Thanksgiving is right around the corner! And for a third year in a row, Facing History is partnering with StoryCorps to encourage high school students from all 50 states to participate in The Great Thanksgiving Listen. StoryCorps challenges teens and educators across the country to sit down with an elder or loved one, record a meaningful conversation, and make history by adding their voices to the StoryCorps Archive and to a special collection at the Library of Congress. It has become a growing national movement to gather the nation’s diverse voices and to recognize the importance of intergenerational listening.

In August white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia erupted in violence during a rally, including an instance of terrorism that killed one and injured 19 others when a vehicle was purposely driven into a crowd. Even as other world events continue to demand our attention, it is important not to lose sight of the rifts and tension that Charlottesville shined a blinding spotlight on. If we look to history, President George Washington’s letter to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island reminds us of the need to reclaim the nation’s vigilance against bigotry.

These are deeply troubling times. Every day, the rights of marginalized people face renewed attack. Hate crimes have surged. Our national dialogue continues to spiral further into destructive narratives of us vs. them.

Many of us are struggling to process these assaults on our values; to stand up for our friends and neighbors; to lift up the compassion, empathy, and care that bind us together. But while recent events have been difficult to understand for adults, they are even more difficult to explain to our children.  

What does the word “resistance” mean to your students? When we look to examples of history, we can see that resistance comes in many forms. As students strive to make sense of challenging histories like the Holocaust, understanding acts of resistance can provide perspective on the choices individuals made even when options were severely limited. While many of those persecuted by the Nazis lacked meaningful choices, others were able to resist physically and spiritually, by taking up arms in some cases, or striving to preserve their own dignity in others. Here are three examples of resistance during the Holocaust that you can use to jumpstart discussions in your classroom.

On October 3, 1965 President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA). Previous immigration policies from the 1920s had set national-origin quotas, which discriminated against immigrants who were not from northern Europe. By abolishing these quotas, the INA contributed to a significant shift in demographics in the United States over the last 52 years. 

We awoke this morning to learn of another horrific act of violence. Students and teachers arrived at school as news was breaking about the attack by a gunman on an outdoor concert in Las Vegas on Sunday evening. We mourn the victims and we are filled with sadness for those who have lost friends and loved ones.

Today’s News, Tomorrow’s History is an ongoing series with Listenwise. This series connects Facing History’s themes with today’s current events using public radio to guide and facilitate discussions around the social issues of our time. We will take a look at voting requirements in local elections and the proposal in Maryland to allow non-citizens to vote.

Sixty years ago, nine black students attended their first full day of school at Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. This landmark effort to desegregate the all-white school played a pivotal moment in the US Civil Rights Movement. Terrence Roberts was one of those students. In this Q&A he reflects back on the 60th anniversary of Little Rock and looks ahead to the progress that has been made—and the hard work that is still left to do—in the fight against racism.

Kobi Johnsson knows the importance of a name. That’s why he felt he needed to take action when he learned his middle school’s namesake was an influential leader in the Eugenics movement. He and his father, Lars, set out on a three-year journey to change David Starr Jordan Middle School to something more inclusive.

From Charlottesville to the announcement on DACA, there’s already a lot to talk about at the start of the school year. To create a safe and inclusive learning environment, you need to feel supported as a teacher. We’re offering a full slate of webinars that can help you feel prepared and ready to tackle challenging current events and difficult histories like the Holocaust. Check out these six webinars that will do just that for you.