Five Years After the 2020 Uprising: Teach the Movement That Shook the Nation

By Jesse Hagopian

This spring marks five years since the 2020 uprising for Black lives — the largest protest movement in U.S. history. Sparked by the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and others, an estimated 20 million people across all 50 states took to the streets demanding justice. The uprising was Black-led — especially by Black youth — and it was also multiracial. Millions of people from all backgrounds poured into the streets, and that unprecedented solidarity shook the political establishment to its core.

“George Floyd” Artwork by Sugeily Rodriguez Lebrón. Source: Justseeds

The uprising pushed systemic racism into mainstream consciousness, sent antiracist books to the top of bestseller lists, and introduced bold ideas — like defunding or abolishing the police — into public debate. Some of the clearest victories came in education. School districts in Minneapolis, Oakland, Seattle, Charlottesville, Denver, and beyond — in all, some 50 different school districts — removed police from schools. In many places, students and organizers also won or expanded Black studies and ethnic studies programs. These changes showed what’s possible when we act collectively to challenge institutions that harm Black and Brown communities.

But the backlash was swift — and it continues to this day. Across the country, right-wing politicians have responded with book bans, curriculum restrictions, and efforts to criminalize the teaching of systemic racism. In some cities, school districts are now trying to reinstate police into schools. The 2020 uprising reminds us that fully dismantling entrenched systems of oppression requires sustained organizing, education, and collective action.

Educators have a vital role to play in preserving the truth of what happened in 2020. Teach the uprising not only as a response to injustice, but as a moment of radical imagination — when millions envisioned new systems rooted in care, justice, and community safety. Let’s help students understand both the power of protest — and the necessity of ongoing struggle — to build a more just future.

“If all Lives Matter ‘Cause We’re All Equal, Why Are Some Lives More Equal Than Others?” Artwork by Dey Hernández, Jorge Díaz Ortiz, and Sylvia Hernández. Source: Justseeds

Teach the History Behind the Headlines

Here are resources from the Zinn Education Project that connect directly to the 2020 uprising.

Teach the Roots of the 2020 Rebellion: A collection of lessons and resources to help students understand the historical context of the 2020 uprising, including the long history of white supremacy and Black resistance in the United States.

“Riots,” Racism, and the Police: Students Explore a Century of Police Conduct and Racial Violence: Students examine a century of racial violence and police conduct, helping them connect past uprisings to present struggles.

Teach the History of Policing: A curated collection of lessons, articles, and media for teaching the history of policing in the United States.

Lies We’re Told About Crime: A recorded session with Khalil Gibran Muhammad examining the historical construction of Black criminality and how it shapes our current understanding of crime and punishment.

Teach Reconstruction: A national campaign highlighting the long history of Black-led struggle for freedom and the white supremacist backlash that followed.

Water and Environmental Racism: A mixer activity introduces students to the struggle of residents to access safe water for drinking, cooking, and bathing in three majority-Black cities.

Find more related resources below.