmons describes experiences that helped her escape the poverty and discrimination of her youth to become the president of Brown University.
Louisiana White League Platform (1874)
The White League was a paramilitary group responsible for widespread violence against black and white Republicans in Louisiana and Mississippi. The group’s platform from 1874 is articulated here.
Family Names
Learn how filmmaker Macky Alston learned about the history of his family name and its connection to his family's legacy in the United States.