Brief Statement Why would anyone seek to oppress, deny, or diminish the extraordinary service of African American heroes who gave their lives and courage for this nation? Their sacrifices are woven into the fabric of our democracy. More important, we do not need permission or consent to remember our heroes — their legacy belongs to all of us, and it must be honored without erasure.
📘 Lesson Plan: Standing Against Erasure – Honoring Black Military Heroes
🎯 Learning Objective
Participants will understand the contributions of African American military heroes across U.S. history and recognize why preserving their legacy is essential to democracy.
🌟 Learning Outcomes (with Examples)
By the end of this short session, participants will be able to:
- Identify at least three African American military heroes and the battles where they served.
- Example: Name Peter Salem at Bunker Hill (1775), Henry Johnson in the Argonne Forest (1918), and Alwyn Cashe near Samarra, Iraq (2005).
- Example: Describe how Freddie Stowers was denied the Medal of Honor until 1991, 73 years after his death, and how Vernon Baker only received his Medal of Honor in 1997 after decades of systemic discrimination.
- Example: Discuss how removing names of Black heroes from bases or ships while glorifying Confederate generals erases the sacrifices of patriots who defended the Union and freedom.
- Example: A participant pledges to write a blog post about Shoshana Johnson, the first Black female POW, or call their congressman to demand protection of military history that honors African American heroes.
📝 Assessment
- Quick Recall Activity: Ask participants to name one hero from the Revolution, one from WWII, and one from Iraq.Discussion Prompt: “Why would anyone want to oppress, deny, or diminish this kind of service to our nation?”Exit Ticket: Each participant writes one sentence on how they will help preserve the memory of these heroes (e.g., talk to family, post online, contact a representative).
Comments: blackfreedomofspeech@gmail.com