Ten Ways to Participate in the Teach Truth Days of Action

Educators and allies are pledging to teach truth in actions at historic sites across the country on June 8, 2024 and all year long.

Add your voice to challenge legislation and book bans that suppress teaching about racism, sexism, heterosexism, transphobia, and other forms of oppression and resistance throughout U.S. history.

Here are ten ways to participate:

#1: Join an Action

Teachers will be organizing events around the country.

In the past, they have included history walking tours, lectures, soil collection, book swaps, marches, poetry, and even a history tour on kayaks.

Check Back for an Action Near You and Show Up

#2: Organize a Local Teach Truth Day of Action

Select a historic site. History is everywhere! Invite friends, family, colleagues.

Read the step-by-step guide with lots of examples of actions.

Read How and Sign Up

#3: On Your Own. Pick a Historic Site, Take a Photo, Share to #TeachTruth

No event in your area nor time to plan one? You can still participate on your own or with a small group of friends or family.

Find a historic site. Take a photo with one of our signs or make your own.

Post to social media with #TeachTruth.

Read More and Download Signs

#4: Amplify #TeachTruth Events on June 8

Actions will take place across the country on June 8.

Boost the influence of those actions by sharing, liking, retweeting, and reposting #TeachTruth content all day long.

Change your profile picture to show up in solidarity!

Download social media profile images.

Download social media pledge templates.

#5: Learn More and Get Involved Locally

All of my students’ first language is Spanish and/or Indigenous. They deserve to know our history, especially as it pertains to their rights and their peers’ rights. We cannot mask the truth. — Alethea Maldonado, Middle School ESL Teacher, San Marcos, Texas

Read more about the bills that sparked the Days of Action and find ways to defend education in your community.

#6: Social Media Challenge

Use the power of your social media platform to protect teachers and ensure that our children learn the truth about history so that they can shape a more just future. Participate in the social media challenge. Learn more.

#7: Teach Truth for Our Lives and Pride Parades

There may be other events on the weekend of June 8. Join a local event with Teach Truth signs and messages.

Teaching honestly about U.S. history undermines the politics of fear and shines a light on forces that prioritize profits from gun sales over the safety of our communities. Teaching about LGBTQ+ identity affirms all students, their families, and wider community.

#8: Pledge to Teach Truth

Sign the pledge to resist efforts by lawmakers across the country to pass legislation that would require teachers to lie to students about the role of racism, sexism, heterosexism, and oppression throughout U.S. history.

Sign the Pledge

#9: Engage With Your School Board

We urgently need to turn up for school board races. Each vote truly makes a difference. Across the country, the statewide anti-history education attacks on teachers and students have been joined by a concerted, Koch funded effort to take over school boards.

Those of us who know the importance of truth-telling in schools do not have the massive funding that the right receives. However, we do have the numbers. We need to put those numbers into action in defense of teachers and in defense of young people learning from history to shape a better future. Turn out to vote, testify, and consider running for school board. Read more.

#10: Defend People’s History Teachers

Donate so that we can continue to organize events like these and support the right of teachers across the United States to teach people’s history. Donate Today