Gift Ideas That Celebrate Diversity and #TellTheFullStory
At the National Trust for Historic Preservation, we work to tell the full American story. It’s a story that seeks to do justice to the contributions of all Americans in shaping our nation and leading us forward. Free from discrimination, it's also a more historically complete story, and one that stirs all of us to take pride in our shared heritage.
This holiday season, we want to highlight some of the great gifts out there that celebrate diversity and are a joyful addition to any shopping list.
1If you’re shopping for a music aficionado, check out this four-disc box set of Nina Simone's albums, or this comprehensive box set dedicated to John Coltrane, the latter of which which houses six vinyl LPs (including an LP of his outtakes) and a 7” vinyl single. Both the Nina Simone Childhood Home and John and Alice Coltrane Home are National Treasures of the National Trust.
2Penguin Random House's Queer History Book List. Some highlights include "We Are Everywhere" by Matthew Riemer and Leighton Brown, which chronicles the Queer Liberation Movement in photos, and "A Queer History of the United States" by Michael Bronski, which explores queer history from 1492 to the 1990s.
3The Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience in Seattle’s Chinatown Historic District is bundling their items for sale into gift sets, which are available to purchase online. This Intersectional Feminist set and this Stand Together Gift Set both include enamel pins and/or stickers from small business artists. They also offer a variety of options available for children and young readers, including this young activist gift set.
"We Are Everywhere: Protest, Power, and Pride in the History of Queer Liberation" by Matthew Riemer and Leighton Brown.
4If you’re shopping for a child, consider Mudpuppy’s Little Feminist Mini Memory Match. It’s geared toward children aged three and up, and includes twenty-four cards that feature pioneering women (including Maya Angelou, Marie Curie, Frida Kahlo, and more).
5For anyone who loves dolls, check out the new line of “Inspiring Women” that Barbie launched in 2018 (it includes trailblazers like Susan B. Anthony, Rosa Parks, and Billie Jean King). And though not officially a member of the “Inspiring Women” line, this Barbie doll commemorates fencer and Olympic medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad, who was the first Muslim woman to wear a hijab while competing for the United States in the Olympics. Learn more about women's history in the United States in our Where Women Made History campaign.
6History and pop culture buffs will love this 20th anniversary edition of "Chronology." Competitive but family-friendly, this board game is designed to test players’ knowledge on a wide variety of international historical events by placing them in chronological order (it covers everything from the Russian famine of 1601 to the FIFA Women’s World Cup).
7The 1619 Project, a Pulitzer Prize-winning initiative developed by The New York Times Magazine, re-examines the legacy of slavery and the African diaspora in America. Fifty percent of the purchases from their online shop will be donated to the Afrian American Cultural Heritage Action Fund.
The 20th anniversary edition of "Chronology," a board game that revolves around international historic events and milestones.
By purchasing some of these products, you'll be supporting the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Check out other ways you can support preservation as you shop, travel, and play.
