History in Their Hands: Teaching Inquiry-Based United States History Through the Lens of Black Agency

History in Their Hands: U.S. History Through the Lens of Black AgencyInquiry-based lessons and primary source activities for middle and high schoolHistory in Their Hands helps teachers transform U.S. history into active investigation. Built around primary sources, the book provides ready-to-use lessons that invite students to analyze evidence, ask meaningful questions, and develop their own interpretations of the past — from before 1619 to the present day.Students don't just receive information — they engage directly with documents, images, and multimedia sources. In doing so, they become historians, developing a deeper understanding of American identity, potential, and patriotism.Centering Black AgencyToo often, traditional U.S. history courses present Black Americans primarily as victims of oppression or reduce the story to a handful of familiar figures. This book takes a different approach — centering the ways Black Americans resisted, led, created, and expanded the meaning of freedom in the United States.Students investigate questions such as:How did enslaved people resist, and why don't we hear more about it?When Black Americans took up arms in the Civil War, what were they really fighting for?What did Reconstruction promise, who killed it, and what was lost?From sit-ins to social media, how has the fight for freedom reinvented itself?How did Black artists remake the American story, at home and around the world?Through these investigations, students come to understand that Black history is essential to understanding the American story.What the Lessons IncludeEach chapter provides a complete, ready-to-implement inquiry lesson built around primary sources. Every lesson includes:Opening hooks that spark curiosity and launch discussionCarefully selected primary sources for student investigationGuiding questions and teacher notes to support discussionStructured opportunities for students to analyze evidence and debate interpretationsFlexible assessments that help students synthesize their conclusionsChapters trace the arc of Black history in the United States — from the Middle Passage and resistance to slavery through Reconstruction, the Civil Rights Movement, and contemporary activism. The lessons are flexible and adaptable — teachers can use individual chapters to supplement existing units, build a thematic course, or teach the book as a complete curriculum from beginning to end.Companion WebsiteEvery primary source used in the book is available on the companion website at historyintheirhands.com, along with glossary lists and additional readings. Every document is ready to project or share with students — no prep required.For Middle and High School TeachersHistory in Their Hands was written by Beth Krasemann, a history educator with decades of classroom experience and author of Teaching the Holocaust by Inquiry. The book is designed for educators working with middle and high school students, including:U.S. History teachersAfrican American History instructorsAP U.S. History educatorsMiddle school Social Studies teachersCurriculum designersEducators interested in inquiry-based learning Read more