Explore the compelling stories of Civil War nurses and disabled veterans.

How did their experiences change America? 

Visit the new online exhibit: How Civil War Veterans Transformed Disability.

Emerging America 2023 Survey on the Teaching of Disability History

By Rich Cairn, Emerging America

At the end of the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years, Emerging America widely promoted an online survey of teachers to discover how much they teach disability history. Though the response has been small, the results offer intriguing insights.

Celebrating A Natural and Beautiful Part of Human Diversity

Guest post by Stephanie Polito

July marks the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the landmark legislation passed on July 26, 1990, that broke down barriers to inclusion in society. Disability Pride Month was first celebrated that same year, taking place in Boston, Massachusetts in the US. Celebrations follow, with the first parade taking place in Chicago in 2004.

Accessing Inquiry for English Learners through Primary Sources will be offered at the Collaborative for Educational Services (CES) in Northampton, Massachusetts in a two-session format, meeting Thursdays a month apart, October 19 and November 16. 

First posted to the TPS Teachers Network by Laurie Risler, and published as an Emerging America blog post on February 5, 2021 with the title, Using History's Mysteries to Teach African American History (guest post).

Every unit of the Reform to Equal Rights: K-12 Disability History Curriculum includes an introduction to the topic of disability, including strategies to address disrespectful vocabulary. 

When the Founding generation talked about the pursuit of happiness they had specific ideas in mind– a tranquility or contentment–the ability to look back on one’s life and feel satisfied with one’s decisions and behavior. To that generation, living a virtuous life was key to human happiness.

Kelley Brown, The Pursuit of Happiness: 

Students Spellbound by Uncovering their School's Early History

English Learners' Questions Connect School with Neighbors

Guest post by Jaqueline LaFrance

This post appeared in edited form in the Daily Hampshire Gazette column Chalk Talk, on November 18, 2022.