Reconstruction
By Social Justice Books of Teaching for Change
By Social Justice Books of Teaching for Change
Reconstruction
Reconstruction, the era immediately following the Civil War and emancipation, is full of stories that help us see the possibility of a future defined by racial equity. Yet the possibilities and achievements of this era are too often overshadowed by the violent white supremacist backlash. Too often the story of this grand experiment in interracial democracy is skipped or rushed through in classrooms across the country. Today — in a moment where activists are struggling to make Black lives matter — every student should probe the relevance of Reconstruction. The books below can help teachers and students uncover the hidden, bottom-up history of this era.
The Zinn Education Project has a #TeachReconstruction campaign that offers lessons for middle and high school, a student campaign to make Reconstruction history visible in their communities, and an annotated list of recommended teaching guides, student friendly books, primary document collections, and films.
