Upcoming Institute

Teaching U.S. History Through Sports (Summer 2026 Webinar Series)

From July 20–21, 2026, Humanities Texas will hold a webinar series exploring how sports have shaped and reflected U.S. history.

Throughout American history, sports have pulled people together, compelled investments of resources and spirits, and inspired musings on their larger significance. Because of their profound appeal and power, sports provide multiple lenses into the past; the history of politics, business, and religion; and categories such as race, class, and gender.

The webinar series will take place over Zoom on July 20 and 21 from 10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. CT.

Teachers who register for the program will be encouraged, but not required, to attend both sessions.

Curriculum

Content will be aligned with the TEKS. Sessions include:

• July 20: “Sports Get Into Everything”: Patterns of American Sports History— This session will explore the wide intellectual appeal of sports in the United States. It focuses on distinct moments that, together, can illustrate how to employ sports as a lens into diverse themes in American history.
• July 21: “Eat Your Words!”: Sports and the Black Freedom Struggle—This session will explore the role of Black athletes in the quest for racial democracy in the United States, from Jack Johnson to Colin Kaepernick, concentrating on how sports framed debates about justice in the midst of the civil rights movement.

Like all Humanities Texas teacher programs, the webinar series will be teacher-centered, with an emphasis on developing effective pedagogical strategies.

Faculty

Aram Goudsouzian (University of Memphis) will lead the webinar series.

Eligibility

The webinar series is open to secondary-level humanities teachers in Texas schools.

Attendance and CPE Credit

The online program is free to teachers and their schools. Participants will receive CPE credit and a wealth of curricular materials. CPE hours will be based on Zoom attendance and adjusted if a participant misses any portion of the program. In order to attend the webinar series and receive CPE credit, you must be a registered participant.

How to Apply

Complete the online application for the webinar series "Teaching U.S. History Through Sports.” By submitting an application, you are signing up to receive information about and access to the webinar series.

Sponsors

The webinar is made possible with major funding from the State of Texas with ongoing support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.