On Nov. 10, 1969, the public television children’s show, Sesame Street, first aired. At the time, it was the most racially diverse children’s show ever on TV. As one of the actors, Loretta Moore Long, noted, Sesame Street “seeks to bolster the Black and minority child’s self-respect and to portray the multi-ethnic, multicultural world into which both majority and minority child are growing.” Use this anniversary to talk about the need for inclusion and intersectionality in television programs. Cite the values of voice, equity, and community.
Tag: racial justice
Renisha McBride
On this day in 2013, 19-year-old Renisha McBride was shot and killed for asking for help after a car crash in Dearborn Heights, Michigan. The homeowner said that he thought his home was being broken into after he heard her knocking on his door early in the morning. Discuss the anniversary of McBride’s death by citing the values of safety and equity.
Hurricane Sandy
On October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy hit New York City causing extensive damages to infrastructure in the city. As we’ve seen time and again, natural disasters reveal existing inequality and how climate change disproportionately affects people living in poverty, often in BIPOC communities. Use Hurricane Sandy to push for economic justice in infrastructure, storm preparedness, and recovery spending. Cite the values of Economic Security and Community.
Alexander v. Holmes County Board of Education
On this day in 1969, the Supreme Court ruled in the case of Alexander v. Holmes County Board of Education that schools in the South had to desegregate “immediately,” instead of the previous ruling of “with all deliberate speed.” The case was brought by Beatrice Alexander, on behalf of her children, after she sued the Holmes County, Mississippi School District. At its core, today’s attacks on critical race theory promote dishonesty about our nation’s history. Use this anniversary to acknowledge the ongoing work of racial equity in our schools and communities. Cite the values of Voice, Equality, and Mobility.
Great Depression
On this day in 1929, the Wall Street stock market crashed and plunged the nation into the Great Depression. An array of programs that were part of “The New Deal” assisted millions of unemployed and starving Americans. The economic impacts of COVID-19 focused national attention on the government’s role to assist Americans facing economic hardship through programs like SNAP, Medicaid, and unemployment benefits. Use this anniversary to discuss the values of Economic Security and Community.
W. E. B. Du Bois and the NAACP petitioned the United Nations
On Oct. 23, 1947, W. E. B. Du Bois and the NAACP petitioned the United Nations with a document titled “An Appeal to the World: A Statement on the Denial of Human Rights to Minorities in the Case of Citizens of the United States of America and an Appeal to the United Nations for Redress.” They asked for the U.N.’s help to address human rights violations the United States committed against its African-American citizens, such as lynching, segregation, and the gross inequalities in education, housing, health care, and voting rights.
National Day of Protest against Police Brutality
The October 22 Coalition to Stop Police Brutality, Repression, and the Criminalization of a Generation has mobilized the National Day of Protest against Police Brutality every year since 1996. Cite the values of Voice, Equality, and Community.
First African Americans were elected to the House of Representatives.
On this day in 1870, the first African Americans were elected to the House of Representatives. In South Carolina, Black Republicans won three of the state’s four congressional seats. The Zinn Education Project points out that Reconstruction, the era immediately following the Civil War and emancipation, “is full of stories that help us see the possibility of a future defined by racial equity.” Discuss this anniversary by citing the values of Voice and Community.
Tommie Smith and John Carlos, Olympic Medal Winners
On this day in 1968, African-American medal winners in the Olympics, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, gave a Black Power salute during the award ceremony. This anniversary provides a useful hook to discuss today’s activism by athletes like Colin Kaepernick. Cite the values of Voice and Community.
Black Panther Party for Self-Defense
On Oct. 15, 1966, the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense was founded to seek justice for African Americans and other oppressed communities through a combination of revolutionary theory, education, and community programs. Discuss this anniversary by citing the values of Economic Security, Voice, and Community.
