Book Review: The Nickel Boys

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead is a great historical fiction novel.  The main character, Elwood, is an eager student whose commitment to education lands him in an abusive reform school.     While a work of fiction, this book is based on the true story of the Dozier School in Florida.   The story of Elwood and the people surrounding him are very compelling.  The book illustrates the injustice of the criminal justice system as well as the realities of racial prejudice in the 1960's.    With complex and often disturbing content, The Nickel Boys is sure to incite thought-provoking discussions in any high school class.   

Elaine Arkansas Massacre

In the fall of 1919 one the worst racial massacres  in U.S. history occurred in Elaine, Arkansas.  On the evening of September 30th black sharecropping families gathered in the Hoop Spur church in Elaine.  They were in the process of organizing, unionizing and hiring a lawyer to improve their standard of living.  At the end of the meeting, two white men shot into the church. The black guards returned fire.  The exchange of bullets led to the death of one white man.  The reaction to this death was brutal and swift.  According to many eyewitnesses in Elaine, bodies were buried in pits, bodies hung from bridges and countless numbers of black people were murdered.  Americans have yet to recognize this event in Arkansas.   

A More Complex Women's History

Students have a more accurate view of who we are as a country when we elevate and highlight overlooked history.   This article, A More Complex Women's History,  discusses the benefits of extending the narrative of women in American history.  Students deserve to study a more accurate and balanced history.