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December 5, 2024
Discover the untold stories of extraordinary women in history through Sari Beth Rosenberg's inspiring video series on Share My Lesson, where resilience, innovation, and advocacy take center stage to inspire a more inclusive and equitable future.
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Over the past year, I have had the honor of creating a series of History Lessons videos for Share My Lesson. When I began this project in December 2023, my goal was to shine a spotlight on female historical figures who are often overlooked or glossed over in history classes. The themes of women’s resilience, innovation and advocacy are interwoven throughout the 30-plus lessons I have created so far. From lessons about Ida B. Wells to Sonia Sotomayor, these stories not only provide better insight into the past, but can also inspire action toward a more equitable society.
In the U.S., we have made tremendous progress in creating a more inclusive view of history, even as many states grapple with challenges like book bans and “divisive concepts” laws. My hope is that these quick, informative videos can serve as a resource for students and teachers seeking a richer, more representative history beyond classroom walls. For example, while some curricula may omit LGBTQIA+ figures, students can learn about Marsha P. Johnson and Billie Jean King through my videos. Similarly, my lessons on Josephine Baker, Nina Simone, Rosa Parks, Patsy Mink and Billie Holiday illuminate the complexity of the Civil Rights Movement.
The videos I created fall into three major categories:
However, many of the women I featured do not fit neatly into just one category. Few people do! For example, Joan Baez is both an acclaimed musician as well as an activist.
In creating this series, SML’s Susan Youssofi and I were intentional in choosing topics that aligned with significant themes, days or holidays. For example, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we featured courageous women who resisted the Nazis, a unique perspective on this solemn day. For the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party, I highlighted Sarah Bradley Fulton, known as “the mother of the Boston Tea Party,” shifting focus from the Founding Fathers to a woman’s pivotal role in the revolutionary era. For Disability Pride Month in July, I told the story of activist Judith Heumann. In anticipation of the 2024 Summer Olympics, I had to recount the legendary biography of Florence Griffith Joyner aka “Flo Jo.” And during the summer, we watched the Republican and Democratic national conventions, so I told the story of a history-making speech that Fannie Lou Hamer delivered at the 1964 Democratic National Convention. Each video presented the challenge of distilling these inspiring stories into just a few minutes, but it was rewarding to bring these voices to light.
Even when we chose well-known figures, I sought to uncover details often left out of traditional curricula. For instance, Abigail Adams is a celebrated first lady who urged her husband, President John Adams, to “remember the ladies.” She was also a fierce abolitionist. In addition, the landmark 1954 Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court case would not have been possible without Sylvia Mendez’s earlier fight for desegregation.
I also want to give special shoutouts to Megan Ortmeyer who does an amazing job with post-production, bringing my videos to life, and to Kelly Booz, who greenlit this project and is also a fellow co-creator of our AI Educator Brain Series.
This collection of short but informative videos aims to inspire educators, students and viewers to see history not as a static record, but as a dynamic, living tool for change. These stories encourage us to recognize the transformative power of representation and to continue striving for a more equitable and inclusive society, both in the classroom and beyond. By amplifying these voices, we not only honor the past but also lay the foundation for a better tomorrow.
I look forward to continuing this series in 2025. Do you have any stories you’d like me to share?
Use these timely preK-12 lesson plans and class activities to incorporate key figures and historical events in your Women’s History Month lesson planning. This Share My Lesson collection spans topics like women’s suffrage and women’s rights and features influential women in science, social justice and rock-and-roll.
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