UnErasing LGBTQ History and Identities: A Podcast

Language Note: In our attempt to find a common language that is conceptual and applicable across the historical narrative, before the well-recognized acronym of today's world, we are using the word 'queer' in this episode for the people whose lives began - and ended - before the 21st Century.  This History UnErased podcast is funded by the New York City Council. It was developed by...

In this episode, you will meet someone whose influence and impact on the story of America is monumental. He famously said, “I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.” Keep that idea in mind as you listen. This History UnErased podcast is funded by the New York City Council. It was developed by History U...

In this episode, you will meet two fascinating people who expand our understanding of the possible motivations people may have had to venture into the Wild West. Welcome to the fluid frontier! This History UnErased podcast is funded by the New York City Council. It was developed by History UnErased and produced and edited by Dinah Mack; Kathleen Barker; and Deb Fowler. History UnErased is putting...

In this episode, our host Kathleen Barker will introduce a surprising backstory to a well-known holiday classic. You will also hear commentary from a few members of our team who gathered online for a screening of this holiday special - and then hit “record” to capture an unscripted discussion about the queerness in this classic story. This History UnErased podcast is funded by the New York City Co...

In this episode, you will meet a little-known and underappreciated figure connected to the Revolutionary War.  In addition to his backstory, you will also hear commentary from two special guests we interviewed for this episode - the author and illustrator of a graphic novel that invites young adults (or adults of any age) to dive into this Revelation about the Revolution! This History UnErased pod...

We have learned, throughout the course of history, that it is often incidental acts - by everyday people - that prove to be historic, consequential actions. In this episode, Kathleen will introduce you to someone whose story needs to be told, deserves to be told, and for a variety of reasons - especially today. This History UnErased podcast is funded by the New York City Council. It was developed...

Did you know that there are actually a number of schools in the United States that are named in honor of LGBTQ individuals – some knowingly and some unintentionally? This episode is an exploration of school names that uncover some LGBTQ history hiding in plain sight!   This History UnErased podcast is funded by the New York City Council. It was developed by History UnErased and produced and edited...

We live in a nation that commemorates historical events with monuments and markers, yet so many of the monuments we visit are ripe with misinformation, disinformation, and erasure. And once literally built into stone and metal, those myths are very hard to dismantle. How can we correct this problem? We took a road trip to explore some historical monuments that actually embody a much larger - and m...

Do you know why June is PRIDE Month? Have you ever wondered why we use the word PRIDE to celebrate LGBTQ joy in the first place?   In this final episode of Season Two, Kathleen will unpack the history behind the Christopher Street Liberation Day March, which we replicate, in various ways, during PRIDE Month. Listen in as we explore and celebrate the past, present, and future of PRIDE.  This Histor...

Aloha! In this episode, you will hear the story of the Healer Stones of Kapaemahu, their erasure in the age of American imperialism, and current efforts to restore the monument to the healer stones  - and the story of the mahu - to their rightful place in Hawaiian history. Who are the mahu? What happened to the healer stones? How are they memorialized today? And what can YOU do to keep their histo...

In this episode, you will meet JR Hardman, a documentary filmmaker, educator and Civil War reenactor, and hear about her first feature-length documentary film currently in production, Reenactress . The film tells the story of the women in the American Civil War reenactment community who portray soldiers, commemorating the women who fought in the Civil War disguised as men. You'll also learn a...

On April 12, 1861, Confederate troops fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, igniting a Civil War that would divide the nation for four long years. Recruiting posters enticed young men to join their friends and family in the military, calling upon their sense of duty and patriotism, and promising adventure and financial gain. In this episode, Kathleen Barker will introduce a Civil War soldier...

In this episode, Kathleen Barker continues the story about Pauli Murray and some of the formative events that shaped their career as a Black, queer, legal and civil rights pioneer.   You will also hear Pauli Murray in their own words from an interview recorded on February 13, 1976, with Genna Rae McNeil, assistant professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, for the Sou...

Have you ever heard of Pauli Murray? If you teach twentieth-century American history, in particular the Civil Rights Movement or the women's rights movement, you're probably already familiar with some of Pauli’s ideas because of their influence on landmark court cases related to race and gender. You may have even learned about some of Pauli’s collaborators, like Thurgood Marshall, Betty...

One of the most common worries for educators who want to teach LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum, or make clear that their classrooms are LGBTQ-inclusive, is that they’ll get pushback from parents or caregivers. In this episode, you will meet Triana Wilson, who draws on her experience in navigating complex conversations about this topic with parents and caregivers of her new immigrant and refugee student...

H ow can teachers of math, science, and other non-humanities content create an LGBTQ-inclusive classroom that is sincere and authentic? What can teachers do, and say, when they witness homophobic statements or behavior? In the episode, you will meet Dr. Heather Brown-Hudson, who has spent the last two decades as an academic, activist, and educator. Heather unpacks these questions and offers reason...

To simplify the many complexities of our world, humans naturally reach for labels. We use them to categorize others and describe ourselves. But labels evolve over time: some fall out of favor, others are redefined, and new ones are introduced. In this episode, you will meet Stephen Guerriero, a veteran middle school social studies educator, who will take us back to ancient times to help demystify...

Books help us understand our world and our place within it. For young people of any age, stories that reflect themselves, their friends, their families, and their communities are a vital source of validation. In this episode, you will meet Kathleen Barker, a library and information specialist and historian, to explore the value of LGBTQ-inclusive books in the classroom—for students as well as teac...

"Mr. Chip, how can you do that? Your cup! You're drinking out of a pink cup!" In this episode, Chip James, an expert elementary educator, discusses how he seized on an opportunity to educate a group of 3rd-grade students in a discussion that led them towards deconstructing rigid (and ridiculous) gender stereotypes. This History UnErased podcast is funded by the New York City Council...

Creating a supportive and mindful learning environment where all students can be their true selves is vital--but today's gender-expansive identities and language can often seem overwhelming for teachers.  Meet Amber Joseph, a middle school teacher in New York City with over a decade of experience, who will provide you with real-world advice and reasonable, actionable steps to honor and includ...

Making our schools truly LGBTQ-inclusive takes time--and requires real systemic change. But creating LGBTQ-inclusive learning environments doesn’t always require major policy shifts.  Meet Dr. Steven LaBounty-McNair, an expert in K-12 education, who reminds us of the everyday opportunities teachers have to create a more inclusive environment for all students.  This History UnErased podcast series...

How can kindergarten and elementary school teachers help dismantle stereotypes, including the use of the word "gay" in a pejorative sense, and create an inclusive environment for all students? Meet Chip James, who has decades of experience as an elementary educator and counseling LGBTQ-identifying youth and their families in his private practice. This History UnErased podcast series is f...

For educators who want to create LGBTQ-inclusive classrooms, getting started can be confusing--and quite often prompts some fear. What if I say or do the wrong thing? What if there is pushback? And where do I even begin? UnErasing LGBTQ History and Identities: A Podcast for Teachers provides real-world advice and reasonable, practical strategies on how you can create LGBTQ-inclusive classrooms. Th...