BHM Month Resources 2023

Below we have our annual list of Black History Month resources. New this year is History Makers, something I learned about from 60 Minutes. The HistoryMakers is committed to preserving and making widely accessible the untold personal stories of both well-known and unsung African Americans. Through the media and a series of user-friendly products, services, and events, The HistoryMakers enlightens, entertains, and educates the public, helping to refashion a more inclusive record of American history.

BHM Resources

It is the goal of this blog to identify great resources for teachers planning activities and lessons. This month Columbia High School is commemorating Black History Month with several events planned by our incredible MAC scholars. For those looking for lesson planning inspiration, we have also identified some great resources below and we have more in our archived posts from earlier this year. 

This year's Black History Month 2023 theme is “BLACK RESISTANCE.” At CHS, we are also focusing on Black Joy. 

1. National Endowment for the Humanities' EDsitement website. One of my favorite NEH programs is called CREATED EQUAL. According to the website, "The NEH Created Equal project uses the power of documentary films to encourage public conversations about the changing meanings of freedom and equality in America. The five films that are part of this project tell the remarkable stories of individuals who challenged the social and legal status quo, from slavery to segregation." Here are links to the films: The Abolitionists; Slavery By Another Name; Freedom Riders; The Loving Story; and Freedom Summer.

2. The Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History & Culture. 

3. BlackPast.Org

4. Black History 101 Mobile Museum

5. PBS. The link connects to the offerings for this year. I recommend the Fannie Lou Hamer: Stand Up mini-doc. 

7. CSPAN Classroom Great for short clips they call bell-ringers. 

8. History Channel BHM 2023

Finally, Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance) is always one of the best sites to go to for lessons. Below the picture are four timely articles on how to teach Black History Month. 

Five Ways to Avoid Whitewashing the Civil Rights Movement

During Black History Month, educators may fall into the habit of passing on civil rights history that’s been whitewashed—from diluted accounts of civil rights actions to the omission of key events and figures. Going beyond feel-good narratives and examining context helps students learn a fuller and more accurate account of black history, including the often-oversimplified history of the civil rights movement. Here’s how to do it.