African American history is American history.

As our friends at the 1619 Project have reminded us,

there is a strong case to be made that centering African American history is key to understanding

the complete history of the United States.

So whether you're listening to this episode during Black History Month or not, remember

that as educators, we're called to teach African American history from slavery through freedom all year round.

This special episode of teaching hard history is about the WPA slave narratives.

We receive a ton of questions about using this collection.

So here's some guidance for educators on this valuable resource.

My three daughters were all born in the 2010s in Columbus, Ohio, at the Ohio State University Medical Center.

For all of you college sports fans listening, you will appreciate that the labor and delivery ward for OSU Hospital sits

just beyond the south end zone of Ohio Stadium, the fabled horseshoe, where the eight-time

national champion Ohio State Buckeyes play their home football games.

So I do not exaggerate when I say that each of my girls spent their first night swaddled in scarlet and gray,

a touchdown pass away from the shoot, which probably explains why all three of them are so fanatical about the Buckeyes.

In fact, I can't even say Michigan in my own house.

Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure I'm about to be in trouble

for having just mentioned the team up north by name.

Now my brother and I, we were born in the early 1970s, first him, then me. We came into the

world in Brooklyn, New York. Shout out to the BK. Where Brooklyn at. And there we lived in Crown Heights

until we went off to college. Binghamton in upstate New York for him, more house down south for me.

But before we left, we experienced the best the borough had to offer, from Little League

...