Hard History Lessons: Queer teacher reveals Louisiana鈥檚 legacy, untold past
Teaching in Louisiana as a gay man feels like walking a tightrope over Bayou DeSiard鈥檚 swamp 鈥� it鈥檚 precarious, but with the right balance, it鈥檚 a mesmerizingly majestic dance.
The South鈥檚 history isn鈥檛 just etched in textbooks (if that); it鈥檚 ingrained in each breath and lesson we take every day. Yet, through Learning for 人兽性交鈥檚 Teaching Hard History , my students and I discovered that beneath the weight of oppression lies a resilient spirit yearning to break free.
In the bayous and backroads of the Pelican State, where tradition and progress often clash like fierce hurricanes meeting the sturdy roots of an oak tree, being a teacher means more than just facilitating meaningful discussion and building an affirming classroom culture 鈥� it鈥檚 about excavating truths buried deep in the mud of history.
Our project, 鈥淯nearthing Voices of Resilience: Louisiana鈥檚 Untold Rainbows of Jubilee,鈥� has been our shovel, unearthing narratives long silenced by the tides of prejudice and degradation. From and the 1900 to Pearl Ricks and the , we鈥檝e amplified the voices of those who refused to be drowned out, weaving their stories into the fabric of our shared heritage.
In a project following our study of Hamilton: An American Musical that allowed students to step into Lin-Manuel Miranda鈥檚 authorship as he used primary sources to tell a new story of America now, my sophomore scholars chose a specific aspect of Louisiana鈥檚 hard history, conducted primary source research, analyzed multiple perspectives and used creative outputs like narrative writing, slam poetry, art and hip-hop to showcase their findings.
Reflection, discussion and public engagement with their pieces 鈥� a la TikTok 鈥� fostered a deeper understanding of Louisiana鈥檚 hard history and promoted awareness and change. This engagement exemplifies the transformative power of storytelling and education, subsequently demonstrating how we can not only uncover the truths of our past but also actively engage with them to shape a more inclusive future.
Yet, as we celebrate these triumphant stories, we must confront the shadows that linger in our statehouses and stymie our schoolhouses. Louisiana鈥檚 lawsuits that block Title IX anti-discrimination regulations stand as formidable obstacles to the rights of 人兽性交+ students, casting a pall over our progress. But as educators, we鈥檙e not ones to shy away from a challenge. With empathy as our compass and determination as our guide, we鈥檙e ready to navigate the murky waters of inequality and emerge on the shores of justice.
So, as I address my students in a school district, in a region and in a state that developed and still sustains me, I鈥檓 reminded of the words of poet and activist Audre Lorde: 鈥淵our silence will not protect you.鈥� Through our collaboration with Learning for 人兽性交, a program of the Southern Poverty Law Center, we鈥檙e not just teaching history; we鈥檙e writing a history that has been suppressed for too long. Together, we鈥檒l forge a path towards a future where equality isn鈥檛 just a dream, but a reality.
In Louisiana, where the echoes of our past reverberate through the present, our journey with has been a testament to the power of education to ignite change. And as we continue to chart our course through the complexities of our heritage, I鈥檓 filled with hope for the generations to come 鈥� a future where every story is told, and every student is free to be who they are.
Justin Overacker Denagall teaches high school English and pre-educator coursework at Wossman High School in the Monroe City School District in northeast Louisiana.
Photo at top: Justin Overacker Denagall, a teacher at Louisiana鈥檚 Wossman High School, used Learning for 人兽性交 resources for the class project 鈥淯nearthing Voices of Resilience: Louisiana鈥檚 Untold Rainbows of Jubilee.鈥� (Credit: Abdul Aziz)
