Helpful Ways to Teach About Jan. 6 in a Contentious Election Year

How to Teach About Jan. 6 by Proxy

I teach in a district where I will not face backlash for teaching the truth about the Capitol attack. However, if teachers work in more polarized communities, Dr. Yohuru Williams offers a smart road map for how to teach about Jan. 6 “by proxy.” In other words, you can teach about the themes around the insurrection through the lens of other similar historical events. He recommends focusing on literacy and situating young voices. As he explains it, “you do not have to talk about the Capitol directly to have them understand the magnitude of the event. You can teach by proxy but comment by proximity.” In other words, you can teach about the themes—mob rule, protests, the ideals of our democracy—without directly talking about Jan. 6. Allow students to use their own critical-thinking skills to make the connections. 

However, you can also just share images from the event and a timeline and ask your students what they think happened and why. Discuss the ideals of our nation and ask students if they think what happened on Jan. 6 reflects them. 

Two Really Powerful Resources

First: A Play

“Fatherland,” a powerful play that was conceived and directed by Stephen Sachs, tells the true story of Jackson Reffitt, the 18-year-old son who turned in his father, Guy Reffitt, to the FBI because of his dad's role in the Capitol attack. This play is really useful for educators because it just lets the facts and actual history speak for itself. 

In an interview with Sachs, he shared with me that after reading through the official court transcripts of the United States v. Guy Wesley Reffitt case and public statements and evidence, he felt compelled to turn it into a play. What makes this play especially powerful, and perfect for teachers trying to teach about Jan. 6, is that Sachs chose to make this a verbatim play, where every word comes from the actual words of the Reffitts. You can watch a trailer of the play here.

Sachs was moved by this story, as it is one of too many stories of families torn apart by Donald Trump. By using the words verbatim from Guy Reffitt, Sachs hoped to both use this story as a warning call and humanize the insurrectionist even for the many people who find his actions to storm the Capitol detestable. Sachs’ goal wasn’t to excuse Guy’s actions, but to show the viewers how people can become radicalized by the MAGA movement. But the main story is Guy’s son, Jackson, who made the difficult decision to turn his father in to the FBI. 

In my interview with Sachs, he had some helpful tips for how educators can teach about Jan. 6.

• One important angle that his play takes is the role of human agency. Sachs thinks “Fatherland” will be inspiring to young people by showing them that they can make a difference. That’s because Jackson was only 18 years old when he made the decision to turn in his father for his role in the insurrection. He had to choose between staying faithful to his father and protecting our nation’s democracy. Young people will find the story of a young man close to their age relatable. 
• Sachs also pointed out that by focusing on one personal story like this, you can make it more manageable for students to process the larger historical event. The relationship between the father and son serves as a microcosm for many families in the aftermath of the event. 
• Sachs mentioned that this is similar to how Anne Frank’s “The Diary of a Young Girl” is often used as a way for students to learn about the overwhelming topic of the Holocaust. A personal story is a powerful way to help young people tackle and navigate through our complicated past. 

History teachers always like to have students connect the past to the present, so I asked Sachs if he had any historical parallels to what happened on Jan. 6. He shared that Germany in the 1930s and the rise of fascism was very much on his mind when creating the play, especially the scene where Guy Reffitt attends Trump’s inciteful speech on the afternoon of Jan. 6 in Washington, D.C., before heading to the Capitol. Sachs intentionally used sound in the play during the rally to conjure up images of 1930s fascist Germany to sound an alarm about the parallel between the two time periods.

Sachs is surprised that Jan. 6—and Trump’s involvement—is not a bigger issue in the 2024 election and stresses the importance of educators continuing to teach about this important event in our recent history. 

If you aren’t able to take your students to this play, here are some resources you can use to share this story with your students. The story of Guy and Jackson Reffitt is really useful for educators to help students better understand part of what happened on Jan. 6 by just letting the facts and actual history speak for itself. 

Second: A Graphic Novel 

The graphic novel 1/6 (One Six Comics), created by Alan Jenkins and Gan Golan and brought to life through the illustrations of Will Rosado, reimagines a chilling alternate history: What if the insurrection had succeeded? 

The novel explores just how close the United States came to falling under authoritarian rule and the ongoing threats our democracy faces today. It delves into the dangerous dynamics of autocracy, scapegoating and the use of disinformation, all framed by compelling characters and a tense, urgent plot.

Rooted in the real events of that day, 1/6 traces the path from secretive meetings, white supremacist rallies and the surreal Four Seasons Total Landscaping press conference, to the violent Capitol attack.

Final Thoughts

However you choose to teach about Jan. 6, it is crucial that teachers address it in some way with students. Young people look to us for guidance on how to understand the world around them, especially chaotic and disturbing events like Jan. 6. At the very least, provide them with a brave space to discuss what happened and how we can maintain a country with free and fair elections.