Teaching Black History Conference

Each year, the Teaching Black History conference, our signature event, convenes hundreds of teachers to learn the best curricular and instructional practices surrounding Black history education. We host expert speakers and entertainment, but the stars of the conference are our teachers. Each conference session is led by a classroom teacher who shares their Black history strategies. The sessions are interactive, so participants will have hands-on experiences to bring to their classrooms. We welcome community educators, parents, school-aged students, librarians, museum curators and anyone who loves to learn about Black history. Attendees are eligible for 24 professional development credits.

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2026 Conference Theme

Black Boy Joy, Black Girl Magic: The History of Black Childhoods.

The year 2026 marks two historic milestones that frame our theme of Black Founding Mothers and Fathers.

It is the semiquincentennial — the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. While the Declaration excluded Black people from its promises of liberty, it did not erase their profound impact on the founding of the United States. Black people fought for independence, contributed to the nation’s growth and built enduring institutions — churches, schools, mutual aid societies and civic organizations — that sustained Black communities and, in many ways, established a nation within a nation. These builders, leaders and visionaries are remembered as Black Founders.

It is also the 100th anniversary of Negro History Week, the precursor to Black History Month. Here, we honor Carter G. Woodson, the “father of Black history,” whose groundbreaking work made Black history visible, accessible and integral to the nation’s story. His vision established a tradition of celebrating and preserving the legacies of Black people who shaped the nation.

Taken together, these anniversaries invite us to reflect on the Black women and men who founded institutions, movements and ideas that carried forward the struggle for freedom, dignity and self-determination. The 2026 Teaching Black History Conference will celebrate, teach and learn from these Black Founding Mothers and Fathers — those who built, created and passed down legacies that continue to define Black life and American democracy today.

Mark Your Calendars

The conference will be held:
July 24-25, 2026
Location: University at Buffalo - South Campus, Buffalo, NY

Center Director and Conference Leader

LaGarrett J. King, PhD

LaGarrett J. King, professor of social studies education, joined the University at Buffalo’s Graduate School of Education in January 2022. He was previously the Isabella Wade Lyda and Paul Lyda Professor of Education at the University of Missouri. He received his PhD from the University of Texas at Austin after an eight-year teaching career in Georgia and Texas. His primary research interest examines the teaching and learning of Black history in schools and society. He also researches critical theories of race, teacher education and curriculum history.

Contact: GSE-BlackHistoryRLE@buffalo.edu

Conference Information and Registration

Thumbnail image of the program cover for the 2026 Teaching Black History Conference. Blakc Founding Mothers and Fathers.

Key Facts

Two Days (In-Person)
Friday, July 24, 2026
Saturday, July 25, 2026
(Times are flexible and may be subject to change)

Location:
University at Buffalo South Campus
300 Hayes Road
Buffalo, NY 14214

Contact
Hannah Montgomery | GSE-BlackHistoryRLE@buffalo.edu | 716-645-1060

Registration

General Registration (Credit Card)

Registering by Invoice

Keynote Speaker

Speaker Bio

Michael Harriot is an award-winning journalist, bestselling author, celebrated poet and public historian hailed as “one of the most eloquent writers in America.” Since its 2023 release, his New York Times bestseller, “Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America,” has been the top-selling Black history book in the country. He is the 2024–2025 recipient of Harvard University’s Nyhan Prize for Public Policy Journalism and the founder of the Black journalism collective ContrabandCamp.com.

Known for his acerbic wit and unflinching reporting, he has served as a columnist for The Guardian, The Grio, and The Root, shaping coverage of everything from presidential politics to pop culture. As the originator of the phrase “invited to the cookout,” he has used viral social media threads contextualizing Black history to reach millions, earning him the unofficial title of “The King of Black Twitter.” He co-created the award-winning podcast Drapetomaniax: Unshackled History alongside Pharrell Williams, and his journalism has appeared in The Washington Post, The Atlantic, The New York Times—and, as he likes to note, his mother’s refrigerator. His work has been recognized by the National Association of Black Journalists, the Emmy Awards, the Webby Awards and the American Library Association.

Harriot holds degrees in mass communications and history from Auburn University and a master’s in macroeconomics and international business from Florida State. Today, he serves as founder and lead columnist at ContrabandCamp and is one of the nation’s most sought-after speakers on the intersections of race, history, politics and media.

Social Studies Curriculum Retreat

Rethink How You Teach Black History

SAVE THE DATES
July 22-23, 2026

Join us for a two-day Social Studies Curriculum Retreat focused on teaching through Black histories—not just about them.

This experience will help you:

• Center diverse Black perspectives in your teaching
• Use primary sources to deepen student inquiry
• Build curricula that challenge traditional narratives

Featured sessions include:
– Teaching with primary sources
– Reconstruction & Freedmen’s Bureau workshop (with NMAAHC)
– Curriculum planning tailored to your needs

Facilitated by leading educators:
Abigail Henry + Ismael Jimenez + The National Museum of African American History & Culture

*Check back for registration.