History topic of the month
Our history team have put their heads together to come up with some topics highlighting significant moments of diversity and inclusion throughout history. We think you and your Key Stage 3 students will find these topics interesting and we hope they will help to generate some stimulating discussion in your classroom.
Every month we will provide a downloadable worksheet featuring information about the topic and discussion questions to help get the conversation going, as well as a poster for your classroom.
October 2021: Black cowboys in the American West
October is Black History Month so to celebrate we are taking a look at the black cowboys of the American West. If you have ever seen a photograph of a cowboy or watched a Western film, it is likely that the all the cowboys you saw were white. But just like today, back in the 1800s America was a multi-cultural, hugely diverse society.
There were many black cowboys in the American West. Who were these individuals, and why have so many of them been forgotten by history?
September 2021: Claudia Jones (1915-1964), Journalist and Activist
Claudia Jones dedicated her life to fighting inequality. She campaigned for equal rights across two continents. She faced racism and prejudice, but was determined to help build a better world.
She wanted to change the lives of ordinary people, by helping them find better homes and jobs, and giving them something they could feel pride in. She always put other people first.
Find out more about Claudia Jones:
Download the worksheet (PDF | 2.5MB)
Download the poster (PDF | 1.1MB)
July 2021: The Dreyfus Affair
How would you feel if you were wrongly accused of something, and a court found you guilty?
What if the entire justice system was so determined to find you guilty, it ignored all the evidence? Imagine if your guilt was decided not because of what you had done, but because of who you were. In 1894 this happened to Jewish French Army officer, Captain Alfred Dreyfus.
Find out more about The Dreyfus Affair:
June 2021: Stonewall 1969
Every year in June the LGBT+ community has a global celebration called Pride Month.
You might wonder about the origins of Pride Month and might be surprised to know that it all started when riots broke out between members of the LGBT+ community and the police outside a popular gay bar called The Stonewall Inn, located in Greenwich Village, New York City in June 1969.
Find out more about why the riots erupted by downloading the worksheet and posters:
