Teaching People's History: RECONSTRUCTION

This will be an all-day, participatory workshop facilitated by the Zinn Education Project for approximately 45 educators interested in learning and teaching more about the era following the Civil War and emancipation, known as Reconstruction, an era full of stories that help us see the possibility of a future defined by racial equity. Participants will engage in a series of classroom-friendly activities that both uncover the underrecognized, bottom-up history of this era and ask how the unfulfilled promises of of Reconstruction might shape our politics and curriculum moving forward.

$35. Workshop fee. All participants will receive a copy of the Rethinking Schools book, A People's History of Abolition and the Civil War, and lunch sourced from a local farm-to-table restaurant will be provided. This event was made possible through generous support from Sparkplug Foundation.

When Black Lives Mattered: Why Teach Reconstruction

Reconstruction was a period where the impossible suddenly became possible, the achievements of this era are too often overshadowed by the violent white supremacist backlash. Too often the story of this grand experiment in interracial democracy is skipped or rushed through in classrooms across the country. Today — in a moment where activists are struggling to make Black lives matter — every student should probe the relevance of Reconstruction. This project aims to help teachers and schools uncover the hidden, bottom-up history of this era. We offer lessons for middle and high school, a national report, a student campaign to make Reconstruction history visible in their communities, and an annotated list of recommended teaching guides, student friendly books, primary document collections, and films. This campaign is informed by teachers who have used our Reconstruction lessons and a team of Reconstruction scholars. 

About the Presenters: Dr. Tiffany Mitchell Patterson and Nataliya Braginsky

Dr. Tiffany Mitchell Patterson is a manager of social studies at District of Columbia Public Schools, with over a decade of experience as a social studies educator and seven years of experience as a teacher educator. Her research interests include racial and social justice in education, education activism, teaching diverse Black narratives and people’s history in social studies education. In addition to serving as a Teach Reconstruction campaign advisor, her most recent work around Reconstruction includes What Everyone Should Know About Reconstruction 150 Years After the 15th Amendment's Ratification which is currently available on Newsela and Actively Learn. Advocacy, activism, intersectionality, anti-racist and anti-oppressive education lie at the core of her work. Education is her revolution.

Nataliya Braginsky is a history teacher who has been working in schools since 2007. As a core member of the Anti-Racist Teaching and Learning Collective, Nataliya leads workshops in curriculum development, culturally relevant pedagogy, and restorative justice. Her education-related writing has appeared in the Washington Post, Law and Political Economy, and In These Times.