Democracy Now! Archives

Salvadoran Jesuit Martyrs | Zinn Education Project

Nov. 16, 1989: Jesuit Scholars/Priests and Staff Massacred in El Salvador

Six Jesuit scholars/priests and two staff members were murdered by the U.S.-backed military in El Salvador.

May 24, 1990: Judi Bari’s Car Bombed

Earth First! activist Judi Bari’s car was blown up by a bomb in Oakland, California.

Sept. 11, 1990: Murder of Myrna Mack

Anthropologist Myrna Mack Chang was murdered in Guatemala by the U.S.-backed military due to her outspoken criticism of the Guatemala government’s treatment of the indigenous Maya.

Nov. 12, 1991: Indonesian Massacre of East Timorese

Using arms from the United States, Indonesian troops fired on a peaceful procession in East Timor, killing more than 270 people.

Feb. 29, 2000: “Granny D” Completes Walk for Campaign Finance Reform

“Granny D” Haddock completed a 3200 miles walk from California to Washington, D.C. to call for reform of the U.S. system of campaign finance.

April 10, 2006: Immigrants’ Rights Protests Peak

During a Spring filled with pro-immigrant activism, on this day the largest number of people gathered in over 100 cities in the United States to protest new anti-immigrant legislation.

Jan. 12, 2010: Earthquake in Haiti

Haiti was hit with a devastating earthquake that took the lives of thousands and displaced even more‪.

Visitors look at a memorial near the entrance of the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin Wednesday, July 31, 2013, in Oak Creek, Wisconsin

Aug. 5, 2012: The Sikh Temple of Wisconsin Massacre

A white supremacist shot and killed six members of the Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin.

June 27, 2015: Bree Newsome Removes Confederate Flag

While politicians debated the implications of taking down the Confederate flag after the white supremacist murder of nine African Americans at Emmanuel AME Church, Bree Newsome scaled the South Carolina state flag pole and took the flag down.

Sept. 6, 2017: U.S. Virgin Islands Hit by Hurricane Irma

The Virgin Islands were hit by Hurricane Irma. Also, on #tdih in 1928, Hurricane Okeechobee formed and hit Puerto Rico and Florida soon in mid-September.

The Koch Brothers Sneak into School: How Right-wing Billionaires Seek to Shape the Social Studies Curriculum

How Right-wing Billionaires Seek to Shape the Social Studies Curriculum

By Bill Bigelow

This month in Boston, thousands of teachers will gather for the annual National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) conference. Two non-teachers will be there, too: Charles and David Koch, the notorious right-wing billionaires.

Well, the Kochs won’t be there in person, but they will be represented by a Koch-funded and controlled organization: the Arlington, Virginia-based Bill of Rights Institute.

Berta Cáceres: Environmental Organizer

Profile. Overview and related resources about Honduran environmental activist Berta Cáceres.

Henry Kissinger Is No Friend of Humanity

Did you see the Democratic debate last night? Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger became a point of contention. We can take this opportunity to introduce students to Kissinger. It was Kissinger who famously called anti-Vietnam War activist and whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg "the most dangerous man in America."

Native American Activism: 1960s to Present

Overview of Native American activism since the late 1960s, including protests at Mt. Rushmore, Alcatraz, Standing Rock, and more.

Eduardo Galeano, ¡Presente!

The great writer, historian, activist, and critic, Eduardo Galeano, died on April 13, 2015. His work was a gift to every teacher who hopes to make sense of this "upside down world" with students.

North Dakota Bans Teaching About Structural Racism

North Dakota passed a law to ban teaching "that racism is systemically embedded in American society and the American legal system to facilitate racial inequality." Instead, teachers must say that "racism is merely the product of learned individual bias or prejudice."

Kelly Lytle Hernández on the 1910 Mexican Revolution

Author Kelly Lytle Hernández spoke about the magonistas, a group of agitators who challenged Mexican dictator Porfirio Díaz in the early 20th century. This session is part of the Zinn Education Project’s Teach the Black Freedom Struggle online people’s history series.

Aug. 14, 2017: Activists Topple Confederate Monument in Durham

Freedom fighter Takiyah Thompson looped a bright yellow strap around the neck of a Durham, North Carolina monument to Confederate soldiers, and a crowd of other activists pulled it down, inspiring other communities to take direct action in removing public symbols that glorify white supremacy, and to raise up new stories that celebrate all people.