Black History Nerds Saturday School graphic.

Black History Nerds Saturday School

Black History Nerds Saturday school is our monthly professional development series for pre-K-12 school teachers and others interested in learning more about Black history and race. These one-hour sessions aim to help develop Black history content pedagogical knowledge. Professional development credits are possible.

Upcoming Virtual Sessions

Understanding Statistic to Give Meaning to Black History.

Dec. 9, 2023

Abstract

Typically western society promotes a pedagogy that compartmentalizes different academic disciplines where students and many teachers alike would not consider the importance of an  awareness of statistics to better understand Black History. The story can be better critically analyzed when quantified. We will discuss examples where we can apply Descriptive/Inferential Statistics to understanding our Black History. The goal would be to show the relevance of statistics by positioning it as a tool for interpreting and understanding Black History.

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Past Sessions

Dawnavyn James, doctoral student at the University at Buffalo presents #TeachBlackHistory Any Day, Every Day and All Year Long as part of the Center for K-12 Black History and Racial Literacy Education's Black History Nerds Saturday School.

#TeachBlackHistory Any Day, Every Day and all Year Long

Dawnavyn James

Published November 11, 2023

Black History Nerds Saturday School

Everyday AfroIndigenous Spiritual Practice as History Pedagogy

Dr. Eliana Castro and Dr. Krista L. Cortes

Published October 14, 2023

Dr. Rachel McMillian, assistant professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, will critically explore the question: What can students and teachers learn from Black people who are incarcerated? Through storytelling, she will discuss the importance of including the voices of those who’ve experienced incarceration in K-12 classrooms; the need to infuse prison abolition within social studies education; and her collaborative curriculum building with both currently and formerly incarcerated people. Lastly, she will provide recommendations and resources for social studies educators in the collective pursuit of prison abolition.

Lessons from Life Row

Dr. Rachel McMillian

Published September 23, 2023

Video presentation of The Underground Railroad, The Black Inner Geek, & The Outer Spaces of Slavery (Afrofuturism)

The Underground Railroad, The Black Inner Geek, & The Outer Spaces of Slavery (Afrofuturism)

Dr. Daniel Broyld

Published April 1, 2023

Social Justice in Historical Context presentation by Ashley Farmer.

Social Justice in Historical Context

Dr. Ashley Farmer

Published March 4, 2023

What You Heard? Teaching with Oral Histories of Black America

What You Heard? Teaching with Oral Histories of Black America

DR. Arcasia James-Gallaway

Published February 25, 2023

Fear has shaped events throughout U.S. history, as those who have possessed fear have weaponized this emotion to justify violence and oppression while others have used fear as an impetus for radical resistance. Brittany Jones aims to move fear from the periphery to the forefront by analyzing how fear is discussed in Virginia’s U.S. History Standards and Curriculum Framework. The standards only describe fear as an emotion possessed by white people, the inclusion of Black suffering does not lead to Black fear, and Black people do not fear. This work illuminates the importance of examining emotions, particularly fear, in social studies education and has implications for both K–12 teachers and teacher education.

Why Aren't Black People Allowed to Fear in U.S. History

Brittany Jones

Published February 18, 2023

A presentation that explores Black women’s geography by digging into the life and activism of civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer to learn and teach the history of Black farmers in the United States.

Hands That Pick Cotton Now Pick Public Officials: Black Women's Geography and the Activism of Fannie Lou Hammer

Dr. Amanda Vickery

Published February 11, 2023

Educational research has demonstrated that culture is the key—the critical mediating factor in increasing student success for African American students. However, most African American students matriculate through systems of schooling that omit the unique culture, contributions, and accomplishments of Black people. This engaging and interactive presentation connects the legacy of past cultural excellence with strategies and methods teachers can use to produce excellence today. It provides cutting edge research and visual documentation of little-known accomplishments and contributions of African and African American people in various fields of study.

From History to Destiny: What Does it Mean to be Black

Dr. Chike Akua

Published February 4, 2023

Within seven months, Black residents in the city of Buffalo experienced two unfortunate tragedies–a mass shooting and a winter storm. Surviving both a white supremacist attack and an environmental catastrophe, the Black community in Buffalo has been forced to reconcile with the paradox of how Black suffering and violence can coexist in a “City of Good Neighbors.” When scholar-activists J Coley, Tiana Wilson, William Jamal Richardson, and Dr. Robert Mays released the #BuffaloSyllabus, they intended to provide historical, social, political, and economic contextualization of Black Buffalo today. Described as a “Love Letter to Buffalo,” the co-creators of the syllabus intentionally designed an online platform that would permanently house accessible resources for people interested in the relationship between race, gender, class, urban planning, and environmental justice. Their talk will explore how academics can use institutional networks for public scholarship and community engagement. In their presentation, they will discuss the origin and development story of the #BuffaloSyllabus and their aspirations for the future use of this educational resource.

A Love Letter to Buffalo: #BuffaloSyllabus and Digital Scholarship

J. Coley, Dr. Robert Mays, William Richardson and Tiana U. Wilson

Published January 21, 2023

Dr. Gholdy Muhammad delivers a talk on The Hill Project, A Black Studies Curriculum as part of the 2022 Black History Nerds Saturday at the Graduate School of Education at the University at Buffalo.

The Hill Project, A Black Studies Curriculum

Dr. Gholdy Muhammad

Published February 26, 2022

Dr. Leonard Moore delivers a talk on Teaching Black History to White People as part of the 2022 Black History Nerds Saturday at the Graduate School of Education at the University at Buffalo.

Teaching Black History to White People

Dr. Leonard Moore

Published February 19, 2022

Dr. Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz delivers a talk on Historical Literacy and Racial Literacy as part of the 2022 Black History Nerds Saturday at the Graduate School of Education at the University at Buffalo.

Historical Literacy as Racial Literacy

Dr. Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz

Published February 12, 2022

The Art of Black Teaching, a talk provided by Dr. Jarvis Givens as part of Black History Nerds Saturdays at the University at Buffalo.

The Art of Black Teaching

Published February 5, 2022

Dr. Jarvis Givens

Sponsors

Carter G. Woodson Title Sponsors

Gibbs Smith Education logo.
Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies logo.
School Yard Rap logo.

John Hope Franklin Sponsor

Black History 365 Foundation logo.

Mary McLeod Bethune Sponsor

Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center logo.
Click to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.