Here are lessons, books, and films for teaching the truth about Columbus and Indigenous Peoples history.
|
Lessons
|
||
|
How to engage students in a critical analysis of the textbook version of “discovery.” |
Role play in the form of a trial to determine who is responsible for the death of millions of Taínos on the island of Hispaniola in the late 15th century. Roles available in Spanish. |
|
The Cherokee/Seminole Role play on the Cherokee-Seminole removal or Trail of Tears. |
A lesson in which students develop critical literacy skills by responding to Andrew Jackson’s speech on “Indian Removal.” |
|
‘Don’t Take Our Voices Away’: A role play that asks students to develop a list of demands to present to the rest of the world at a climate change meeting. |
A role play that helps students recognize the issues at stake in the historic struggle of the Standing Rock Sioux to block construction of the Dakota Access oil pipeline. |
|
|
Articles
|
|
 Christopher Columbus:No Monuments for Murderers Why we should challenge the fundamental structures of ownership, power, and privilege that have given us such a skewed constellation of heroes and holidays. |
 Truth-Telling in American History: Groups Fight for Indigenous Peoples’ DayDiscusses Indigenous Peoples’ Day campaigns and the resistance/challenges to overcome. |
 Italian Americans WhoFought for Justice Brief bios of people of Italian heritage who were committed to social justice.
|
 Native American Activism:1960s to Present Brief overview and Native American activism since the late 1960s. |
|
Books
|
|||
 |
Rethinking Columbus: The Next 500 Years Readings and lessons for grades 5 to 12 about the impact and legacy of the arrival of Columbus in the Americas. |
 |
“All the Real Indians Died Off”: And 20 Other Myths About Native Americans Deconstructs persistent myths about American Indians rooted in fear and prejudice—an astute and lively primer of European-Indian relations. |
 |
Christopher Columbus and the Conquest of Paradise Very detailed, with extensive quotes from far-ranging original sources. Links Columbus’s legacy to environmental degradation. |
 |
Columbus: His Enterprise A biography that gives a true account of Columbus’ life and voyages. |
 |
An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States Four hundred years of Native American history from a bottom-up perspective. |
 |
A People’s History of the United States A groundbreaking work on U.S. history. This book details lives and facts rarely included in textbooks—an indispensable teacher and student resource. |
|
Films
|
|
Contrasting views and scenes from the classroom on teaching about Columbus.
|
Columbus in America
Documentary on the symbol of Columbus in the United States and the campaign for Indigenous Peoples’ Day. |
As a crew shoots a film about Columbus’ genocide, local people in Cochabamba, Bolivia rise up against plans to privatize the water supply.
|
 Native American history through the eyes of Native American children.
|
|
Websites
|
||
Critical perspectives of Indigenous peoples in children’s books, the school curriculum, popular culture, and society-at-large.
|
In-depth coverage of Native American news.
|
News and updates about the resistance effort.
|
|
More at the Zinn Education Project
|
||
 Abolish Columbus Day Campaign |
 Resources on Native Americans |
 Resources on Colonization |
Many of these resources are featured in the Abolish Columbus Day packet which is available to download. The 14-page packet includes articles, sample resolutions, and a poster. Read more at www.zinnedproject.org/abolish.
