Black History 365: An Inclusive Account of American History
BH365 is a "'truthcentric,’ non-partisan and comprehensive solution to the History education gap in American schools.” It gives adults and children opportunities to develop and enhance socio-emotionally with America’s most emotionally charged issue as context. This book offers healing to a nation.
BH365, written by Drs. Walter Milton, Jr. and Joel Freeman, is a 5-pound, 1248-page textbook available in hardcopy and digital formats.
When I first heard about Joel Freeman, it was during his book launch of Black History 365: An Inclusive Account of American History. (BH365) I ordered the book, opened it and found a treasure trove.
Contemporary Education Does Society Harm.
American History has been taught in a way that exacerbates the race problems in the country. Origins of those problem can be found in the US Constitution and there are United States Supreme Court decisions that perpetuated the problem. Dred Scott v Sandford, 60 US 393 (1857) denied citizenship to all blacks so that they would not have the right to bear arms. US v Cruikshank, 92 US 542 (1875) denied blacks recompense when whites killed and destroyed the property of blacks (this set the stage for lynchings with impunity, voter suppressions and massacres). In addition, The federal government forbade whites from selling property to blacks in what are called restrictive covenants. Real estate brokers were complicit in the scheme showing blacks and immigrants properties in hazardous locations and offering mortgage at higher rates than white for less funds, respectively. There is so much more I could share with you, but I’ll stop here.
Why America is Lost.
Leaders are expected to unite us, especially during times of crisis.
There’s a saying, “If you don't know your history, you're doomed to repeat it.” That’s America’s problem today: reconstruction; Jim Crow; Jim Crow 2.0. How many of those instigating and contributing to these problems know the truth about American history?
Why Children Need to Know the Truth.
When we teach them the truth they learn to appreciate the truth, us, and it helps them to develop critical thinking skills based in fact. We need to allow children to use their intelligence and trust that they're going to make good decisions. We also need to overcome the fear of facing the truth about American history ourselves, so that we may assist children in doing the same. We are in this boat together; facing our fears helps us to become our best selves.
BH365 Creates a Safe Space to Make This Happen.
BH365 is a "'truthcentric,’ non-partisan and comprehensive solution to the History
education gap in American schools.” It gives adults and children opportunities to develop and enhance socio-emotionally with America’s most emotionally charged issue as context. This book offers healing to a nation.
In addition to giving an inclusive account to American history, the purpose of when they were kids this says thanks for your support of BH365 is to provide “a solution to the education gap in America, specifically designed for public, charter, private and home schools across America, yet it also engages all ages and that's where this project helps develop.”
BH365 Helps Children Develop Executive Skills.
BH365 took 2 1/2 year to complete after authors, Drs. Joel Freeman and Walter Milton, Jr. worked 12-16 hours day to produce this “1248 page love letter to the world.” The textbook is designed so that “ all readers to become:
critical thinkers;
compassionate listeners;
fact-based respectful communicators;
action-oriented solutions.”
In addition to critical thinking skills, other executive skills this book helps children develop are teamwork, adaptability, problem solving, self-control, and intentional interaction. Note that executive skills are most important for success in life.
BH365 is American History.
BH365 contains ten units:
How Africa Got its Name;
The Transatlantic Slave Trade;
The American System and The Forming Thereof;
The Emancipation and Reconstruction;
The Great Immigration and Its Aftermath;
Civil Rights and American Justice
The Economic System;
Black Culture and Influence;
50 Stars: the impact of black Americans on every state
The North Star a Guide to Freedom and Opportunity in Canada.
BH365 is rich with vibrant pictures, thousands of QR codes, and it has a theme song, too! This “love letter” to the world is indeed a gift that will keep on giving for centuries to come.
Learn more about BH365 in this video.
Top 10 Life Lessons to Teach Your Child
The best time to learn life lessons is in childhood, before poor habits are developed. Now is the perfect time to teach your children essential truths that lead to a happy and successful life.
Consider the things you wish your parents had taught you when you were younger. How would your life differ from today? What can you teach your child that will help them for the rest of their lives?
Teach your child how to happy and successful:
1. Be a good winner and a good loser.
Everyone wins and loses. It's important to do both well. Those that win and lose poorly struggle later in life. The winning and losing never stop. It makes life easier when you learn how to do both gracefully at an early age.
2. Learn to finish things.
Teach your child to follow through to completion. It doesn't matter if the task is cleaning their room, raking leaves, or playing a game. Adults with the habit of leaving things undone lead chaotic lives. Finish and then move on to the next task.
3. Tell the truth.
Lying is another bad habit. It might feel like a viable solution in the short-term, but it fails in the long-term. Lying is a crutch that creates greater challenges and unnecessary drama. Telling the truth is easier on many levels.
4. It's okay to fail.
Failure is one of the most efficient ways to learn. You make an attempt, come up short, and readjust your approach. Children that are afraid of failing are stifled as adults. Life is too short to hide from every opportunity that might result in a failure.
5. Persistence wins.
The person who never quits always seems to win in the long-term.
6. Have goals.
A child's goal might be to get an A on a test or be nice to his sister for the rest of the evening. Having an intention leads to success. Without goals, we're at risk of wandering aimlessly through life. Ask your child what they want to accomplish today and help them understand how they can achieve it.
7. Say please and thank you.
Everyone is worthy of a certain amount of respect. Saying please and thank you regularly is one way of demonstrating that respect.
8. Success requires work.
Success at school, sports, work, family life, and relationships require work. Nothing is automatic. A little effort each day is necessary for success in any part of life.
9. Eat well and exercise regularly.
Imagine how much better you'd feel if you had spent the last 20 years eating well and exercising consistently. Habits developed in childhood can last a lifetime. Give your child a fighting chance to avoid obesity and the associated health issues.
10. Save your money.
If everyone consistently saved 15% of their paycheck, 95% of the financial challenges people face could be avoided or easily eliminated. How much could you have saved since you started working? Force your child to save a portion of any money they receive and explain why it's important.
Even if your child is still young, there is much you can teach them. Children trust their parents. There's never going to be a better time to impart these lessons to your child. Consider what everyone needs to know in order to be successful and live an enjoyable life. Begin teaching your child today.
Learn more about the top 10 skills children need for success.
5 Ways to Help Your Children Set and Achieve Their Goals
We all have things we would like to accomplish in our lifetime. Often, these aspirations are dismissed as unrealistic or outside the realm of possibility. This is particularly discouraging when children are met with criticism. But you can show them how to accomplish anything they believe in. With the right attitude, you can help them make their dreams come true and experience the fulfilling life they were born to live.
With time and dedication, you can guide your children in finding a way to get to where they deserve to be!
Use these five strategies to set them on the path that leads to success:
1. Write it Down.
Your children can achieve great things if you instill in them to put their minds to it. But unless they write it down, their goals will remain wishful thinking.
* Having them write down their goals helps them to crystallize their thinking. Instead of vague generalizations, they'll set their goals with clear objectives and, with your guidance, an understanding of the direction they must head in order to experience the realization of those goals.
2. Focus on Actions,
Instead of Results. Show them that they can control the actions they take on the path to their goals. When they focus on their actions, they will learn that the results will take care of themselves. When they do, they'll feel less pressure along the way because their focus will be on things they can control.
* Help them break the goal down into small steps. This series of steps will serve as their roadmap. It will encourage them to keep putting one foot in front of the other and to notice what's working and what isn’t is part as of the learning process. It is important for you to encourage them to continue moving forward and refuse to give up, so that they will reach the finish line. This practical experience will give them a transferable skill to apply in realizing future goals.
3. Be Consistent.
Once they have a roadmap in place, encourage them to consistently take action in the direction of their dreams. Things likely won't go exactly as they've planned, but let them know that adjusting their plans as they take action and give them feedback on their progress.
* Whenever they set a goal, help them take one small step toward its fulfillment. That way, when they leave a goal setting session with you, they've already made some progress. This will motivate them to continue.
* Even if they're unsure how to proceed toward the result they're after, encourage them to get started on the path to that goal anyway. Help them determine the first step they need to take, and have them take it. Once that's done, ask then what they think the next step should be, and have them do it! Keep it simple, and show them how to keep taking one step at a time until their goal is achieved. You're their coach on this journey and along the way, you are strengthening the bond between you.
4. Teach Them to Learn from Their Setbacks While Achieving Their Goals.
There's an old saying that claims that nothing worth having ever comes easy. When you pursue anything that's worthwhile, you're sure to experience setbacks. Experiencing setbacks while realizing goals is inevitable. When your children are faced with setbacks, use these opportunities as teaching moments. This way, they’ll learn that it’s how they treat the setbacks that will determine whether they succeed or fail. Teach them to embrace learning from these experiences and to welcome them as course corrections toward their inevitable success.
5. Celebrating Success Along the Way.
When things go their way, celebrate with them. Every day, have them visualize what success will feel like and celebrate their inevitable victory. Treat them to a reward when they overcome challenging obstacles. Remember that success is a journey to be savored and not simply a destination to be reached.
You have a greater capacity for insuring your children’s success than you might realize. Within you is everything you need to help your children realize the dreams that are in their hearts. Incorporate these five steps into the pursuit of positioning your children for success and fulfillment!
Learn the executive skills employers find more valuable than grades, technical skills or recommendations.