Out of over 7,000 nominated educators across the U.S., Matthew Vriesman won the accolade of 2023 National History Teacher of the Year from The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.

Vriesman, a Missouri State University history alumnus, was honored at a ceremony in New York City on Oct. 24, 2023.

The institute is dedicated to K-12 history education and the award celebrates the value of history education by honoring outstanding American history teachers.

As the 2023 National History Teacher of the Year, Vriesman is currently serving as an ambassador for the teaching community and a thought leader on the importance of high-quality American history education.

According to the institute’s press release, Vriesman stood out for his exceptional teaching of American history, which includes facilitating a historic virtual tour of western Michigan.

“It’s an honor to win this award. My students and I were excited when we received the news,” Vriesman said. “I hope this award serves to normalize an antiracist approach to teaching U.S. history classes.”

Vriesman has been teaching AP United States history, AP world history and AP African American studies at East Kentwood High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for about six years now.

“It’s a diverse school with about 90 different languages spoken, which makes it a cool place to teach history,” said Vriesman, a west Michigan native.

Making his Missouri statement

Influenced by his mother’s love for reading and history, Vriesman never wanted to be anything but a history teacher. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Calvin University in Grand Rapids before travelling to Asia.

After teaching U.S. history in South Korea and Kuwait for about seven years, he began a master’s degree program in history at MSU.

“While searching for what school to attend, I discovered that my favorite history textbook, ‘Ways of the World’ was co-written by a professor at MSU, Dr. Eric Nelson,” Vriesman said. “It influenced my decision to come here.”

Nelson is a professor of world history and the director of graduate studies in the history department. He was also Vriesman’s advisor.

Vriesman credits his successful career to the 30-hour history master’s program at MSU.

“It all began at MSU,” Vriesman said. “During my program, I started realizing the differences between high school history curriculum and what professional historians write about.”

“The major discrepancy was in the issue of race, so I began to update my classes with the historical archives and primary sources I was exposed to at MSU,” he added.

According to Vriesman, schooling at MSU taught him a valuable lesson.

“A graduate degree gave me the ability to look at the textbook in a critical way,” he said. “I learned to put my textbook on trial.”

Using resources to promote quality history education

Vriesman has shared his updated lessons with other teachers.

“In 2020, when the conversation on race and history came up after the George Floyd murder, my school asked if I would be willing to share my updated lessons with other teachers in the district,” Vriesman said.

This prompted him to set up his website Antiracist APUSH, where he shares history lesson plans and blog posts.

Then, Vriesman began to work with his local museum, the Grand Rapids Museum, to carry out a project specifically on Black history and the fight against Jim Crow in Michigan.

“Students in Michigan learn about Rosa Parks and civil rights in Alabama, but not the fight against Jim Crow in Grand Rapids,” Vriesman said.

To this effect, he encouraged his students to build a historic virtual tour of western Michigan by using historical archives and primary source documents.

Students use the research of historian Dr. Randal Maurice Jelks, press clippings and museum photos to recreate the city in the 1920s and learn of the discrimination Black citizens faced after moving to the city from the South.

“Today, Michigan is one of the most segregated states in the country and it’s important for students to understand this context. It’s also important to highlight the brave resistance to injustice. Grand Rapids’ first Black lawyer Oliver M. Greene endured police brutality but finally brought a case against segregated theater seating to the Michigan Supreme Court and won in 1927,” Vriesman explained. “Student engagement is significantly increased when national historical themes are presented through local stories.”

“I got nominated for using primary sources to challenge dominant narratives,” he added.

Engaging and inspiring students

Vriesman notes he is aware there is potential awkwardness that surrounds race conversations; however, he believes this can be handled by normalizing these discussions at the very beginning of the year.

He explains to his students that race has had “a powerful impact on the development of every major institution in American history, and therefore, whether some adults want us to or not, we must talk about race if we want to understand our society.”

“I teach in the most diverse district in Michigan. My kids know race is impacting their lives,” he added.

Vriesman added it is important not only to teach his students about the past and present, but also challenge them to think about how to make the future better.

“History classes are not solely for creating historians, but creating historical actors.”

Explore degree options in history

Photos provided by Matthew Vriesman.