“If hurt and harm can be codified in lawmaking, then healing and justice should be codified in lawmaking.” - Congressperson Ayanna Pressley, June 2020

"Knowledge tells us of the past. Wisdom speaks to us of the future. Seek wisdom." - Lumbee tribe, proverb

In this class, we will work together to build our historical knowledge, thinking, and literacy skills as we study the story of the early years of the United States - especially from the perspective of Native Americans, Black Americans, and others often left out in our nation's past. By doing this, we will more deeply understand concepts like settler colonialism and white supremacy, their effects in the centuries since Europeans settled in America, and examples of resistance and triumph over racism and oppression.

By the end of the semester, you will be able to creatively and effectively argue your own answer to the question: Does the United States today owe reparations for past injustices?