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While young people have a huge stake in US elections, historically they don’t show up when it comes time to vote. These teaching ideas allow students to explore youth voter turnout trends and how young people are trying to change them.

Use this teaching idea to introduce students to the story of Governor Northam, examine the history of blackface in the years before the Civil War, and consider how leaders and citizens should respond today.

This Teaching Idea contains suggestions for having conversations with your students in response to Memphis Magazine’s use of a racist caricature of mayoral candidate Tami Sawyer on its cover.

Because new information has emerged that calls into question the occurrence of the alleged attack on Jussie Smollett, we have removed this teaching idea.  Regardless of the facts surrounding this particular incident, Facing History affirms the importance of helping students confront and understand the reality of hate crimes and the legacy of the violent past in the United States and around the world.

The letter exchange between George Washington and the Hebrew congregation of Newport was not the only landmark event in the early history of America that dealt with issues of religious freedom and identity. Seixas’ letter and Washington’s subsequent response exist within a timeline of many other events during which the newly formed country faced those issues. Continue reading below for information about some of those events.