Hard History Education
The Missouri Council for History Education stands in solidarity with the people calling for justice following the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. We grieve the tragic loss of life and in our deep sorrow we seek change through action, reflection, and truth telling.
As a community of educators, we remain committed to helping teachers develop pedagogies and curricula that acknowledge both the hard history of racial violence as well as the fierce resistance to that oppression. We know that many Missouri teachers have been involved in this work since the Ferguson Uprising began in 2014, and that they transformed their classrooms by listening to and learning from those teachers and students who have been involved in racial equity work even longer. We also recognize that effective pedagogy requires that teachers continue to examine their own biases and perspectives as they seek to teach in a pluralistic democracy.
Youth lead the present movement for racial justice. To meet our students where they are requires that we educate ourselves in new histories and also that we change the nature of history education itself. We acknowledge the enormity of that undertaking and begin with the following events planned for the remainder of 2020.
Moving Forward: 2020 Plans for Hard History Education
As we begin this solemn work, here are our plans for 2020. These events serve as a simple beginning; we pledge to continue our support for hard history education long past this moment of national attention. In addition to these events, please see below an extensive list of recommended resources for work in hard history education. We will continue to build these lists and encourage our members to explore and submit resources they find valuable.
Summer 2020: Virtual History Education Communities
We begin where so many historians have begun before - by discussing a book. In an effort to provide an opportunity for history educators to work on their curriculum and themselves, MOCHE will offer a series of Virtual History Education Community events to discuss The Broken Heart of America: St. Louis and the Violent History of the United States, by Walter Johnson. The book focuses on the history of St. Louis and centers the city and Missouri in a history of race and racism in North America. Our discussions will provide opportunities for Missouri history educators to consider how to tell such stories and reconceive the narratives we teach. Our work will not stop with these discussions. We see them as a springboard into further reflection and research on the history of racial justice in our region, the nation, and the world.
We will offer three sessions to discuss sections of the book via Zoom. If you are interested in attending, please complete this Google Form. A Zoom link and a list of initial questions will be sent to all those who register. Membership in MOCHE is not required to sign up for these discussions.
Wednesday, July 15th @ 7pm: Chapters 1 to 4 (original indigenous communities through the Civil War)
Wednesday, July 29th @ 7pm: Chapters 5 to 8 (Reconstruction through World War II)
Wednesday, August 12th @ 7pm: Chapters 9 to 11 (Post-WWII through the present day)
2020 Annual Conference: Best Practices in History Education (Columbia, MO)
Our annual conference will take place on October 8th and 9th at the new Center for Missouri Studies of the State Historical Society of Missouri. While we are hoping that this conference will be in-person, we are fully prepared for a robust and engaging online experience. We are committed to ensuring quality sessions on hard history education. There is still time to submit a conference proposal.
Visiting Scholars Program
For five years, MOCHE’s Visiting Scholars Program has connected history scholars from around the nation with schools in Missouri to partner on creating quality professional development to meet the needs of a school or district. The Visiting Scholars Program for the 2020-21 school year will focus on understanding racial oppression and the resistance to such oppression. For more information or to inquire about professional development opportunities, please contact Flannery Burke at Flannery.Burke@slu.edu.
