Soon after we launched this podcast, I received a direct message on Twitter from a middle school educator.

The message began.

Good morning, Mr. Jeffries.

I am a school librarian in Arkansas Delta.

In addition to being a librarian, I also teach a small, gifted and talented literacy class, which is made up primarily of black sixth grade boys.

My students do not get a full

year of social studies at my school, so I'm modifying my curriculum to teach black history to my

students this month, and probably for the rest of the year. I am starting with slavery, so I've been

listening to your podcast for ideas. I'm a white educator, and I am concerned about teaching history in a way that is honest and true

but avoids traumatizing my young students. My students live in an area of the country that, in many

ways, is still experiencing the reality of Jim Crow. I think it's really important for them to

understand their own history, but I don't want to do an information dump on them

without also caring for their hearts. I'd appreciate any suggestions you might have, Izzy Anderson.

I knew exactly where Ms. Anderson was coming from, both as an educator and as an African American,

who had mostly white teachers in elementary and high school. I appreciated her candor and concern, as well as her commitment to teach more than what was required.

So I messaged her back.

Hi, Izzy.

Thank you very much for your thoughtful note.

I suggest beginning the conversation in the present by explaining to your kids that you have to look to the past to understand current times.

That will help get them interested, and don't avoid talking about the harshness and brutality of slavery.

No one who watches television is unaware of violence, but it needs to be explained that slavery was so brutal because black people were

constantly resisting in every way imaginable and explained to them how central slavery was to

...