The Burlington County Book Festival this month was a chance for residents to explore literature among authors, guest speakers and performers earlier this month. “Whatever you’re looking for, chances are it will be here,” said Jessica Farrell, chief of communications for the county library system. “I’m really looking forward to having a great day (and) meeting some of the authors.” Featured speakers and performers included Doug Wonder; Faleeha Hassan; Rann Miller; and Ronnette Smith-Powell, amo

As some states rush to restrict what can be taught, other localities are mandating a more inclusive curriculum. “The far right and MAGA adherents are stoking fear and diminishing our students’ freedom to learn and our teachers’ freedom to teach,” says Becky Pringle, the president of the 3 million-member National Education Association (NEA). But Pringle emphasizes that these right-wing attacks are just one part of what is happening in the field of education. Teachers, administrators and student

By telling the stories that are often omitted from history, Resistance Stories from Black History for Kids: Inspiring People and Events That Every Kid Should Know sets out to show that the Black experience is not only defined by marching and boycotting, but also through rebellion and resistance. Learn about little-known facets, events, and figureheads from Black history, including: • Ona Marie Judge and her escape to freedom from George Washington; • Dr. Carter G. Woodson and the real reason he

Black authors at township event want their writing to inspire youth Writers who participated in the Black authors showcase at a Moorestown Mall store on March 4 hope that stories of slaves and other African American history will peak the interest of a younger generation. Rann Miller is the author of Resistance Stories From Black History for Kids. “(It’s) about all of the things that students may not learn in schools with regards to issues of resistance and Black people being complicit in thei

This interesting, thought-provoking treasure trove of "missing pieces" of Black history will inspire readers of all ages. Resistance Stories from Black History for Kids is well-researched and may surprise even history buffs. Did you know that Africans arrived in the Americas before Columbus? Or that the free breakfast millions of schoolchildren eat everyday in the U.S. was inspired by a Black Panther program? Facts like these, tucked into author Rann Miller's short, accessible chapters make for

Hello everyone.  Here’s this week’s new book releases of interest to the community. As always, links are to my Literate Lizard Online Bookstore (and don’t forget about your 15% discount with the coupon code DAILYKOS). I’m on Twitter as @LitLizSedona, and I‘m on Spoutible as well. The Odyssey of Phillis Wheatley: A Poet's Journeys Through American Slavery and Independence, by David Waldstreicher. In this new biography, the historian David Waldstreicher offers the fullest account to date of Whe

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was produced as part of the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University’s South Jersey Information Equity Project fellowship and supported with funding from the Independence Public Media Foundation. MOORESTOWN — Local African American authors shared their stories — from historical resistance, overcoming personal challenges to learning about new heroes — at the Black Authors Showcase at Curate Noir inside Moorestown Mall on March 4. Curate Noir, the Blac

Have you signed up for The Educator's Room Daily Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! Black History Month is drawing to a close, but educators know that Black history should be a yearlong part of their curriculum. That’s why I can’t think of a better time to announce Rann Miller’s new book Resistance Stories from Black History for Kids. Miller is an educator and writer whose focus on history and articulating one’s voice benefits students and readers every day.

Black history is being challenged in some states. Florida recently passed the Stop Woke Act, “which bans the teaching of a host of topics that they wrongly claim are part of Critical Race Theory, or CRT,” according to Rolling Stone. However, what is being labeled as CRT is actually just teachings on Black history. New Jersey educator Rann Miller, who teaches AP U.S. history, said there are ways around Florida’s new laws. For example, when teaching on enslaved people, a teacher could say “there

His new book out soon, here's what Rann Miller says about and learning Black history Whose history should be taught? How can teachers give their students information they need without getting caught in a political firestorm? What conversations should parents have with their kids about race, no matter what race they are? We asked Rann Miller some of those questions. Miller, who grew up in Camden and Pennsauken and lives now in Sicklerville, has a new book out March 7: Resistance Stories from Bl

SICKLERVILLE — Black history is robust and multifaceted, however, much of what students learn about Black history is limited. While topics including enslavement, first achievements and the Civil Rights movement aren’t without merit, the instruction of these alone fail to display the totality of what activist and former Director of the Center for Black Studies Research Dr. Cedric Robinson referred to as the Black Radical Tradition. In his new book, “Resistance Stories from Black History for Kid

SICKLERVILLE, NJ – Black history is robust and multifaceted, however, much of what students learn about Black history is limited. While topics including enslavement, first achievements and the Civil Rights movement aren’t without merit, the instruction of these alone fail to display the totality of what activist and former Director of the Center for Black Studies Research Dr. Cedric Robinson referred to as the Black Radical Tradition. In his new book, Resistance Stories from Black History for Kids

In January, Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Department of Education banned the College Board‘s advanced African American Studies course from being taught in the state’s public schools. The FDOE issued a statement that said the course was a violation of state law and lacked historical value... For many Black Americans, it feels like Black history is under attack. Writer Rann Miller has written a children’s book in hopes of educating people about Black history. The book “Resistance Stories from Black History for Kids” will be published March 7, 2023, by Ulysses Press. It will be available at bookstores and online.

Let’s face it. Some field trips are more educational than others. Students visit theme parks to learn about “physics” or go to the mall for an afternoon to learn about “business.” These field trips are usually scheduled at the end of the year and used more as rewards for finishing finals. If this sounds familiar, it might be time to rethink how you connect your students to learning resources in your community. These trips don’t have to be complex or expensive. However, they should provide real

The 2023 national theme for Black History Month is “Black Resistance,” in recognition of the historic and ongoing oppression that Black and African American people have resisted.

Alex Jones’ decision in 2012 to get a mohawk was hardly a casual one. The Black high school teacher in Camden, NJ was determined to “break the stereotypes of white supremacy culture” – starting with his hair. “I got it because it was stylish,” said Jones, who also served as principal of Camden High School from 2016 to 2019, “but I kept it because I thought it made me more relatable to the students and cool.” Jones, 39, admits the haircut shocked some families of his students of color – “I woul

“We don’t want cultural awareness once a year for 28 days,” says Anthony Beckford, a community organizer in New York City who spearheaded the petition. “It should be a year-in, year-out endeavor.” A growing number of voices are demanding a new approach to teaching Black history in the nation’s K-12 institutions, where the subject is often only focused on during Black History Month in February. The New York Legislature, for instance, is considering a mandatory full-year Black history curriculum;

Journalist and civil rights activist William Monroe Trotter, left, might be a better namesake for Camden's Woodrow Wilson High, which has drawn fire for honoring the 28th president. Wilson, right, forced Trotter and other black activists out the White House when they challenged him on segregation. Read more A fledgling effort to remove Woodrow Wilson’s name from a public high school in Camden has taught me a few things about the former U.S. president, journalism history, and myself. In an op-e

Here are titles on Black history for children, young adults, and educators. Teaching for Change carefully selects the best multicultural and social justice books for children, young adults, and educators. Learn about our criteria for selecting titles. Feedback on these lists and suggestions for additional titles are welcome. Most of the books on these lists are linked for more information or purchase to Bookshop (an indie bookstore platform) and / or Powells.com (an independent, unionized books

Chris Christie banked one of his biggest policy proposals as governor of New Jersey on one idea: that a new type of charter school with the ability and mandate to construct better facilities would transform the Camden City School District from one of the worst-performing, most corrupt systems in the state to one that successfully educates kids in one of the poorest cities in America. Nearly a decade after Christie won approval for that idea, the district is under state control and improving its