Honor the father of Black History, Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson, by acknowledging his rise from humble roots to one of the best-known black historians. When the children are older, they should be encouraged to read his work, but for the time being, a visual and tactile representation of his life might be more appropriate. Remind your students that he went from child to coal miner to historian. Ensure that they know how to play "rock, paper, scissors," then instruct them to walk around with bent knees in a "duck walk." They should then play "rock, paper, scissors" with their fellow students. The winner will be promoted to "coal miner" and walk around on their knees, playing "rock, paper, scissors" with other students on their knees. The winners become historians, but be sure to reward each child and remind them that by studying hard, they each have the potential to grow from children to worldwide acclaim as Dr. Woodson did.
Remind your students that black history is alive and well and that a number of black historians continue to make contributions. Henry Louis Gates, though occasionally more controversial than his colleagues and contemporaries, has played a vital role in the evolution of black history. Mimic his 1990s trip through Africa by teaching students about the different African cultures he encountered and integrate craft projects or stories into your lesson, such as making an Egyptian cartouche (name plate) or telling the stories of Anansi the spider.
Push the furniture aside when you discuss Angela Davis, a woman as well known for her activism as for her academic credentials. She was wrongfully incarcerated during the 1970s and continues to speak out against inequities within the prison system. This game is based on her attempt to hide from a biased justice system. Divide students into two teams and ask members of one team to curl into balls on the grass. The second team will walk around, trying to make members of the first team laugh. Those who laugh will join the others in trying to make their teammates laugh. Bring the lesson back to the notion that it is difficult to hide in plain sight when everyone is looking for you, but that just as they laughed upon discovery, people can live through adversity and enact positive change as a result of their experiences.
Explain to students that sometimes fiction can be used to help us better understand history and that not all black historians wrote nonfiction exclusively. Toni Morrison won the Nobel Prize in literature for her evocative takes on black history. Honor her achievements by asking children to fictionalize one of their own life experiences. Ask them to draw a picture showing the real version of what happened and the fictional version.