This special blog post features resources from PBS LearningMedia and PBS Parents you can use to provide your students with an in-depth and thorough understanding of black history. To explore these more in depth please join us for our Black History month teacher training coming up February 11, 2021. For more teacher training opportunities please go to the KLRN events page. CPE credits are provided for all trainings attended. For questions about any of KLRN’s Educator trainings please email training@klrn.org.
Thanks to Bank of America, the Carver Community Cultural Center, St. Philip’s College, and San Antonio River Authority for their support of KLRN Black History Month educational resources.
UPCOMING: Living in My Skin Documentary on KLRN
In commemoration of Black History Month, KLRN presents Living in My Skin: Black Men in San Antonio Tell Their Stories. This locally-produced documentary features stories from Black men living in San Antonio, ages 10 to 90, and will air in two parts on February 2nd and February 9th at 8:00 p.m. on-air and online at KLRN.
The Black population of San Antonio is only 7%, yet it hosts the largest MLK march in the nation. Additionally, 63% of our citizens are Hispanic, making us a majority-minority city. Because of this, many perceive San Antonio to be culturally enlightened and highly evolved. Is it?
The purpose of this project is to shine a light on today’s reality, what it’s like to be a Black man or boy in San Antonio, and to help bring about a better understanding of each other as a community.
To learn more about the Living in My Skin Project click here. Additionally, view over 30 oil-on-linen portraits by Lionel Sosa of the men participating in the project.
Early Childhood Resources
- 13 Children’s Books With Strong Black Characters
Children's books are one of the most effective tools to engage with young children on important issues. To encourage conversations about race and diversity with your children, check out this list of books to read together as a family.
- 11 Picture Books to Celebrate Diversity
This list of books featuring diverse characters and highlighting the importance of diversity in communities is a great way to start conversations about diversity with your young children. Read them together as a family!
- Children's Books to Celebrate Black Culture
The following are some of our favorite books to celebrate African American history, culture and experiences.
- Talking to Young Children About Race and Racism a Discussion Guide
There is no perfect way to talk to children about race and racism. These topics are complex issues that can be hard for younger children to grasp. Here are some simple and age-appropriate ideas on continuing these conversations about race and racism.
- Create Your Own “My Family Traditions” Book
Explore family and culture by making a book about your own family traditions.
- Beading Art Game
Your child can follow step-by-step instructions to recreate Molly’s bead design or create a new design.
- Carmen’s World Orchestra Game
In this game, Carmen is putting on a concert with instruments from Mexico, India and Egypt. Players can interact with the game and create their own music.
Bilingual Resources
- Were Alike and Were Different
Learning to appreciate differences between themselves and others is a skill that kids can build.
- Las diferencias son fabulosas
Aprender a apreciar las diferencias que existen entre ellos y otros niños es una destreza que todos los niños pueden aprender.
- Friends Can Be Different
Differences make life interesting! Help kids grow a bigger circle of friends throughout their lives.
- Podemos ser diferentes
¡Las diferencias hacen que la vida sea más interesante! Ayude a los niños a crear un círculo más amplio de amistades durante toda su vida.
- We Are All Different; We Are All The Same
It’s important for children to learn both to respect and appreciate people’s differences as well as to understand all the things they have in common.
- Somos Diferentes, Somos Iguales
Es importante que los niños aprendan a respetar y a apreciar las diferencias entre las personas y a entender todo lo que también tienen en común.
- We Are All Amazing!
Each child is unique, and that makes all kids amazing!
- ¡Todos Somos Maravillosos!
¡Cada niño es único y eso hace que todos los niños sean maravillosos!
- Bert & Ernie: Same & Different
Appreciating what makes us different helps us grow, and that’s what friends are for!
- Bert y Ernie: Semejanzas y Diferencias
Apreciar lo que nos diferencia nos ayuda a crecer.
School Age Resources
Grades Pre-K - 4
- PBS Learn Along Bingo: Misty Copeland (English Packet, Spanish Packet)
Identifying specific contributions of people, past and present is important. We learn to celebrate individuals and the part they play in our lives. This packet of learning activities is a perfect way for children to learn about Misty Copeland and her accomplishments.
- Arthur On Racism: Talk, Listen and Act
Arthur, Buster, and Mrs. MacGrady talk about ways we can all fight racism and stand up for what’s right.
Grades 1st-2nd
- PBS Learn Along Bingo: George Washington Carver Biosketch (English Packet, Spanish Packet)
Identifying specific contributions of people, past and present is important. We learn to celebrate individuals and the part they play in our lives. The last activity in this packet is a perfect way for children to learn about George Washington Carver and his contributions.
- George Washington Carver | Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum
Learn about George Washington Carver with this video clip, printable biosketch reader, and support materials. Printable Support Materials
- Zora Neale Hurston | Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum
Brad has a problem: he is nervous about sharing a story he wrote. He travels back in time to meet Zora Neale Hurston, a famous writer, to learn how she shared her stories. Printable Biosketch
Grades 3rd-7th (Bilingual Resources included)
- Harriet Tubman: Abolition Activist Video
In this lesson, students will learn about Harriet Tubman’s courage in the face of enormous risks. After watching a biographical video, students will examine a photograph of Tubman and read a letter written to her by Frederick Douglass. The lesson asks students to compare Harriet Tubman to modern-day women and girls who have similarly confronted great risks to help others.
- Video en español. En esta lección, los estudiantes aprenderán acerca del valor de Harriet Tubman ante enormes riesgos. Después de ver un video biográfico, los estudiantes examinarán una fotografía de Tubman y le leerán una carta escrita por Frederick Douglass. La lección pide a los alumnos que comparen a Harriet Tubman con las mujeres y niñas modernas que igualmente se han enfrentado a grandes riesgos para ayudar a los demás.
- Malcolm X: Minister and Civil Rights Activist Video
During the struggle for civil rights, several leaders rose to prominence, seeking the best solution to the longstanding marginalization and disenfranchisement of the black population in the United States. Malcolm X became a powerful voice in this movement, especially for the poor and victims of racial violence, bringing pride and power to his people. By watching a short video and engaging with two primary sources, students will examine the life of this inspiring, controversial, and dynamic leader.
- Video en español. Durante la lucha por los derechos civiles, varios líderes alcanzaron prominencia, buscando la mejor solución a la larga marginación y la privación de derechos de la población negra en los Estados Unidos. Malcolm X se convirtió en una voz poderosa en este movimiento, especialmente para los pobres y víctimas de la violencia racial, trayendo orgullo y poder a su pueblo. Al ver un video corto y participar con dos fuentes principales, los estudiantes examinarán la vida de este líder inspirador, controvertido y dinámico.
- Malcolm X | Minister and Civil Rights Activist Lesson Plan (English)
- Booker T. Washington: Orator, Teacher, and Advisor Video
Freed from the bonds of slavery by the Emancipation Proclamation, Booker T. Washington worked relentlessly to become a teacher, an accomplished orator, and an advisor to two Presidents. He was considered a hero in the late 1800s, although some opposed his philosophy that equality and respect must be patiently earned. Through two primary source activities and watching a short video, students will learn about Booker T. Washington’s commitment to African American education, and assess his ideas about how to achieve equality for African Americans in the years after the Civil War.
- Video en español. Liberado de los lazos de esclavitud por la Proclamación de Emancipación, Booker T. Washington trabajó sin descanso para convertirse en maestro, orador consumado y asesor de dos presidentes. Fue considerado un héroe a finales del siglo XIX, aunque algunos se opusieron a su filosofía de que la igualdad y el respeto deben ganarse pacientemente. A través de dos actividades de origen principal y viendo un breve video, los estudiantes aprenderán sobre el compromiso de Booker T. Washington con la educación Afroamericana, y evaluarán sus ideas sobre cómo lograr la igualdad para los afroamericanos en los años posteriores a la Guerra Civil.
- Booker T. Washington | Orator, Teacher, and Advisor Lesson Plan (in English)
Students will learn about Booker T. Washington’s struggle to become educated and his contributions to educating his fellow African Americans. After watching a short video, they will discuss the role that compromise played in Washington’s rise to power and fame. By examining a 1906 image of Washington and reading excerpts from his Atlanta Exposition speech, students will be able to recognize Washington’s contributions to the early Civil Rights movement and to assess his controversial philosophy.
- Rosa Parks: Civil Rights Activist Video
After the Civil War and through the Civil Rights era of the 1950s, racial segregation laws made life for many African Americans extremely difficult. Rosa Parks—long-standing civil rights activist and author—is best known for her refusal to give up her seat to a white bus passenger, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Through two primary source activities and a short video, students will learn about Parks’ lifelong commitment to the Civil Rights Movement.
- Video en español. Después de la Guerra Civil y a través de la era de los Derechos Civiles de la década de 1950, las leyes de segregación racial hicieron la vida de muchos Afroamericanos extremadamente difícil. Rosa Parks, una activista de derechos civiles de larga data y autora, es más conocida por su negativa a ceder su asiento a un pasajero de autobús blanco, lo que desencadenó el boicot de autobuses de Montgomery. A través de dos actividades de fuentes primarias y un breve video, los estudiantes aprenderán sobre el compromiso de por vida de Parks con el Movimiento de Derechos Civiles.
- Rosa Parks | Civil Rights Activist Lesson Plan (in English)
- Muhammad Ali: Boxer and Civil Rights Activist
Muhammad Ali, considered one of the greatest boxers of all time, fought not only within the boxing ring but also as a vocal advocate for civil rights and other causes. Ali earned the world heavyweight championship three times, despite being banned from boxing for three years for his resistance to serving in the military which he felt served only White interests. By watching a short video and engaging in two primary source activities, students will examine the career of this tenacious champion.
- Video en español. Muhammad Ali, considerado uno de los mejores boxeadores de todos los tiempos, luchó no sólo dentro del ring de boxeo, sino también como un defensor vocal de los derechos civiles y otras causas. Ali ganó el campeonato mundial de los pesos pesados tres veces, a pesar de ser prohibido de boxeo durante tres años por su resistencia a servir en el ejército que sentía que sólo servía a los intereses blancos. Al ver un video corto y participar en dos actividades de origen principal, los estudiantes examinarán la carrera de este tenaz campeón.
- Muhammad Ali | Boxer and Civil Rights Activist Lesson Plan (in English)
- Martin Luther King Jr.: Civil Rights Leader Video
In the second half of the 20th century, racial tensions rose in the US as African Americans began to challenge unjust laws that supported discrimination and segregation. This movement found its leader in the patient and inspiring minister, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Students will watch a short video and engage in two primary source activities in order to explore how King’s deep-seated commitment to nonviolence contributed to the expansion of social justice in the United States, particularly for African Americans.
- Video en español. En la segunda mitad del siglo XX, las tensiones raciales aumentaron en los Estados Unidos a medida que los Afroamericanos comenzaron a desafiar leyes injustas que apoyaban la discriminación y la segregación. Este movimiento encontró a su líder en el paciente e inspirador ministro, el Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Estudiantes verán un breve video y participarán en dos actividades de fuentes primarias con el fin de explorar cómo el profundo compromiso de King con la no violencia contribuyó a la expansión de la justicia social en los Estados Unidos, particularmente para los Afroamericanos.
- Martin Luther King Jr. | Civil Rights Leader Lesson Plan (in English)
Grades 4th -12th
- Barack Obama: 60-Second Presidents
Barack Obama was the first black president to ever be elected into office. Though he came in with two foreign wars and a housing crisis on his plate, check out what he did to define how Americans live today.
- Video en español. Barack Obama fue el primer presidente Afroamericano en ser elegido en el cargo. Aunque llegó con dos guerras extranjeras y una crisis de vivienda en su plato, echa un vistazo a lo que hizo para definir cómo viven los estadounidenses hoy en día.
- 60-Second Presidents Lesson Plan (English)
Grades 6th- 12th
- NOVA: Percy Julian: Forgotten Genius: Getting an Education
Learn about the education of chemist Percy Julian. Julian's early educational years paralleled an educational movement that prepared African Americans for industrial jobs, the growing white supremacist movement, and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan. Julian would eventually move north, and finally to Europe to earn his Ph.D. Explore more about this topic, from the NOVA program Percy Julian: Forgotten Genius.
- Video en español. Aprenda sobre la educación del químico Percy Julian. Los primeros años educativos de Julian fueron paralelos a un movimiento educativo que preparó a los afroamericanos para los trabajos industriales, el creciente movimiento supremacista blanco y el ascenso del Ku Klux Klan. Julian eventualmente se mudaría hacia el norte, y finalmente a Europa para obtener su Ph.D. Explore más sobre este tema, del programa NOVA Percy Julian: Forgotten Genius.
- African American Quotation Posters | The African Americans
This media gallery includes posters that can be displayed in the classroom and used to launch discussions around the themes in The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross. The collection of original posters created for The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross features quotations by notable African Americans, including Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, W.E.B. DuBois, Zora Neale Hurston, Paul Robeson, Thurgood Marshall, Jackie Robinson, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jr., Audre Lorde, Bobby Seale, and President Barack Obama.
- Discuss 22-year-old Amanda Gorman’s inaugural poem “The Hill We Climb”
In this lesson, students examine the poetry of Amanda Gorman, who was chosen to read her poem “The Hill We Climb” at President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20, 2021. Gorman’s poem will complement Biden’s message and themes of “unity.”
- What does Kamala Harris as vice president mean to many?
Read the summary, watch the video featuring reporting by Yamiche Alcindor and answer the discussion questions.
Additional Resources
- Virtual Events at the California African American Museum
- Arthur: Making Your Classroom a Safe Space (Essay)
- Jazz Ambassadors: The Little Rock Nine (Essay)
Other Blog Posts of Interest:
