Last Month Michelle Rich, Graduate student in History and Social Studies Teacher at East High School, had the opportunity to participate in the National Humanities Center’s More than a Slogan: Understanding the Historical Context of Black Lives Matter. This weeklong institute situated the Black Lives Matter movement in the larger historical context for the fight for racial equality. Common themes among the various presenters were the roots of the Black Lives Matter Movement in Black radical tradition, the emphasis of BLM prioritizing dignity in the struggle for full rights of citizenship, and the expansion of democracy as the basis of the struggle for racial equality. Rich Says, “A major takeaway from this institute is as educators to consider how we encourage our students to create a critical consciousness that posits BLM as a movement in the greater struggle for racial equality despite its many misrepresentations.”
University of Colorado Denver