Students throughout the United States are still being taught that slavery ended in 1865, and McGraw-Hill Publishing Company produces textbooks and online educational materials that contain this false information (see examples linked below). While the Emancipation Proclamation was in fact a notable act of anti-slavery, the year of 1865 did not actually mark the end of slavery. Also contemporarily referred to as modern slavery or human trafficking, slavery continues to be pervasive across the United States and internationally, and it exists today just as it did centuries ago. In fact, according to the United States Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report (2011) and leading NGOs represented on End Slavery Now, the current number of slaves can exceed upwards of 25 million. Thus, elementary and high school students are being taught erroneous information regarding a significant topic that is still alive in the present day. 

As a leading publishing company of educational materials, McGraw-Hill must diligently make alterations to current and imminent textbook publications so that our future generations can be educated on accurate historical and modern-day events. Slavery is not just a topic of the past, nor has it ever truly been abolished; slavery still exists and must be taught as such. Education is the first step to eradicating slavery once and for all.

United States Adventures in Time and Place​

Social Studies Online​

World Issues​

Social Studies World History - pg. 124-131

McGraw-Hill Praxis Tests - pg. 206