On this day in 2013, Mississippi officially certified the 13th Amendment, becoming the last state to approve the abolition of slavery and involuntary servitude. The state voted against ratification in 1865, and in 1995 —130 years later— the state legislature voted to ratify the amendment but failed to notify the federal register. Use this anniversary to talk about the continued need for racial justice in the United States, especially in our criminal legal system. Cite the values of safety, opportunity, and community.
Tag: racial justice
Trayvon Martin
Today is the birthday of Trayvon Martin. His death in 2012 and the acquittal of his killer in 2013 launched the #BlackLivesMatter movement. When discussing Trayvon Martin, cite the values of safety and equity.
World Hijab Day
Today is also the annual celebration of World Hijab Day. This international day of action aims to bring attention to the discrimination and prejudice Muslim women face in the workplace and in communities. Cite the values of voice and safety.
First Lunch Counter Sit-In
On this day in 1960, four civil rights protesters started the first lunch counter sit-in in Greensboro, NC. Use this anniversary to talk about the importance of civic action and standing up for racial justice. Cite the values of voice and community.
Black History Month
While Black History Month is officially commemorated during February, we honor Black history and celebrate Black excellence and futures year-round. This month — and into March — opportunities abound for telling an affirmative story about racial justice in the United States. Cite the values of voice and community in sharing these resources with your audiences.
Cesar Chavez
Today is labor leader and civil rights activist Cesar Chavez’s birthday (1927) and a state holiday in California. Discuss the ongoing issues faced by farmworkers and the importance of unions, citing the values of economic opportunity and community.
15th Amendment
On this day in 1870, the Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was formally adopted. The last of the three Reconstruction amendments, it gave Black men the right to vote by declaring that this right could “not be abridged or denied by any state” on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. Over time, loopholes in the amendment would allow states to implement restrictions such as poll taxes and literacy tests that did not mention race by name, but effectively prevented most African Americans from voting. As a result of the Supreme Court’s gutting of The Voting Rights Act of 1965, voting rights face major threats in states across the nation. Discuss this anniversary by citing the values of voice and equity.
US v. Wong Kim Ark
On March 28, 1898, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the case of United States v. Wong Kim Ark that, under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, children who are born in the United States to non-citizen parents are indeed U.S. citizens. Wong Kim Ark had been born in San Francisco to Chinese immigrants who were barred from ever becoming U.S. citizens under the Chinese Exclusion Act. He was denied re-entry to the United States after a trip to China and sued the federal government. Discuss this anniversary citing the values of equity and community.
Trail of Tears
On this day in 1839, the Cherokee people reached the end of the “Trail of Tears,” a forced death march from their ancestral home in the Smoky Mountains to the Oklahoma Territory.
National Farmworker Awareness Week
The last seven days of March are National Farmworker Awareness Week. Since 1999, Student Action with Farmworkers has coordinated this week of action to “raise awareness about farmworker issues, honor their everyday contributions, and gain more allies to help advocate for better living and working conditions in the fields.” Farm work exposes workers to significant occupational hazards and has few federal labor protections such as overtime pay or unemployment insurance. Talk about farmworker rights citing the values of economic opportunity, equity, and community.
