Indigenous Peoples’ Day Resources

Here are lessons, books, and films for teaching the truth about Columbus and Indigenous Peoples’ history.

Lessons
Standing with Standing Rock: A Role Play on the Dakota Access Pipeline Students learn about the issues at stake in the #NoDAPL struggle at Standing Rock.	The People vs. Columbus, et al. Students engage in a mock trial to determine who is responsible for the death of millions of Taínos in the late 15th century.
The Cherokee/Seminole Removal Role Play A lesson on the Cherokee-Seminole removal or Trail of Tears.	Andrew Jackson and the “Children of the Forest” Students develop critical literacy skills by responding to Andrew Jackson’s speech on “Indian Removal.”
‘Don’t Take Our Voices Away’: A Role Play on the Indigenous Peoples’ Global Summit on Climate Change Students develop a list of demands to present to the rest of the world at a climate change meeting.	Discovering Columbus: Re-reading the Past How to engage students in a critical analysis of the textbook version of “discovery.”

Articles
Christopher Columbus: No Monuments for Murderers Why we should challenge the fundamental structures of ownership, power, and privilege that have given us such a skewed constellation of heroes and holidays.	Truth-Telling in American History: Groups Fight for Indigenous Peoples’ Day Indigenous Peoples’ Day campaigns and the challenges to overcome.
Italian Americans Who Fought for Justice Brief bios of people of Italian heritage who were committed to social justice.	Native American Activism: 1960s to Present Brief overview and Native American activism since the late 1960s.

Books
	Rethinking Columbus: The Next 500 Years Readings and lessons for grades 5 to 12 about the impact and legacy of the arrival of Columbus in the Americas.	“All the Real Indians Died Off”: And 20 Other Myths About Native Americans Deconstructs persistent myths about American Indians rooted in fear and prejudice — an astute and lively primer of European-Indian relations.
	An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States for Young People 400 years of Native American history. Original text is fully adapted by curriculum experts Debbie Reese and Jean Mendoza, for middle-grade and young adult readers.	Our History Is the Future: Standing Rock Versus the Dakota Access Pipeline, and the Long Tradition of Indigenous Resistance Nick Estes traces traditions of Indigenous resistance that led to the #NoDAPL movement.
Many more books for pre-K-12 and adults are on the Social Justice Books American Indians Booklist, with titles recommended by Debbie Reese of American Indians in Children’s Literature (AICL).

Films and Podcasts
The Columbus Controversy: Challenging How History Is Written Contrasting views and scenes from the classroom on teaching about Columbus.	Columbus in America Documentary on the symbol of Columbus in the United States and the campaign for Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
Even the Rain/También la lluvia As a crew shoots a film about Columbus’ genocide, local people in Cochabamba, Bolivia rise up against plans to privatize the water supply.	Unlearning “Indian” Stereotypes Slideshow Native American history through the eyes of Native American children.
NECESSITY: A Two-Part Documentary Series on Climate Resistance Oil, Water, and Climate Resistance explores the work of attorneys, valve turners, and other water protectors in Minnesota. Climate Justice and the Thin Green Line examines climate resistance in the Pacific Northwest.	This Land (Crooked Podcast Series) How a string of custody battles over Native children became a federal lawsuit that threatens everything from tribal sovereignty to civil rights.

Websites
American Indians in Children’s Literature Critical perspectives of Indigenous peoples in children’s books, the school curriculum, popular culture, and society-at-large.	Indian Country Today Media Network In-depth coverage of Native American news.	National Museum of the American Indian An active and visible component of the Smithsonian Institution.

More at the Zinn Education Project
Abolish Columbus Day Campaign	Resources on Native Americans	Resources on Colonization

Many of these resources are featured in the Abolish Columbus Day packet which is available to download. The 14-page packet includes articles, sample resolutions, and a poster. Read more at www.zinnedproject.org/abolish.