The Hope and Fragility of Democracy in the United States

The events of the week of January 18, 2021, highlight both the resilience and the fragility of American democracy. On Monday, we observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day and commemorate King's inspirational vision for a more just country. We will also observe a democratic transfer of power and witness Kamala Harris assume the vice presidency, as the first woman, Black person, and South Asian person to hold that office. At the same time, efforts to hold accountable those responsible for the January 6th insurrection, as well as ongoing threats of violence, cast a shadow over these events.

This lesson is part of a larger group of materials developed by Facing History and Ourselves to support educators in their teaching of the 2020 U.S. Election and its aftermath.