Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Zinn Education Project

Nikkolas Smith @4nikkolas.bsky.social · 3h

ℐ𝔱’𝓈 𝒏𝑒𝘷𝑒𝙧 𝓒𝔬𝐥𝖚𝚖𝖇𝐮𝐬…

It’s the T͢a͢í͢n͢o͢ people of the Caribbean over the genocidal colonizers…

It’s the hypocrisy of “you will not replace us” while on stolen land…

It’s the history repeating…

It’s justice for the indigenous…all day every day.

#StandTall

#IndigenousPeople
#IndigenousPeoplesDay

1 28 79

Reposted by Zinn Education Project

Madhusudan 🦉 Katti @leafwarbler.bsky.social · 3h

"It is a story of racist violence and unspeakable cruelty. But it is also the strange story of how this mission of colonial conquest was appropriated as a day of Italian pride, a defiant yet sad assertion that “We’re American, too.”"
Free "Columbus in America" doc from @zinnedproject.bsky.social

Columbus in America

Film. By Paul Puglisi. 2017. 89 minutes. Documentary on the symbol of Columbus in the United States and the campaign for Indigenous Peoples' Day.

www.zinnedproject.org

2 3 8

Zinn Education Project @zinnedproject.bsky.social · 4h

Below is a collection of many other people of Italian heritage worthy of attention — people who have played an active role in the struggle for labor rights, gay and lesbian rights, human rights, and civil rights.
#TeachTruth Defend the #FreedomtoLearn

www.zinnedproject.org/materials/it...

Italian Americans Who Fought for Justice

Profile. Brief bios of people of Italian heritage who were committed to social justice.

www.zinnedproject.org

31 110

Reposted by Zinn Education Project

Rebecca Nagle @rebeccanagle.bsky.social · 5h

After years of advocacy and growing awareness of Columbus’s human rights abuses, some states and cities switched to celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day. Now, we are witnessing the backlash to that modicum of change. Full post on my substack now:

The racist edict that allowed Columbus to colonize and slaughter Indigenous people is still the law in the U.S. today.

What holiday we celebrate on the second Monday in October matters because it reflects the beliefs we hold about who we are and where we come from as a country.

open.substack.com

1 29 43

Zinn Education Project @zinnedproject.bsky.social · 6h

The right to teach the history & with the lessons ⬆️ is threatened by anti-history ed laws &EOs.

Not a teacher? We need your support. Defend teaching people's history. #TeachTruth

Vote/run in school board elections.

Challenge McCarthyism & fascism.

See⬇️
www.zinnedproject.org/news/teach-t...

Teach Truth Campaign: At Every Rally

While education is central to the fascist agenda, it is not getting adequate attention from progressive forces. You can help shine a light on education by joining the campaign to Teach Truth.

www.zinnedproject.org

5 11

Zinn Education Project @zinnedproject.bsky.social · 6h

When teaching about stolen labor, knowledge, skills, & human rights used to build White House (began #tdih 1792), also teach about demand for reparations.

In lesson ⬇️, students design a bill, considering education, voting, housing, labor, more. #TeachTruth
www.zinnedproject.org/materials/st...

Repair: Students Design a Reparations Bill

In this activity, students take on the role of activist-experts to improve upon a Congressional bill for reparations for Black people.

www.zinnedproject.org

1 5 9

Zinn Education Project @zinnedproject.bsky.social · 6h

The lessons above can be paired wih the original version of "How the Word Is Passed" and the new young readers edition, adapted by @sonjacherrypaul.bsky.social

Get copies for every young person you know, to donate to schools, & leave in Little Free Libraries.

www.zinnedproject.org/materials/ho...

How the Word Is Passed (Adapted for Young Readers)

Book — Non-fiction. By Clint Smith and adapted by Sonja Cherry-Paul. 2025. 272 pages. Takes readers to historical sites across America, exploring the legacy of slavery to help readers make sense of ou...

www.zinnedproject.org

1 1

Zinn Education Project @zinnedproject.bsky.social · 6h

Slavery "was not peripheral to our founding; it was central to it. It is not irrelevant to our contemporary society; it created it. This history is in our soil, it is in our policies, & it must, too, be in our memories." -- @clintsmithiii.bsky.social

See lessons ⬇️
zinnedproject.org/news/lessons...

Lessons for How the Word Is Passed by Clint Smith

The Zinn Education Project has produced a series of lessons and a collection of discussion questions for How the Word Is Passed by Clint Smith to help teachers introduce the central role of slavery in...

zinnedproject.org

1 1

Zinn Education Project @zinnedproject.bsky.social · 6h

“When you sing that this country was founded on freedom, don’t forget the duet of shackles dragging against the ground my entire life.” -- @clintsmithiii.bsky.social in powerful 3 min. reading of letter to U.S. presidents who were enslavers via
@pbs.org News Hour

Watch ⬇️
youtu.be/ohB8UfLd93M?...

Why we shouldn’t forget that U.S. presidents owned slaves

YouTube video by PBS NewsHour

youtu.be

1 1

Zinn Education Project @zinnedproject.bsky.social · 6h

#tdih 1792, U.S. White House cornerstone laid.

FEDERAL GOV'T used ENSLAVED LABOR for "all aspects of construction, including carpentry, masonry, carting, plastering, glazing, painting & the grueling work of sawing logs and stones.” #theft

🧵Read ⬇️
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/wh...

Oct. 13, 1792: White House Cornerstone Laid

The White House cornerstone was laid. Among those who constructed the building were African Americans, both free and enslaved.

www.zinnedproject.org

1 11 23

Zinn Education Project @zinnedproject.bsky.social · 20h

Weekend report:

Last week 160 teachers signed up at ZEP for people’s history lessons from SF, CA; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta and McDonough, GA; & many more cities.

Read some reasons why ⬇️

Donate so we can reach & support more educators with free lessons & classes: www.zinnedproject.org/donate

Why I Signed Up at ZEP:
l found this site while searching for information on COINTELPRO. — McDonough, Georgia
The Zinn Education Project provides exceptional teaching materials. — Washington, D.C.
I love the resources at ZEP and would like to use them in my classroom.— Atlanta, Georgia
I teach in jail and want to talk with my students about doing history from below. — San Francisco, California

10 15

Zinn Education Project @zinnedproject.bsky.social · 23h

#tdih 1925 Tenants in Panama City protested rising rents & unsanitary conditions. Withheld rent.

In response, U.S. gov't sent soldiers who banned gatherings of 5+ people, killed 2 tenant organizers, & arrested & deported more. 💔

Whose side is gov't on?

www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/pa...

Oct. 12, 1925: U.S. Fights Panama Renters’ Strike

Protesting rising rents and unsanitary conditions, tenants in Panama City, Panama were met with swift force and violence by U.S. soldiers, with six killed during the weekend.

www.zinnedproject.org

1 13 28

Reposted by Zinn Education Project

Ebony Elizabeth Thomas @ebonyteach.blacksky.app · 1d

The grooming accusations are even more offensive because of the epidemic of school shootings.

Every educator in this country has decided if, when, and how we'd give up our very lives to shield your children. Some of our colleagues around the nation have paid the ultimate price...

2 26 160

Zinn Education Project @zinnedproject.bsky.social · 1d

Among countless banned & challenged books is "Fry Bread" by Kevin Noble Maillard.

In support of the #TeachTruth campaign & to raise awareness about the dangers of censorship, every Lush store has a display about the ban.

#LetFreedomReadDay #BannedBooksWeek

socialjusticebooks.org/banned-books...

Banned Books Display in Lush Stores - Social Justice Books

On the #TeachTruth Day of Action, every Lush store in the United States installed a display about banned books, featuring the picture book Fry Bread (one of 176 books that were removed from classrooms...

socialjusticebooks.org

32 74

Zinn Education Project @zinnedproject.bsky.social · 1d

#tdih 1972 DC prisoners led jail uprising.

Demanded:
-- juveniles be housed separately from adults
-- decent food
-- overcrowding addressed.

At their request, U.S. Rep Shirley Chisholm, D.C. School Board Pres. Marion Barry, & others met with them.

See ⬇️
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/dc...

Oct. 11, 1972: D.C. Jail Uprising

An uprising took place at a Washington, D.C. jail to protest conditions.

www.zinnedproject.org

35 100

Reposted by Zinn Education Project

Haymarket Books @haymarketbooks.org · 2d

DC!

Join @olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social for a discussion of his book RECONSIDERING REPARATIONS with Jenice L. View, hosted by @teachingchange.bsky.social

Wednesday, October 22nd at
@busboysandpoets.bsky.social

RSVP to attend: www.teachingforchange.org/reconsiderin...

Reconsidering Reparations: Author Talk with Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò - Teaching for Change

Join us on October 22 at 6:30pm at Busboys and Poets (14th & V) to hear from author Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò, in conversation with Jenice L. View, on his book, Reconsidering Reparations: Why Climate Justice ...

www.teachingforchange.org

1 13 45

Zinn Education Project @zinnedproject.bsky.social · 3d

Octavius V. Catto: teacher, scholar, & civil rights leader in Phila., Penn.

On day that Catto could finally vote (due to 15th Amendment he'd fought for), he was murdered by one of white vigilantes attacking Black voters on #tdih 1871. 💔

#TeachReconstruction ⬇️
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/oc...

Oct. 10, 1871: Octavius Catto Killed on Election Day in Philadelphia

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Black educator, baseball player, and civil rights activist Octavius V. Catto was murdered by a white supremacist on election day.

www.zinnedproject.org

11 23

Reposted by Zinn Education Project

Nick Covington @covingtonedu.bsky.social · 3d

Last night I attended a public education listening tour hosted by Iowa Dem house members. So many teachers reiterated an atmosphere of total fear, surveillance, & reprisal. One elementary teacher said they refer to the Gulf of Mexico as "The Gulf" to avoid even the suspicion of bias.

7 31 170

Zinn Education Project @zinnedproject.bsky.social · 3d

#BannedBooksWeek
Shout out to the teachers, librarians, & community members who hosted #TeachTruth events this year to raise awareness about danger of book bans & curriculum censorship.

See photos & stories ⬇️.

Bring #FreedomtoLearn signs to #NoKings rallies.
www.zinnedproject.org/news/teach-t...

Teach Truth Day of Action 2025 Event Highlights

Highlights from 2025 Teach Truth events around the United States.

www.zinnedproject.org

10 33

Zinn Education Project @zinnedproject.bsky.social · 5d

#tdih 1965 U.S. president halted enforcement of Civil Rights Act in Chicago. Fed funds restored to Chicago BoE after Daley confronted LBJ. They'd been withheld for racist school segregation. Democrats exempted the North.

Read ⬇️ by @jeannetheoharis.bsky.social
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/en...

Oct. 8, 1965: Enforcement of Civil Rights Act Curtailed in Chicago Schools

Federal funds were quickly restored to Chicago public schools after they were withheld for continued segregation in schools, effectively curtailing enforcement of the Civil Rights Act in Chicago.

www.zinnedproject.org

13 15

Zinn Education Project @zinnedproject.bsky.social · 6d

Great to hear. While working on it, we recommend checking out "Economics for Emancipation: A Course on Capitalism, Solidarity and How We Get Free" from the Center for Popular Economics ⬇️and the (out of print) high school guide "Teaching Economics As If People Mattered" economics4emancipation.net

Economics for Emancipation

A Course of Economics for All

economics4emancipation.net

1 1

Reposted by Zinn Education Project

Jeanne Theoharis @jeannetheoharis.bsky.social · 6d

I'm so looking forward to this conversation on KING OF THE NORTH with the great @sifill.bsky.social with @zinnedproject.bsky.social & @jessehagopian.bsky.social on Monday October 27 at 7:00 EST. All are welcome to tune in: www.zinnedproject.org/news/king-of...

King of the North: Part Two

Historian Jeanne Theoharis returns to discuss her book, King of the North: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Life of Struggle Outside the South in conversation with Sherrilyn Ifill. This session is part of the...

www.zinnedproject.org

5 5

Zinn Education Project @zinnedproject.bsky.social · 6d

The first Colored Convention in Maine was held on #tdih 1841, in Portland, Maine.

"Delegates addressed both their own economic conditions and the broader national and international struggle for Black liberation."

Follow: @ccp-org.bsky.social Read ⬇️
www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/fi...

Oct. 6, 1841: Maine’s First Colored Convention

The first Colored Convention in Maine was an opportunity for northern Black abolitionists to organize and strategize for racial justice and the freedom of those still enslaved throughout the South.

www.zinnedproject.org

11 38

Reposted by Zinn Education Project

This Is NOT Business As Usual @jemartisby.bsky.social · 7d

"Conservative" is not the word. It's "extremism"--and a host of other words.

But there is nothing conservative about what this regime is doing.

Their project is not conservative, it's regressive.

They don't want to conserve, they want to destroy.

18 71

Zinn Education Project @zinnedproject.bsky.social · 7d

Free Central America teaching workshop on Monday, Oct. 6: “Cultural Identity Preservation Through Storytelling” & “Resistance and Advocacy of Marginalized Communities (focus on Garifuna)." Hosted by UCI History Project with @teachingchange.bsky.social ⬇️

www.teachingforchange.org/teach-centra...

Teach Central America Workshop - Teaching for Change

Join us for an online workshop on Monday, October 6 with educators who developed Central American Studies units for upper and lower elementary. They will present these lessons: “Cultural Identity Pres...

www.teachingforchange.org

11 21