Shows
Teaching Hard HistorySlavery in the ConstitutionConstitutional and legal historian Paul Finkelman explains the critical role slavery played in the founding of the United States and how the politics of slavery shaped the U.S. Constitution in ways that are still evident today. Join host Hasan Kwame Jeffries, Ph.D., and Learning for Justice, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). (This episode originally aired in Apr. 2018.) Visit the new resource page for this episode (2025), which includes essential ideas and teaching recommendations from the conversation, updated resources, and a complete transcript. And educators! Get a professional development certificate for list...
2025-11-0440 min
Teaching Hard HistoryTen More … Film and the History of SlaveryFilm historian Ron Briley returns with more suggestions for teaching through film — from thought-provoking documentaries and feature films to miniseries. Spanning productions from the works of Ken Burns to the blockbuster Black Panther, this episode offers essential background information and practical strategies. Join host Hasan Kwame Jeffries, Ph.D., and Learning for Justice, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). (This episode originally aired in April 2018.) Visit the new resource page for this episode (2025), which includes essential ideas and teaching recommendations from the conversation, updated resources, and a complete transcript. And educators! Get a pr...
2025-10-0821 min
Teaching Hard HistoryFilm and the History of SlaveryFilm has long shaped our nation's historical memory — for good and bad. Film historian Ron Briley offers ways to responsibly use films in the classroom to more accurately frame the narrative of American slavery and Reconstruction. Join host Hasan Kwame Jeffries, Ph.D., and Learning for Justice, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). (This episode originally aired in 2018.) Visit the new resource page for this episode (2025), which includes essential ideas and teaching recommendations from the conversation, updated resources, and a complete transcript. And educators! Get a professional development certificate for listening to this...
2025-09-1746 min
Teaching Hard HistoryDiverse Experience of the EnslavedThe experiences of enslaved people varied greatly based on a variety of factors, including time, location, crop, labor performed, size of slaveholding and gender. Yet, most students leave school thinking enslaved people lived like the biased representation in Gone With the Wind. Deirdre Cooper Owens, Ph.D., discusses how the lived experience of slavery varied and evolved. Join host Hasan Kwame Jeffries, Ph.D., and Learning for Justice, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). (This episode originally aired in Mar. 2018.) Visit the new resource page for this episode (2025), which includes essential ideas and teaching re...
2025-09-0235 min
Teaching Hard HistoryResistance Means More Than RebellionFor a more complete picture of enslaved people's experiences, we need to expand our understanding of resistance. Kenneth S. Greenberg, Ph.D., examines the numerous ways enslaved African Americans incorporated resistance into every aspect of their lives, offering a lens to help students see how enslaved people fought back against the brutality of slavery. Join host Hasan Kwame Jeffries, Ph.D., and Learning for Justice, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). (This episode originally aired in Mar. 2018.) Visit the new resource page for this episode (2025), which includes essential ideas and teaching recommendations from the...
2025-08-141h 07
Teaching Hard HistoryIn the Footsteps of Others: Process DramaIn learning about slavery, students often ask, "Why didn't enslaved people run away or revolt?" Lindsay Anne Randall explains "process drama" — a method to help build empathy and understand the risks and complexities that enslaved individuals faced. Join host Hasan Kwame Jeffries, Ph.D., and Learning for Justice, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). (This episode originally aired in Feb. 2018.) Visit the new resource page for this episode (2025), which includes essential ideas and teaching recommendations from the conversation, updated resources, and a complete transcript. And educators! Get a professional development certificate for listeni...
2025-07-3143 min
Teaching Hard HistoryDoing the Work of Teaching Hard HistoryIn many ways, the U.S. has fallen short of its ideals. How can we explain this to students — particularly in the context of discussing slavery? Salem State University professor Steven Thurston Oliver shares practical strategies for teaching hard history and creating supportive classroom environments in which relationships are strong enough to be able to hold challenging conversations. Join host Hasan Kwame Jeffries, Ph.D., and Learning for Justice, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). (This episode originally aired in Jan. 2018.) Visit the new resource page for this episode (2025), which includes essential ideas from the...
2025-07-2243 min
Teaching Hard HistorySlavery and the Northern EconomyWhen we think of slavery as a strictly Southern institution, we perpetuate a "dangerous fiction," according to historian Christy Clark-Pujara. Avoid the trap with this episode about the role the North played in perpetuating slavery and the truth behind the phrase "slavery built the United States." Join host Hasan Kwame Jeffries, Ph.D., and Learning for Justice, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). (This episode originally aired in Jan. 2018.) Visit the new resource page for this episode (2025), which includes essential ideas from the conversation, teaching recommendations and updated resources. A complete transcript is...
2025-07-1033 min
Teaching Hard HistorySlavery and the Civil War, Part 2Salem State University professor Bethany Jay returns to examine how the actions of free and enslaved African Americans shaped the progress of the Civil War and contributed to emancipation. Join host Hasan Kwame Jeffries, Ph.D., and Learning for Justice, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). (This episode originally aired in Jan. 2018.) Visit the new resource page for this episode (2025), which includes essential ideas from the conversation, teaching recommendations and updated resources. A complete transcript is also included. And educators! Get a professional development certificate for listening to this episode—issued by Learn...
2025-06-2629 min
Teaching Hard HistorySlavery and the Civil War, Part 1What really caused the Civil War? In this episode, Salem State University Professor Bethany Jay examines the complex role that slavery played in causing the Civil War and outlines ways to teach this history and clarify our understanding of the Confederacy. Join host Hasan Kwame Jeffries, Ph.D., and Learning for Justice, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). (This episode originally aired in Jan. 2018.) Visit the new resource page for this episode (2025), which includes essential ideas and teaching recommendations from the conversation, updated resources, and a complete transcript. And educators! Get a...
2025-06-1932 min
The Community's ConversationJourney of Justice: The Civil Rights Act at 60As our country heads into a pivotal 2024 election, we unpack the creation and the legacy of one of the most significant legislative achievements in American history, the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The 60-year-old Civil Right Act – bold, imperfect at creation, and controversial – demanded a fundamental fairness in American life that today remains an unfinished task. In June 1963, President John Kennedy urged Congress to enact a comprehensive civil rights bill, driven by widespread resistance to desegregation and the murder of civil rights activist Medgar Evers. Following Kennedy's assassination, President Lyndon Johnson championed the bill, ultimately securing its passage the foll...
2024-06-0553 min
We the PeopleMLK, the Declaration, and the ConstitutionThe nation celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day this week, honoring what would have been his 93rd birthday. In this special episode of We the People, we examine King’s thinking about the relationship between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, as well as his views on agape and universal love, and more, through a close reading and analysis of some of his most significant speeches and writings.Joining host Jeffrey Rosen are two of the nation’s leading experts on civil rights and American history. William Allen is emeritus dean and professor of political philosophy at M...
2022-01-211h 04
We the PeopleMLK, the Declaration, and the ConstitutionThe nation celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day this week, honoring what would have been his 93rd birthday. In this special episode of We the People, we examine King’s thinking about the relationship between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, as well as his views on agape and universal love, and more, through a close reading and analysis of some of his most significant speeches and writings.Joining host Jeffrey Rosen are two of the nation’s leading experts on civil rights and American history. William Allen is emeritus dean and professor of political philosophy at M...
2022-01-211h 04
cmdX anDre Articles "Law of WE "podcastMLK, the Declaration, and the ConstitutionThe nation celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day this week, honoring what would have been his 93rd birthday. In this special episode of We the People, we examine King’s thinking about the relationship between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, as well as his views on agape and universal love, and more, through a close reading and analysis of some of his most significant speeches and writings. Joining host Jeffrey Rosen are two of the nation’s leading experts on civil rights and American history. William Allen is emeritus dean and professor of political philosophy at Michigan State Univ...
2022-01-211h 04
Teaching Hard HistoryJim Crow: Yesterday and TodayThis season, we're examining the century between the Civil War and the modern civil rights movement to understand how systemic racism and slavery persisted and evolved after emancipation—and how Black Americans still developed strong institutions during this time. Co-hosts Hasan Kwame Jeffries and Bethany Jay discuss how students need to grasp this history to understand injustices many of them face today, from voter suppression to mass incarceration. Visit the enhanced episode transcript for even more resources about teaching the era of Jim Crow. And Educators! Get a professional development certificate for listening to this ep...
2021-08-2652 min
Origins ArchiveJustice Denied: The Killing of Trayvon Martin in Historical PerspectiveJustice Denied: The Killing of Trayvon Martin in Historical Perspective
by HASAN KWAME JEFFRIES
2021-07-2023 min
Teaching Hard HistoryComing Soon: Conversations with Andrés ReséndezAndrés Reséndez is the author of The Other Slavery: The Uncovered Story of Indian Enslavement in America. His work has changed conventional wisdom about the institution of slavery in the Atlantic World. Over the next two episodes, host Hasan Kwame Jeffries and Reséndez will discuss key turning points in this history—exploring how it expands our understanding of the transatlantic slave trade and the lasting legacy of colonialism, which continues to reverberate in our communities. Be sure to join us. And you'll find a full episode transcript on our site.
2019-11-2504 min
Teaching Hard HistoryWrap up: Questions from the Classroom – w/ Bethany JayHistorian Bethany Jay returns – answering questions from educators across the country. Host Hasan Kwame Jeffries and the co-editor of Understanding and Teaching American Slavery confront teacher anxieties and counter misconceptions in our season finale. Visit the show notes for this episode to find a complete transcript and a list of resources to help you teach the ideas explored by our guests. And educators! Get a professional development certificate for listening to this episode—issued by Learning for Justice. Listen for the special code word, then visit learningforjustice.org/podcastpd.
2019-02-1454 min
Teaching Hard HistoryComing Soon: Stories from the Classroom (and more)Over the next few episodes, we're bringing Season One to a close. Tune in for stories from the classroom, guidance for elementary teachers and language arts classes. And answers to questions from listeners like you. With host Hasan Kwame Jeffries. (Teaching Tolerance / Southern Poverty Law Center)
2019-01-1403 min
Teaching Hard HistoryDrop Us A Line – Your Questions. Your Stories. Your Episode!A listener’s question leads to a meaningful moment. And now we want more! Take a listen, then email podcast@tolerance.org to tell us your story about teaching hard history for an upcoming, special episode. With host Hasan Kwame Jeffries. (Teaching Tolerance / Southern Poverty Law Center)
2018-06-0410 min