JUNE 2026 SOCIAL SCIENCE NEWSLETTER
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June brings Pride Month, Juneteenth and the approaching 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence: reminders that the promise of liberty and equality has always been a work in progress. Oregon's Social Science Standards call on educators to include the histories, contributions, and perspectives of LGBTQ2SIA+ individuals and communities alongside other traditionally underrepresented groups, recognizing that a more complete history benefits all students. As we celebrate the diversity of our students and communities this month, the events, books and resources in this issue offer an opportunity to explore how that promise has been extended, contested, and fought for across American history.
Oregon LGBTQ2SIA+ History Resources
Classroom Resources
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History UnErased is the nation's first and only complete K-12 LGBTQ2SIA+ -inclusive US history curriculum, built around primary sources and organized by grade level, and designed to integrate directly into mainstream social studies courses.
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Glisten Inclusive lesson plans to guide students through understanding LGBTQ2SIA+ history, inclusion, and advocacy.
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ONE Institute provides free downloadable lesson plans developed with K-12 teachers using primary sources, with new K-8 resources added in 2025.
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Learning for Justice offers free resources including an LGBTQ2SIA+ library of books and films, a glossary of terms, and a school climate checklist.
Oregon Events
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Salem Pride Parade and Block Party, June 13, 12 to 5 p.m. A free community celebration in Salem.
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OMSI Pride at the Museum, Portland. The annual family-friendly evening features museum exploring, science demonstrations, vendor tables, and cultural entertainment celebrating the local LGBTQ2SIA+ community. General admission $10 adults, $8 youth/seniors
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Portland Pride Waterfront Festival and Parade, July 18-19, Tom McCall Waterfront Park. Oregon's largest Pride celebration, with the parade beginning at 11 a.m. on July 19 from the North Park Blocks through downtown. This year's theme is "Made with Pride," honoring the creativity and entrepreneurship of Portland's LGBTQ2SIA+ community and the historical roots of Pride as a protest movement.
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Oregon Coast Pride events run throughout the summer, including Astoria Pride (featuring the inaugural Camp Bluegrass Pride, June 21-26), Manzanita Pride, and Coos Bay Pride in the Park on August 1. Southern Oregon Coast Pride also hosts ongoing Pride Movie Nights, a Pride Book Club, and Q Cafes across the South Coast. See the details at Coast Pride
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Eugene/Springfield Pride Festival, Saturday, June 27, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Lane Events Center, Eugene. A full-day celebration with live entertainment, local vendors, food, a community resource fair, and activities for all ages. The rally begins at 10 a.m. from Kesey Square, with a 1.2-mile march through the city before the festival. Entrance is on a sliding scale ($1-$20) and no one is turned away for lack of funds.
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JUNETEENTH
June 19 marks Juneteenth, a federal holiday and Oregon state holiday commemorating June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation and announce the freedom of all enslaved people. Oregon's Juneteenth celebration has deep local roots, beginning more than 50 years ago through the leadership of Clara Mae Peoples, who organized Portland's first official citywide Juneteenth celebration in 1972, making Oregon one of the earliest states outside the South to honor June 19.
Oregon Event
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In Freedom's Footsteps: Juneteenth Community History Walk, June 19, Salem. Hosted by the Willamette Heritage Center, Oregon Black Pioneers, and Just Walk Salem Keizer, this annual walking tour follows in the footsteps of local families whose lives were shaped by slavery and emancipation, visiting the physical locations in which they lived, worked, and worshiped. This is the fourth annual walk. Details at Willamette Heritage Center
Classroom Resources
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Summer Road Trips Through History
Far from classrooms on July 4th, as the nation commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, teachers and students still have the opportunity to engage with Oregon and US History. Oregon250 features local historical exhibits, cultural events, and online photo galleries exploring the beauty of the state. If you are traveling around Oregon this summer, these events offer a worthwhile detour to explore local history and Oregon’s connection to the founding principles of the Declaration.
Beverly Gage’s (Pulitzer Prize winning author of G-Man) new book, This Land Is Your Land, is a travelogue guiding readers through the popular debate: should the American past be condemned or celebrated? Traveling to historical sites from Independence Hall to Disneyland, at each stop Gage takes readers beyond the carefully curated historical markers and scripted experiences to reveal a more complete and nuanced explanation of the past. Reminding readers of the power and significance of the Declaration and American Revolution, the journey to Mt. Vernon and Monticello also centers the violence of enslaving Africans and the removal of Indigenous peoples, illuminating how the wealth of many individuals celebrated for championing freedom was built on exploitation.
With strong connections to Oregon’s 5th grade (Colonial and Early US History), 8th grade (US History 1780-1865), and high school U.S. History social science standards, each chapter builds teacher knowledge and could be shared with students. A deeper study, might also include Clint Smith’s How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America. While Smith is focused on the single issue of how historical sites grapple with slavery, there are numerous sites overlapping with This Land Is Your Land. Putting these books and authors in conversation provides a powerful link to the Oregon Social Science Essential Disciplinary Practices III-V.
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This Land opens and closes with the question Benjamin Franklin ponders at the Constitutional Convention as he examines the image on Washington’s chair, Is the gilded sun rising or setting on the Republic? Gage’s reflections include the realities of executive orders seeking to reshape historical narratives at national parks and museums. Yet, like Franklin, she remains hopeful that the sun is rising and that shining a light on our full history is the best way to come together.
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PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
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Summer Institutes and Workshops:
Oregon Historical Society
2026 Ethnic Studies Summer Institute - July 28-29, Eastern Oregon University, La Grande. Expand the narrative of Oregon history using Integrated Ethnic Studies. Sessions hosted by the Oregon Historical Society, the Japanese American Museum of Oregon, Oregon Black Pioneers, the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education, the Portland Art Museum, and ODE. Leave with classroom-ready resources supporting the Social Science Standards.
Open to K-12 social science and ELA educators and TOSAs teaching in 2026-2027. PDUs available; $600 stipend for rural educators.
Learn more and register. 2026 Ethnic Studies Summer Institute.
2026 Belfer National Conference for Holocaust Education
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum | Free Online Conference for Educators in June
The 2026 Belfer National Conference for Holocaust Education is taking place June 22-24. At this free, online professional learning conference, educators will explore the latest practices for delivering accurate and meaningful Holocaust education to all students. Get questions answered by Museum historians and experienced educators through more interactive sessions. Plus free books and resources (while supplies last). Register Now..
Teaching American History Seminar
Teaching American History (TAH) is now accepting applications for its Fall 2026 Teacher Seminars. Each seminar brings together K-12 teachers from across the country for an immersive few days of study, including deep dives into primary sources, faculty-led discussions, and a visit to a historic site. New seminar topics have been added alongside returning favorites.
All seminars are free to attend. TAH covers hotel and meals and provides a $600 travel stipend.
Fall 2026 Applications Open
Oregon Black Pioneers
Educator Workshop: Oregon's Black History
Friday, June 19, 9am-3pm, Portland.
A full-day professional learning experience including a guided walking tour, a modeled OBP lesson, and direct connections to curriculum. Participants receive a $100 stipend and free classroom-ready resources . Workshop Application
Lewis and Clark
Shift to Belonging: Sustainable & Critical Social Sciences Pedagogy in Challenging Times (Hybrid) Design curriculum that challenges student thinking, builds inquiry, and allows for rigor and differentiation in diverse classrooms—creating lessons and units for the coming year.
Saturdays, August 22 and October 10, 2026, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde
2026 CTGR Education Summit
Save The Date: Friday, August 21, Spirit Mountain Casino.
This year's theme: "Rooted in Community, Growing Through Education." Registration opens in May. This year’s theme celebrates learning that is grounded in community, culture, and doing.
Western History Association
Teaching and Public Education Opportunities -- October 21-24, 2026, Portland. Highlights include a Teacher-Author Luncheon, Teacher-Scholar Collaboration, and a Lesson Plan Contest with a $1,000 prize. Submission deadline: June 15, 2026. Learn more at Western History Conference.
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K-8 Classroom Resources
Reading Like a Historian for Elementary and Middle School Classrooms
Explore Reading Like a Historian lessons designed for younger students, developed with the support of the Educating for American Democracy initiative. Each lesson uses primary sources to engage younger learners in historical thinking. As always, these materials are available for free. Explore The Collection.
PBS
As summer gets closer and attention spans wane, real‑world stories can be your best friend. Bring in current events through media to keep students curious, grounded in what’s happening, and excited to make connections before the year wraps up. Explore Frontline Roadmap, which outlines resources for teaching domestic and international issues.
As our nation approaches its 250th birthday, PBS is celebrating with America’s Awesome Kids, a new mini‑doc series spotlighting kids from across the country and the unique ways they contribute to their communities. Each story gives students a glimpse into life in other states and helps them notice both differences and similarities. After watching, invite your students to reflect on what makes them an awesome kid!
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