In the United States, race--perhaps more than any other sociocultural factor--is the most challenging and complex to understand (Omi & Winant, 1994). Much of this difficulty stems from the powerful yet often unacknowledged role that race has and continues to play in the U.S. context. Race is without a doubt a complicated, contentious, and highly charged topic. It is one not often addressed in schools and among teachers, yet one that concerns all students, particularly African Americans. In this article, the authors explore the challenges and possibilities of teaching elementary and middle schools students about the impact of the history of race, racism, and social justice on African Americans in the U.S. They situate this discussion in the existing literature that chronicles the historical limitations of curriculum knowledge about African Americans. They suggest that despite the long-term and continued concerns of the social studies curriculum, teachers could employ specific pedagogical practices to help students grasp important ideas and perspectives about the historical legacies of race and racism.