Connecting History and Today | Facing History & Ourselves

Connecting History and Today

We believe the bigotry and hate that we witness today are the legacy of brutal injustices of the past. We help teachers and students face our collective histories and understand how they inform attitudes and behaviors in today's world.

History is Not Inevitable

Facing History students examine pivotal moments in history and learn how the choices made in the past have shaped our present. Our students come to understand that history is not inevitable: people make choices and choices make history.

The great force of history comes from the fact that we carry it within us, are unconsciously controlled by it in many ways, and history is literally present in all that we do.
— James Baldwin
A group of high school students sit at desks in conversation.

Explore Democracy & Freedom in US History and Today

Invite your students to consider what democracy and freedom mean in US history and in society today through our US History Curriculum Collection. This curated set of lesson plans, units, and inquiries can be used in any US history course.

Access the Curriculum Collection

Current Events in Your Classroom

We provide the tools and resources for teachers and their students to place current events in a historical context. This approach helps students make sense of the world around them and become informed and active participants in a democracy.

Learn more about how current events discussions help students learn. Or, dive into our collection of current events classroom resources.

 

"If a society, if a state, doesn’t acknowledge its wrongdoing in the past, this means there is a potential there, always, that it can do it again."
A high school student is standing up and speaking in an auditorium filled with people

Attend an Event

Outstanding learning opportunities. Thought-provoking conversations. Inspiring stories from students and teachers. Join us for an upcoming event and experience the power of Facing History. 

See Upcoming Events

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