School-based Student-Curated Radical Memory Spaces: A Teaching Framework

Abstract

The American history classroom is a battleground where competing interests fight to have their narrative portrayed favorably for the benefit of the next generation, shaped by ongoing debates over what topics should be taught. Traditionally, education was seen as the process of transferring important knowledge from expert to learner. While this outdated model has been largely phased out across many subjects, it persists stubbornly in history classrooms, where students often experience history as either “pointless” or an exercise in memorization. To move beyond this, educators must be equipped to understand the authentic work of historian, those who create publicfacing historical interpretations, and supported with frameworks that empower students to actively engage with the histories of their own communities. Central to this approach is the creation of radical memory spaces: student-led projects or exhibits that challenge dominant historical narratives and center marginalized voices, allowing students to use historical thinking to imagine more just futures. By bridging the skills of educators and historians through this framework, we can help all students recognize the transformative value of historical inquiry in their own lives.