In the wake of the widespread reckoning of racial injustice and inequity in the U.S. this past year, many have realized that the history we’ve always been taught during Black History Month is far from the full picture. Instead, what most school curriculums offer are the sanitized versions of slavery and the Civil Rights Movement from a white-centered perspective.
With this awakening comes the realization that there is a lot to learn and unlearn about race and racism in America. As you continue to do the work of piecing together a more complete and accurate understanding of Black history, Be the Bridge is here to equip you with the educational content, resources and community to guide you on your anti-racist bridge-building journey.
From the transatlantic slave trade and Civil War to Reconstruction and the Civil Rights Movement, we’ve compiled a collection of resources to help fill in the gaps in our history textbooks and encourage you to reflect on the real history of Black History Month.
African History
What was Africa really like before the transatlantic slave trade began?
Africa Before Transatlantic Enslavement
Antebellum
What was life in America like before the Civil War? What are the unheard stories and narratives about that time period? How do we combat false tropes about happy slaves or loving slave masters?
5 Myths About Slavery
Slaves In Pittsburgh
Uncivil History Podcast
“I Freed Myself”
Reconstruction, the Great Migration, and Jim Crow
What have we not been taught about the history of this time period?
Reconstruction: America After the Civil War
The Hairstons Part 1: Snakes on a Plantation
The Civil Rights Movement
We know a lot of names of the Civil Rights Movement, but what ones don’t we know? What else was going on during this time? What led to the current movements for civil rights?
5 Unsung Heroes of the Civil Rights Movement
Unsung Heroes of Civil Rights
The Unknown Kenneth B. Clark
Women in the Civil Rights Movement
9 Women Civil Rights Leaders to Celebrate this Black History Month
How Youth Activists Impacted the Civil Rights Movement
For Educators & Families
Black History Month Resource Guide for Educators & Families
Black History Month: Teaching the Complete History
Celebrating Black History Month with Young Kids
Celebrating Black History Month with Older Kids
Be sure to follow us on social media as we spend the next few weeks sharing ways to celebrate and honor Black history – this month and every month.