We started the Teach Truth day of action in response to district and state bans on teaching honestly. The censorship decrees now have the weight of the federal government behind them.
The laws’ chilling effects reach classrooms nationwide.
That is why during our 5th annual Teach Truth day of action, participants modeled that a different response is possible. Instead of buckling to a well-funded hate campaign, we can defend the freedom to learn.
In dozens of cities, teachers and allies rallied to raise awareness about the threats to public education, LGBTQ+ students, immigrants, the climate, democracy, and more.
The main day was June 7 with events held throughout the month to coincide with Pride and Juneteenth.
New Resources
In addition to the activity options from prior years — such as the pop-up display, walking tours, and pledges at historic sites — we offered new resources.
Thanks to support from the National Education Association, sites could screen Banned Together, an award-winning documentary about fighting book bans and curriculum censorship in the United States. This led to screenings in eleven cities.
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For the pop-up display, we added Our Skin: A First Conversation About Race, with copies of the board book donated by Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.
We created handouts for sites to teach banned history in public places, drawing from Jesse Hagopian’s new lesson, Legalize Black Education.
In addition, Jesse published his new book Teach Truth: The Struggle for Anti-Racist Education in January of 2025.
Book Giveaways
We gave away 700 books including Teach Truth and Erasing History.
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These two titles were sent to event hosts to prepare for the day of action. These titles and more, donated by the publishers, were offered in exchange for stories about the impact of the anti-history education federal executive orders and local laws. The results, to be published, paint a sobering picture of the chilling effect of these laws.
Getting Ready
In advance of the day of action, we hosted classes with Jesse Hagopian on his new book Teach Truth: The Struggle for an Antiracist Education and Jason Stanley on Erasing History: How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future. Both scholars provide a critical analysis in their books of the times we are in and how authoritarian governments rely on control of K–12 education.
We offered a media guide and training for event hosts on best practices when speaking with journalists and hands-on practice in answering frequently asked questions.
To support engagement beyond the day of action, we added our events to the Public School Strong/HEAL Together national map. People searching the map find local education organizing efforts in addition to our events.
Outreach
Our more than 80 co-sponsors alerted their members to the day of action. We offered dedicated workshops and presentations for the ALA Unite Against Book Bans and Red, Wine, & Blue. The National Education Association promoted day of action in multiple newsletters. This led to many of the events being hosted by Red, Wine, & Blue TroubleNation groups and NEA affiliates.
Media
Partners and event hosts from the National Education Association, the American Library Association, Authors Against Book Bans, the Transgender Law Center, and more organizations spoke in a briefing on why we need to take action to defend the freedom to learn.
There was national coverage in USA Today, Librarians, teachers and others plan day of action to fight book bans and preserve history, Word in Black, Can You Teach the Truth in America?, and NEA Today, Across the Nation, Teachers Rally to Defend Truth in Education. Some sites secured local media, including: Regional News for Palos Heights; Los Angeles Times for Laguna Beach; North Country Now for Potsdam; Salem News; and the Kansas City Defender.
Events by State
Here are descriptions and photos from some of the events to date. More are being held throughout the month.
Alaska
Anchorage
The Education Alaska Action Summit hosted a Teach Truth pop-up display. This event brought together educators, community leaders, and advocates to collaborate with families and share ideas on advancing education in Alaska.
Arizona
Phoenix
Tucson
The Arizona Educators Association Retired Chapter hosted a #TeachTruth information table at their chapter meeting.
California
Berkeley
Over 60 people attended the event at West Berkeley Shellmound where there was a book fair, speakers, music, pop-up display, food, and solidarity in a gathering on sacred, rematriated land in Huchiun at the West Berkeley Shellmound.
San Francisco educator and founder of Drag Queen Story Hour, Per Sia, was MC. Per Sia spoke about teaching that “all bodies are cool.” Sharon Marcos of the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust spoke about the return of sacred land to indigenous hands and about the work to create a curriculum for teaching about the indigenous people of the East Bay. Mia Fung from AAPI Youth Rising spoke about the need for students to see themselves in the curriculum, and their work to create lessons about AAPI history.
Jason Muniz spoke about the value of Ethnic Studies in the high school curriculum, teaching about love, and the challenges posed by AB715 legislation. Laura Callen from Jews on Ohlone Land spoke about the Jewish traditions of education, and Jewish opposition to the genocide in Palestine.
Zeiad Abbas from the Middle East Children’s Project called for a moment of silence in solidarity with the people of Palestine. He spoke about the Teach Palestine project to support teachers, and the importance of a full and honest study of Palestine.
Laguna Beach
Article in Los Angeles Times about the Teach Truth event in Laguna Beach.
Los Angeles
University of California, Irvine (UCI) History Project, Central American Historical and Ancestral Society (CAHAAS), and the Museum of Social Justice collaborated on a teach-in focused on the exhibit, La Piedra Art Collective: That Stubborn Resistance, which is a celebration, rooted in the past, of the present contributions of Central Americans and Mexicans in the United States.
The teach-in highlighted he museums mission to tell the neglected stories of the diverse people of Los Angeles by showcasing the history of social movements from the perspective of marginalized groups. There were also presentations about the collective efforts of the UCI History Project and CAHAAS to uplift the narratives of Central Americans in Los Angeles and Southern California. See video clip on Instagram about the event.
Mill Valley
Pico Rivera
Sacramento
A team of people from various organizations hosted a Teach Truth information table and canvassed outside a local farmer’s market to raise awareness about how California Assembly Bill 715 is an attempt to censor Palestinian voices and stories in California’s public schools, and to encourage people to contact California senators about the bill. The host noted, “There was a lot of engagement with our informational table, and some great conversations.”
Connecticut
Hartford
An educator hosted a Teach Truth display at the Swift Factory. She noted that there were visitors from various towns in the area and they were all pleased to learn about the campaign.
Delaware
New Castle
District of Columbia
NMAAHC to NMAI
Accompanied by a brass band, educators and allies marched from the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) to the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI), highlighting the censorship of history in schools, libraries, and museums.
They stopped at each of the museums on the way to share stories about why the knowledge in the respective museum matters. The event was hosted by Teaching for Change’s D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice, CARE, EmpowerEd, and National Education Association (NEA) and was held during World Pride Festival.
The event launched with remarks by NEA president Becky Pringle and executive director of the American Library Association’s Public Policy and Advocacy office, Lisa Varga.
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
Speakers included Kwame Alexander, Amanda Jones, Meg Medina, Jason Reynolds, Sasa Aakil, Ibram X. Kendi, and more in defense of creative expression, access to all books, and the freedom to learn.
The NEA provided free children’s books. The Zinn Education Project (Rethinking Schools and Teaching for Change) had our Teach Truth pop-up display and information about Social Justice Books. Other cosponsors had tables including the American Library Association, Shout Mouse Press, An Open Book Foundation, Hurston Wright Foundation, and First Book.
Following the program in the auditorium, many participants marched around the library to raise public awareness about the need to defend the freedom to read and to speak out.
DC/Dox Film Festival
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The DC/DOX festival hosted The Librarians, a powerful new documentary on the chilling story of book bans in Texas and the fight against censorship.
The film was on the map for the Teach Truth Day of Action with a discount for attendees. Every seat was full and there was a post-screening conversation with director Kim A. Snyder, producer Maria Cuomo Cole, film protagonist/librarian Martha Hickson, D.C. librarian K. C. Boyd, and Jonathan Friedman of PEN America. (As people waited in line for the theater, they took photos with the Teach Truth frame and received Teach Banned History buttons.)
Florida
Gainesville
Lynx Books in Gainesville hosted a screening of Banned Together, a documentary about young people mounting a grassroots effort to challenge book bans. There were close to 30 attendees — ranging from children to retired.
Prior to the screening, they perused the Teach Truth pop-up display. Following the film, the bookstore operations manager Jackie Davison spoke about the local landscape of book banning and curriculum restrictions. She outlined state and city legislation that has made book banning easier in Florida; steps that people can take to combat the banning of books; and The Lynx’s nonprofit efforts to donate banned and challenged books to community organizations across Florida.
Georgia
Atlanta
Educator Sara Quinn hosted an interactive Teach Truth pop-up display. Kids and families were able to explore and enjoy banned picture books, ask questions and engage in age-appropriate dialogue about why some people are attempting to ban these wonderful books that reflect the communities that we live in.
Stone Mountain
Alecia Shipp, the daughter of Ralph Shipp, the first Black member of the Stone Mountain City Council, recounted how her father brought critical municipal services to Shermantown like paved roads and sewage lines. For over a decade, he ensured that Black citizens had a voice in governance at considerable risk to himself and his family. Alecia remembered, “As a child, ….we had two crosses burned on our lawn.”
Lifelong activist Richard Rose reminded participants that the Stone Mountain carving represents our nation’s original sins of white supremacy and it is our tax money that funds the upkeep of the carving and Park.
The first Black female mayor of Stone Mountain, Beverly Jones, talked about what brought her to Stone Mountain and her efforts to make the city more democratic and responsive to its citizens.
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Renowned photographer Sheila Pree Bright, showed images from her photograph series Invisible Empire. As a member of the community and artist, she emphasize the natural beauty and the oppressive history of the Park.
Sally Stanhope, a member of the Stone Mountain Action Coalition, connected the state’s protection of Stone Mountain and other Confederate monuments and silencing of the truth in its parks to its efforts to censor classrooms, curricula, and school libraries. Participants then shared their motivations for coming and concerns. Their identities ranged from a school counselor who resigned when Cobb County banned the 1619 Project, to a minister from Ghana who feared that book bans may expand to include the Bible. Participants traded books on topics often erased from museums, parks, and classrooms and those that school boards frequently ban. Participants had the opportunity to write their legislator, sign the Zinn Education Project’s Pledge to Teach Truth, and look at materials about banned books, Shermantown, and school censorship laws.
Five participants joined the walking tour of the city and Shermantown. Stanhope introduced them to symbols that show that the community has begun to reflect the predominately Black constituency of the community. Gilly Brew Bar, a black owned coffee shop, located in the Mayor’s House, that enslaved people bult in 1834 has become a center for artistic community building. Other Black entrepreneuers have brought Smac Snax, a boutique of unique candy,ice cream, and toys, and Sweet Potato Cafe, an award winning farm to table restaurant into the downtown.
Then participants learned about Eva Mamie Lane located in the heart of Shermantown that had been Venable Street until 2019 when the city counsel voted to rename it. The Venable family sold Stone Mountain to the state in 1958, and both Sam and James Venable played instrumental roles in the Ku Klux Klan. Although the Klan had not marched through Shermantown since the 90s, the street honoring the Venables reminded residents that some still believed the organization to be heroic. Instead Eva Mamie Lane celebrates a mother-daughter activist duo, Eva Jewell Greene and Mamie Ella Lane, who both promoted belonging through antipoverty and educational prpgramming.
The tour concluded at The View, a senior living community, built where the state had erected Victoria Simmons Elementary School, a Black first to seventh grade school that served not only the families Shermantown but also of surrounding communities from 1955-1969. Though Victoria Simmons Elementary and other equalization schools stemmed from the state’s efforts to resist federal integration orders with “seperate but equal” facilities, teachers and families transformed it into a hub of learning and community celebration. When it closed, DeKalb County fired many of its teachers and its students were scattered to school that were often unwelcoming to its families. However, Eva Greene ensured that the building continued be a place of uplift when she a the former principal of Victoria Simmons brought Stone Mountain’s first Head Start program to the building.
Hawaii
Ocean View
Fredeelyn Freeman-Koepker
Educator Fredeelyn Freeman-Koepker reported,
Our event featured a powerful screening of the film Banned Together with a group of 15 engaged participants, plus event organizers. Despite being organized on short notice, the event sparked meaningful dialogue before and after the film.
We created a visual display using printed book covers and descriptions, which helped bring the conversation to life. A highlight of the event was the inclusion of books connected to Hawaii and Native Hawaiian culture. This local perspective resonated strongly with attendees and deepened the relevance of the broader conversation on censorship and representation.
Many participants expressed appreciation for seeing literature that reflected their own community and identity.
The event served not only as a space to discuss banned books, but also as a reminder of the importance of protecting diverse voices in education and literature.
Illinois
Bloomington
Palos Heights
The event was covered in Southwest Regional News, Advocates push for true history education. In the article, event co-host Maryellen Krammer said,
One of the tenets of Sassy Lassies Defending Truth & Democracy mission statement is to ‘combat disinformation and defend truth and democracy. Like the Zinn Education Project, we believe when young people study the roots of injustice, they can address those root causes and shape a better future for everyone. When we know the truth about our past we understand our present and see opportunities to build a different future.
Iowa
Des Moines
The Des Moines Teaching for Black Lives study group hosted a Teach Truth Teach-In for middle school students with a culminating event for educators with a focus on historical and local figures who have been advocates and activists for change. With resources and lessons from the Zinn Education Project (Fight to Teach Truth), Teaching for Change (Resistance 101), Facing History and Ourselves (Universe of Obligation), and Rethinking Schools (Raised by Women: Building Relationships through Poetry), students were introduced to the long history of criminalizing education and fugitive pedagogies.
At the beginning of the week, students selected and read about a historical figure who connects to an issue affecting their communities. Then students identified someone in the community to interview or research that reminded them of their historical figure. After a three-day long workshop of community building and research, students shared their learning with students and staff on the last day of school.
By centering students’ understanding of their community’s concerns, exploring the historical context, and making connections to their lives today, the study group ended the school year teaching truth and setting the tone for the fall.
Iowa City
Attendees had the opportunity to engage with a people’s history mini-lesson and the pop-up display. There was also a book exchange, live music, and speeches, including by Nick Covington of the Human Restoration Project.
Named after one of the first settlers to the area, Iowa City’s Teach Truth rally was held in Chauncey Swan Park. A whitewashed history would honor Swan, one of the earliest postmasters of the Iowa territory. Upon his arrival, Swan saw, and displaced, the three bands of Sauk and Meskwaki people who called the land around what would become Iowa City home. It took two decades of resistance until the Meskwaki were able to secure a home amidst settlers, purchasing a large settlement in Tama county.
Many attendees at the earlier No Kings protest joined in the Teach Truth event.
Kansas
Kansas City
Showing Up for Racial Justice: Kansas City, Education Core (with partners Equality KS, Voter Rights Network of Wyandotte County, NEA-KCK, NEA-Shawnee Mission, BLOC, Latinx Education Collaborative) hosted a Teach Truth Teach-In on the colonial history of the Shawnee Indian Mission and Northeast Kansas.
The event host noted, “We had 30 people show up to listen to deep historical dives by expert historians and educators. People walked away with a morning of fellowship, community, and action steps to move forward with their new knowledge.”
The Kansas City Defender ran a story in advance of the event.
Topeka
Amelia Black, Topeka, Kansas
Capital Uniserv Educators of the Kansas National Education Association (KNEA) hosted a screening of Banned Together and a Teach Truth pop-up display at Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library.
About ten people attended the screening.
Others, having been introduced to the documentary via the outreach, noted that they plan to stream it later.
Maine
Portland
The event host shared, “What I heard more than any other quote was ‘Wait, THAT book is banned?!’ — with an expression of utter disbelief. I had a delighted grandma-to-be take a photo of my kids banned books table so she could get gift ideas for her coming grandbaby. It was a wonderful day!”
Maryland
Rockville
Around 40 people attended throughout the afternoon which was full of insights from the displays and interactions with each other.
One attendee said he appreciated the focus on LGBTQ+ history and that it would have helped him while he was growing up and figuring out his identity. Children explored the mystery books. A teacher shared that she had been put on administrative leave for saying she supported a ceasefire in Gaza in her private life. Thankfully she’s back in the classroom, as determined to teach truth as ever. Two county council members attended and thanked the coordinator (a high school teacher) for supporting educators and students. They said it was especially important to have this event in Montgomery County because there is currently a Supreme Court case where parents are attempting to opt out their children from stories that include LGBTQ+ characters.
This event planted the seeds for more education and organizing. Everyone took postcards and stickers to share at their place of work. The discussions led to mutual support and ideas for future events.
Severna Park
Massachusetts
Gloucester
Just Informed Concerned Educators hosted an information station at The Cut Bridge, on The Boulevard in Gloucester, a prominent promenade for walking. The host noted, “We handed out buttons and information cards, and informed passersby about book bans and the challenge to teach truth, even in our blue state of Massachusetts.”
The same group will also table at a Juneteenth event, as well as reading in July of Frederick Douglass’s speech, “What To The Slave Is the Fourth of July?” in a public park in Gloucester.
Organizer and middle school Spanish teacher Heidi Wakeman added “I loved making this dream a reality! Thank you for all your support. I feel connected to a larger network of kickass educators who are committed to teaching truth.”
South Hadley
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The Mount Holyoke College Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion co-hosted their 3rd annual Teach Truth Day of Action with a film screening and discussion of the documentary, Banned Together.
The event was held in collaboration with Odyssey Bookshop; South Hadley Public, Library; and Mount Holyoke Library, Information and Technology Services (LITS). They passed out banned books and developed action steps to respond to the current climate around defending our democracy, the rights of LGBTQ+ communities, the freedom to learn, and the importance of Black education to U.S. history.
The event host shared, “We had an incredibly rich conversation about the film and developed action steps that we can take as a campus community to honor educators and librarians everywhere. As we celebrate Pride and Juneteenth this month, we want to acknowledge the importance of recognizing that many banned books tell the stories of marginalized, historically excluded and targeted communities. These stories should not be banned as they are vital to critical thinking and intellectual freedom.”
Michigan
Haslet
Williamston Women’s Book Club hosted a Teach Truth display at the Williamston Farm and Artisan Market. The host noted that the poster helped alert people as to what the table was about. About 100 people stopped by and everyone loved the buttons and book ban explanations.
Ypsilanti
The Ann Arbor Education Association hosted a book swap and Teach Truth pop-up display as part of the Michigan Avenue library’s summer kick off.
The organizer said, “Visitors could try Black history trivia in order to win a prize. Additionally, we asked friends and supporters to contribute toward book donations and purchased about 20 books from Black-owned Blackstone Bookstore and Cultural Center across the street from the library in downtown Ypsilanti. We raffled these books off and gave them to lucky winners. We had great conversations with visitors who were happy to know that 200 Teach Truth events were taking place across the country. My favorite moments were the excited faces of kids who won the raffle and were able to take a book home to read over the summer!”
Minnesota
Minneapolis
Over 200 members, parents, students, and community supporters showed up. They placed 500 new books into the hands of families for summer reading with diverse titles.
Missouri
St. Louis
The table at the Department of Education at Washington University in St. Louis was planned and staffed by a 6th grader. She was invited to sharing her work around issues of banning books, banning words, and the long-term implications those bans might have on education at the K–12 and higher education levels.
University faculty and students stopped by to leanr about connections between the Sustainable Development Goal of Quality Education and the Teach Truth campaign. One person noted, “As a parent, it is incredibly humbling to see a 12-year-old who is so articulate and passionate about protecting people’s right to learn history accurately.”
Nevada
Las Vegas College of Southern Nevada Libraries
Las Vegas Public Libraries
Las Vegas: Tofu Tees
New Hampshire
Exeter
First Unitarian Universalist Society of Exeter (FUUSE) hosted its first Teach Truth fair featuring a banned book sale and swap, information tables, children’s activities, and more! A small (due to inclement weather) but mighty crowd gathered to buy and swap books to the sound of a marching band. Fun was had by all!
New Jersey
Maplewood
Ocean City
Our Zinn Ed Project Teach Truth banned book display was among 30 community organizations at the Ocean City, New Jersey Pride Fest.
We engaged numerous visitors interested in the reasons and locations behind various book bannings.
Many were surprised by titles like Pinkalicious and Baseball Saved Us appearing on banned lists. One visitor recounted successfully advocating against their local school district’s attempt to ban Gender Queer, resulting in the book being retained.
We also connected with many teachers who expressed concern about potential removal of books they use in their classrooms, and it was heartwarming to see children’s eyes light up recognizing familiar stories from home. [Report from event host.]
New York
Batavia
At the Juneteenth celebration, visitors came to a booth hosted by Westside Monroe County Indivisible and Ontario County Democratic Committee to learn about censorship in schools and federal agencies. The host created towers of truth with persons whose histories were erased from the web by the administration. While most people were interested to learn more, one person came by and said why should anyone care about this erased history and left very angry about it.
Brockport
Westside Monroe County Indivisible hosted an interactive Teach Truth community event at Sagawa Park.
The event featured ten informational displays about erased history, each staffed by its creator to spark a community conversation. It also had tables with banned books and kids activities. They hosted a drumming circle and ice cream social to attract the community to the park and create a welcoming, festive atmosphere.
Bronx
What’s Next? The Future of Education hosted a Teach Truth event at Henry Hudson statue in Spuyten Duyvil neighborhood in the Bronx. This group of retired educators set up a table with information about the Lenni Lenape to counter the stereotypical and racist depictions at the base of this monument. (There is a marble relief depicting Indigenous people in stereotypical dress bending their knees and offering gifts of furs to European captains who were holding out strands of beads.) They also shared the Teach Truth pop-up display about banned books and the attacks on teaching people’s history.
The event host reported, “Parents, current teachers, an immigration worker for Catholic Charities, a reporter from the local newspaper, and dog walkers stopped to chat with us about our weekly discussion group and the materials on display. Others would give us a thumbs up or comment about how important the work of telling the truth is. Some posed for pictures with our signs. A huge downpour of rain required us to dismantle our display table earlier than expected.”
Brooklyn: P.S. 261
Prior to the event, P.S 261’s fifth-grade class studied curriculum censorship. They looked at the banned books map and discussed what they noticed and wondered. Then they engaged in a discussion about the importance of teaching the truth to 10- and 11-year-olds. They examined elements of the school’s social studies curriculum that align with the idea of teaching the truth such as writing speeches about social justice topics and then marching with activism posters to Borough Hall, studying the guiding principles of Black Lives Matter at School and creating artifacts that showcase one or more of the principles, and engaging in volunteerism while learning about food justice. The fifth graders dove into why it’s necessary to share the truth with students and they also thought about the effects of not having the full story or everyone’s perspective. There were discussions about the value of reading banned books. After these discussions, they got to work creating photo frames. The photo above is of fifth-grade students who created photo frames and helped at the school’s event.
Brooklyn: Circle Keepers
The event host reported,
Exhibitors filled the cafeteria of the middle-high school. The Teach Truth table and gallery walk ran from 9am to 4pm, and five of our seven study group members helped to staff the table and gallery walk. Young people and adults from various organizations visited our table and gallery walk. They all expressed support for teaching truthfully. We had banned books on display with explanations about why each book had been banned. We had related quotes from activists on chart paper and people wrote responses about the importance of fighting these book bans. The descriptions of why each book was banned, located under the books when they were lifted, were appreciated. A couple of books were given away.
The energy throughout the day was amazing. Even exhibitors from other tables came by and made connections with us and our work (including an amazing youth organizer from Malikah and a couple of adult restorative circle keeper trainers from Morningside Center for Teaching and Social Responsibility. Youth and adults engaged in conversations about their surprise that certain books are banned and/or challenged in our country. Thoughtful comments were posted on the gallery walk with quotes on the “Struggle for Black Education” and the “The Fight to Teach Truth” timeline. The gallery walk was especially popular with students. One youth visitor requested a copy of a quote that moved him.
It was rewarding to host our Teach Truth Day of Action on the same day as this administration’s expensive military parade in Washington, D.C.
We all felt energized and want to do this again.
Canandaigua
Fairport
Educators hosted an interactive Teach Truth pop-up display at Another Chapter Bookstore. The host reported, “The event was well attended and a few people were constantly around the table. There were many teachers and librarians, in addition to younger people interested in learning more. Some people completed the Instagram sentence starters. A 3rd grader and kindergartener wrote about the first book that they’d read with a character that represented their identity (Asian/female). Another person wrote that differences make us stronger. Many people were interested in the Banned Together documentary and took information on that as well.”
Harlem
New Paltz
Educators in New Paltz hosted a screening of Banned Together at the Elting Memorial Library, followed by a short discussion. Forty people attended the event and found the documentary very powerful.
Peterboro
Members of the National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum promoted the #TeachTruth throughout the month. For example, they displayed the materials at the Juneteenth Celebration which included talks by Kate Clifford Larsen and Donald Yacovone (author of Teaching White Supremacy.)
Pittsford
Educators and ROC Reading Partners hosted a Teach Truth pop-up display at Pittsford Community Library. Host Alyse Cunzio reported,
I had truly meaningful interactions with members of the education community, ranging from new educators just entering the field, to mid-career practitioners navigating today’s complexities, to retired teachers who still feel deeply connected to the work. What struck me most was the resounding agreement across these groups: these conversations are urgently needed.
There was a shared eagerness for access to materials, and an authentic desire to be part of something transformative. One of the most frequently asked questions I heard, especially from retired educators was, “What can we do?” It was clear that even those no longer in the classroom still carry a deep commitment to the next generation and to the profession as a whole.
Fortunately, I came prepared with a list of suggestions tailored to different community roles. So when someone asked that question, I was able to respond right away: “Do you know a teacher currently doing this work in your community?” And if they said yes, I invited them to consider showing up at a school board meeting, a curriculum review session, or even a book club night to lend their voice and presence in solidarity. We talked about the power of testimony, of showing up not to speak for teachers but to stand with them. Several were excited to follow through.
When it came to families, I noticed that the most common group to approach the table were caregivers with children in grades 2–4. These moments opened up some of the most impactful conversations. I would often turn directly to the child, inviting them to pick up one of the featured books and ask, “Does this book seem wrong or harmful to you?” I’d ask if they had read it before, or seen it in their school. Then I’d gently explain that in some places, children are told they can’t read these books, not because they’re unsafe, but because someone has decided their stories don’t belong.
This was often a turning point for families. Parents were visibly shocked to learn that books like Fry Bread had been challenged or censored. We talked about the importance of protecting and expanding access to diverse stories in classroom libraries, and many asked how they could help. I suggested simple, powerful steps: volunteering to do read-alouds of inclusive books, donating titles to schools, or simply asking their child’s teacher what support they might need to keep their libraries representative and welcoming.
Roosevelt Island: Four Freedoms Park
The Banned Book Library display was created by Lush Cosmetics in collaboration with the Zinn Education Project Teach Truth campaign for SXSW and has been adapted into a mini pop-up display used around the country. This curated collection features books and media that have been challenged or banned in schools, libraries, and communities across the country.
Visitors were encouraged to read, reflect, and engage with the stories behind each book’s censorship, gaining a deeper understanding of the cultural and political forces shaping what we’re allowed — or not allowed — to read.
The photos include the event on June 1 with acclaimed author and illustrator Mike Curato who read excerpts from his banned graphic novel Flamer — a deeply personal story of identity, self-discovery, and resilience.
North Carolina
Durham
There was a pop up #TeachTruth table and banned book swap at the Montessori Community School Book Fair. People were able to stop by the table to learn more about banned books, take pins, and have constructive conversations.
Greensboro
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Guilford County Association of Educators members and community supporters held a rally (with the Teach Truth table) and then marched on the Board of County Commissioners to demand local funding for public school staff pay increases. The crowd sang and chanted while carrying signs, banners, and one giant school bus, as well as red flowers symbolizing love for the schools and students!
The host reported, that despite the rain, “We had over 100 folks marching in the streets and rallying in front of the Old County Courthouse on the night of the Budget Public Hearing. We collected over 200 handwritten letters from folks across the county speaking out for our public schools, to give to each of our county commissioners. During the public budget hearing we had over one hour of public comments from our educators, students, parents and community members.”
Ohio
Cleveland NAACP
Cleveland Soul Yoga
Loveland
Salem
We had about 40 people show up for the Teach Truth walk. A table was set up with books about history and banned books along with student projects made from our weeklong Freedom School in Youngstown. (We also offered had grilled hot dogs, chips, and water.)
I shared the overview of our route and explained that we were there to push back against bills like SB1 in Ohio. Then we had two presenters on Salem’s history, specifically the Underground Railroad and the law breaking locals that helped make it a success.
Participants were asked to do media literacy of the landscape. What places are marked or not? Which have been preserved? What story does our landscape tell? What’s not told?
We ended our walk at the new Abraham Lincoln statue and Cast Iron Soda was there to provide cold beverages for everyone. It was pointed out that the day they unveiled the statue was 165 years to the day after our local citizen, Edwin Coppock was hanged for his role in Harpers Ferry with John Brown. The news report honored Salem’s rich history in their article about the Abraham Lincoln statue, while completely ignoring Coppock. The statue of Lincoln, a morally symbolic symbol in our city, over simplifies our heroic history, and ignores all the good work our local law breakers were doing for the success of the Underground Railroad.
The event was covered in the Salem News.
Pennsylvania
Hanover
Philadelphia
West Chester
They celebrated Juneteenth with a live reenactment of General Order No. 3.
The attendees then enjoyed “A Place at the Table,” a traditional Juneteenth meal during which the discussion emphasis was placed on addressing the current political climate and bills HB327 and HB 322 which seek to censor U.S. history.
Puerto Rico
Rincón
South Carolina
Columbia: Modjeska Simkins School for Human Rights
The Modjeska Simkins School for Human Rights hosted a Teach Truth teach-in on the front steps of the South Carolina State House.
Columbia: Midlands Advocates Protecting Public Libraries and Education
The hosted reported, “Attendees includes an elementary school teacher who shared that she was routinely checking the Zinn Education Project site for any Teach Truth Day of Action events happening in our state and was happy to see ours. She felt emboldened by the speakers (fellow educators and librarians) and shared many concerns about soft censorship happening in her school. We had incredible lineup of speakers including the nationally recognized librarian, Dr. Nicole Cooke, who spoke about the censorship in libraries and higher education including the recent attacks on diversity, equity, inclusion in South Carolina to a local poet sharing work on seeing truth.”
Texas
Houston
Black Heritage Society Inc. hosted a mini-lesson and Teach Truth pop-up display at Class Bookstore in the spirit of an education system that encourages kids to explore who they are, where they came from, and what they’re capable of. About 20 people explored the event, asked questions, took photos, and listened to speakers.
San Angelo
Virginia
Warrenton
Washington
Bainbridge
Bremerton
People’s Exchange (PEX) hosted a Teach Truth event with Mask Bloc, IWW, and a local artist Poppies for Palestine. The turnout was small, but there was enough interest to lead the organizers to plan more teach-ins.
Seattle Early Childhood Center
An early childhood center hosted a week long Banned Books pop-up display for 60 preschool families and 25 staff members to interact with, along with guests from a neighborhood school. The host said, “We provided a pop up display focusing on the banned books that are included in our Anti-Bias Book Library. We put several of those books on display on the table and in a basket next to the table. We also highlighted the banned books that came in the pop up display box and gave away buttons and other materials. The table was well attended by teachers, family members, and visitors walking through. Folks interacted with the information about why books were banned (a popular part of the display) and then proudly put on buttons. It was a success and we look forward to doing something similar next year!”
Seattle NEA Joint Ethnic Caucus Conference
Seattle YMCA
Seattle Central Library
Flash mob read-in at the Seattle Public Library.
The Seattle Central Library hosted a screening of Banned Together on June 14. The host reported,
We had about 26 people in attendance, including a very engaged group of educators who were in town for the NEA Ethnic Caucus Conference. During the discussion after the film, some attendees expressed shock by what they saw. Many asked what they could do — especially as educators. We shared information about Jesse Hagopian’s book, Teach Truth, as well as other resources and fliers from the pop-up display.
On June 21, they offered a full day of activities for teens and adults. They had local educators Jesse Hagopian and Jennifer Cheng as speakers about the challenges of teaching truth today, and why it is so important to fight for these rights. There were also book displays, book giveaways, and other resources to share. They held a flash mob read-in to promote the event.
Seattle Northwest African American Museum
Wisconsin
Kenosha
Milwaukee
More than 30 people attended the Teach Truth event at America’s Black Holocaust Museum to hear Reggie Jackson speak about his forthcoming book, Midwest Nice Apartheid. In addition, 12 students attended the Art & Activism Workshop in partnership with Casa Romero.
The event host shared, “It was a day of historical truth-telling, community engagement, and intergenerational conversations. Many people stopped by the Teach Truth table to learn about banned books and the Milwaukee Public Library table to learn about redlining maps and the pamphlets published by our founder, Dr. James Cameron.”
National
NEA Conference on Racial and Social Justice
We engaged with educators from around the country at the National Education Association Conference on Racial and Social Justice in Portland, Oregon on July 1. We also had a table at the American Library Association conference Unite Against Book Bans organizers’ session in Philadelphia.
Lush Displays
On the #TeachTruth Day of Action, every Lush store in the United States installed a display about banned books, featuring the picture book Fry Bread and a link to learn more at the Zinn Education Project. The album below includes photos from stores in Georgia, Florida, Minnesota, Texas, and Arkansas. If you see the display in a Lush store, send us a photo.
Lush also designed the Teach Truth installation for SXSW 2023 that is the inspiration for the pop-up displays.
Seminar on Teaching Real ‘Patriotic History’
Alan Singer, professor of teaching, learning and technology at Hofstra University, hosted an on-line workshop called “Teaching Real ‘Patriotic History’.”
Singer reported, “Our discussion on Saturday was very interesting. Senior teachers empasized the need to mentor new teachers and preservice teachers in teacher education programs about rights and possibilities to teach for social justice in their classrooms and also for activism as private citizens. Introducing social justice views of history does not mean teachers present their views but that they prepare packages that present multiple perspectives including those that challenge the standard historical narrative. We had two college students who were paticipating and they were stunned by the history being presented because they had never been introduced to alternative views of American history or been asked to consider which narrative or narratives made the most sense to them.”
There were attendees from Rochester, New York City, St. Louis, Northern Ohio, and North Carolina. To allow for unfiltered, secure conversation, the session was not recorded.
Testimonials
Nationally recognized figures provided testimonials in support of the Teach Truth campaign, including the three below.
| I don’t teach anything but the truth . . so that our youth have an opportunity to understand what is true nor false. | From apartheid South Africa to Selma to Palestine, truth telling has always been right at the core of struggles for freedom. | History is not a weapon to be sheathed when inconvenient. It is not a bedtime story meant to lull us to sleep. It is a river, flowing, deep, and often turbulent. |
More Event Reports to be Added
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