Wayne County Teaching Diverse History Summit: Full Schedule

You will be able to validate your attendance (Check-In to sessions) using your personal schedule.

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7:30am EDT

Check-in

Thursday August 14, 2025 7:30am - 8:30am EDT

The Icon

Thursday August 14, 2025 7:30am - 8:30am EDT
The Icon 200 Walker St, Detroit, MI 48207, USA

8:30am EDT

Community Gathering Featuring Jessica Care Moore

Thursday August 14, 2025 8:30am - 9:00am EDT

Auditorium

Thursday August 14, 2025 8:30am - 9:00am EDT
Auditorium

8:30am EDT

Community Resource Fair

Thursday August 14, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT

Lobby

Thursday August 14, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT
Lobby

10:00am EDT

Art of the Ages: The Evolution of the Portrayal of Black Americans in the Media (1910-1990)

Thursday August 14, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am EDT

Room 5

The Black Canon is honored to propose "Art of the Ages" as a featured discussion and mini-exhibit at the Wayne County Diverse Histories Summit, hosted by Wayne RESA. This presentation will provide educators with a compelling, visual exploration of Black representation in media from 1910 to 1990, aligning with the Disciplinary Literacy Essentials, Secondary School-wide Practices, and the C3 Framework. Through inquiry-based learning, participants will engage with rare archival materials, tracing the evolution of Black storytelling—from early harmful stereotypes to self-authored narratives of empowerment. By immersing educators in this historical journey, we will equip them with strategies to integrate culturally responsive, place-based learning into their classrooms, deepening their ability to support diverse narratives within their curriculum.

A central pillar of this session is the untold story of Detroit native and trailblazer James E. Wheeler, whose life's work in preserving Black film, theater, and media serves as a testament to the power of cultural preservation. Wheeler’s deep ties to the Detroit arts scene, from his work with Concept East Theater in the 1960s to his historic collaborations with institutions such as MoMA, Harvard University, and the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, highlight the significance of Detroit as a hub for Black artistic excellence. Despite his invaluable contributions, his legacy remains largely unrecognized. By sharing his journey, we aim to illuminate underreported local histories and inspire educators to uncover and integrate similar narratives from their own communities.

As a brother-and-sister team dedicated to preserving our father’s legacy, we founded The Black Canon to ensure that these cultural artifacts remain accessible and impactful for future generations. Our nonprofit arm, The Black Canon Collection, is committed to housing, curating, and archiving over 40,000 historical collectibles spanning film, literature, music, and visual art. Through "Art of the Ages," we invite educators to not only expand their knowledge of Black media history but also build networks of allies who are committed to teaching a comprehensive and inclusive history. By connecting with Wayne RESA’s events and resources, participants will gain tangible strategies to sustain brave, informed, and culturally enriching discussions in their schools and districts.

Speakers

Alima Trapp

The Black Canon

Alima Trapp specializes in driving instinctive solutions that forge smarter thinking. She has a unique blend of expertise including research, brand and cultural strategy, growth and development as well as consumer context planning in the media space. Being recognized by the industry... Read More →

Ali Wheeler

The Black Canon

Ali Wheeler comprises half of the brother and sister duo (The Black Canon) dedicated to preserving not only Black Art in the form of their vast multi-media collection, but also their father's legacy. Upon his passing, they were blessed to inherit his groundbreaking life's work, amassing... Read More →

Thursday August 14, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
Room 5

Breakout Session #4

10:00am EDT

Breakout Session Featuring Jessica Care Moore

Thursday August 14, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am EDT

Auditorium

TBD

Thursday August 14, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
Auditorium

Breakout Session #4

10:00am EDT

Bringing History to Life: Project-Based Learning Experiences for Teaching a People’s History of Wayne County

Thursday August 14, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am EDT

Room 1

How can educators move beyond traditional textbooks and lectures to create dynamic, student-centered learning experiences that deeply engage students in uncovering and amplifying historically marginalized voices? This session will explore Project-Based Learning (PBL) as a powerful, culturally relevant tool for teaching the rich and often untold histories of Wayne County. Participants will discover how PBL can be an effective means of not only educating students about the diverse cultural fabric of their community, but also empowering them to engage with local histories in meaningful ways.

Participants will:

*Explore how PBL can highlight diverse histories—including Indigenous, Asian American, African American, Arab American, Hispanic American and labor movements—while connecting students to their own cultural roots and Wayne County’s complex legacies, such as Black histories, Arab American communities, and environmental justice movements.
*Collaborate with instructional coaches to actively plan and brainstorm PBL units that incorporate culturally responsive teaching, place-based learning, and student-driven inquiry.
*Leave with actionable strategies to design PBL experiences that empower students to investigate, preserve, and share the stories of their own communities, ensuring that untold histories are acknowledged and respected.

Drawing inspiration from successful PBL experiences such as the Iconic Michigan PBL at Horizon High School, the Healthy Detroit Communities PBL, and The Change Through Street Art PBL at University Prep Art and Design, this session will showcase powerful student-driven projects. Through storytelling, video production, visual arts, and community engagement, these projects empowered students to reclaim, preserve, and share culturally significant narratives. Participants will gain insights into how PBL can be used to amplify student voices, connect with local history, and create meaningful learning experiences that extend beyond the classroom.Whether you are new to PBL or looking to deepen your approach, this session will provide practical tools, inspiration, and collaborative planning time to help you design culturally relevant, justice-centered learning experiences for your classroom.

Speakers

Jill Jenkins

Hamtramck Public Schools

Jill Jenkins is an experienced educator with over 21 years in the field of education. She holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree from Madonna University, an Educational Specialist Degree from the University of Phoenix, and an Administrative Certification from Davenport University... Read More →

Jeremy Hein

Hamtramck Public Schools

Jeremy Hein is in his 12th year of education, with 11 years of experience teaching middle school social studies before transitioning into his current role as an instructional coach. He holds a Master’s degree in Educational Technology from Grand Valley State University and a Secondary... Read More →

Thursday August 14, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
Room 1

Breakout Session #4

10:00am EDT

Food for Thought: How Our Diets Reflect Migration, Conquest, & Resilience

Thursday August 14, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am EDT

Room 3

Fluctuations in power and the migration of people have influenced our diets in profound ways. This workshop will equip teachers with several lesson ideas, interactive tools, and primary and secondary sources that highlight how food consumed in various regions of the world is the byproduct of globalization, nationalism, cultural hegemony, cultural fusion, identity and agency among marginalized groups. The session will spotlight ways in which this phenomenon is evident in the greater Detroit area and beyond. Food anthropology offers us a creative way to engage students in historical analyses and thoughtful conversations about identity and geography.

This workshop spotlights how food is an artifact of power, identity, and geography. Our ever-evolving diets reflect the resiliency of marginalized groups, the dominance of colonial powers, and the fusion of ideas inspired by cultural collision.Fluctuations in power and the migration of people have influenced our diets in profound ways. This workshop will equip teachers with several lesson ideas, interactive tools, and primary and secondary sources that highlight how food consumed in various regions of the world is the byproduct of globalization, nationalism, cultural hegemony, cultural fusion, identity and agency among marginalized groups. The session will spotlight ways in which this phenomenon is evident in the greater Detroit area and beyond. Food anthropology offers us a creative way to engage students in historical analyses and thoughtful conversations about identity and geography.

This workshop spotlights how food is an artifact of power, identity, and geography. Our ever-evolving diets reflect the resiliency of marginalized groups, the dominance of colonial powers, and the fusion of ideas inspired by cultural collision.

Speakers

Amy Perkins

Lakeshore Public Schools / Fulbright-Hays Ambassador

Thursday August 14, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
Room 3

Breakout Session #4

10:00am EDT

History Day®: Collaborating with Local Museums to Lift Hidden Histories

Thursday August 14, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am EDT

Room 2

National History Day ® is a program in which students in grades 3 –12 choose a historical topic and dive deeply into the past by conducting extensive research in libraries, archives, museums, and historical societies. They then present their conclusions and evidence through papers, exhibits, performances, documentaries, or websites. Through this process, students develop skills in historical thinking, communication, and a deeper awareness of local/regional history and the many untold or neglected histories. The Hamtramck Historical Museum and David Hales will share their History Day collabration and how it has benefited the community

Speakers

David Hales

Historical Society of Michigan

David Hales is a Senior Manager with the Historical Society of Michigan focusing on the implementation of History Day in Southeast Michigan. His role is to support schools, teachers, and students across SE Michigan. Previous to this, Mr. Hales was the K-12 Social Studies Consultant... Read More →

Joe Kochut

Hamtramck Historical Museum

Joe Kochut is a lifelong Hamtramckan and lover of history. Joe has been with the Hamtramck Historical Museum for 10 years, and has been the board president for the last 5 years. Joe has curated major exhibits for the museum,He works to strengthen partnerships with other museums and... Read More →

Thursday August 14, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
Room 2

Breakout Session #4

10:00am EDT

Mapping US Elections: Who Votes, and How Does it Matter?

Thursday August 14, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am EDT

Room 4

The struggle for equal voting rights in the United States is as old as the country itself, as different attempts throughout American history to narrow and expand the electorate, both through legal and extra-legal means, have had profound impacts on electoral outcomes and social, political, and economic life in the United States.

In this session, we will use various forms of data– including electoral maps and timelines describing the ongoing struggle for suffrage–to answer these essential questions:
*Who can vote and does vote in US elections?,
*How has who can vote and does vote shaped American social, economic and political life over time?
*What predictions might we make about the electorate moving forward and how it will shape and reshape our country?

By digging into historical timelines and considering data on who votes in elections, we will explore the nature of the fight for suffrage, voting participation, and participants’ lived experiences that inform how voting might shift or re-align during moments in history. The stories of how the American electorate has been shaped and reshaped throughout history are vital to unpacking so much about the overarching American story, including the current chapter.

This session will model practical ways to expand the use of data-based inquiry in the Social Studies classroom and across disciplines. Participants will receive the materials to teach the model lesson in their own classrooms.

Speakers

Kristi Hanby

Wayne RESA

Kristi Hanby has been a Mathematics Consultant at Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency (Wayne RESA) since 2015. In her role, she advocates for students to have greater access to mathematics learning and for educators to critically consider the meaning students can make... Read More →

Thursday August 14, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
Room 4

Breakout Session #4

10:00am EDT

Teaching Disability History: The Journey From Disability Rights to Disability Justice

Thursday August 14, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am EDT

Room 6

In this session, participants will explore effective approaches to teaching the history and contemporary experiences of the largest and most diverse minoritized group in the country—the disability community. The discussion will provide a high-level overview of the evolution of the disability rights movement, its intersections with other civil rights movements, and the emergence of the contemporary disability justice movement. Additionally, participants will examine instructional strategies that empower students to draw connections between the fight for disability rights and broader struggles for equality across marginalized communities. The session will also highlight the implications of this history for present-day advocacy.

By participating in this session, attendees will:
*Examine the significance of teaching about the evolution of the disability rights and disability justice movements.
*Explore the history of the disability rights movement and its intersections with other civil rights movements.
*Identify effective instructional strategies to help students understand the historical experiences of people with disabilities and the ongoing impact of the contemporary disability justice movement.

Speakers

Seena M. Skelton

Thursday August 14, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
Room 6

Breakout Session #4

11:00am EDT

Lunch

Thursday August 14, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT

The Icon

Thursday August 14, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
The Icon 200 Walker St, Detroit, MI 48207, USA

12:30pm EDT

Detroit '67: A Performance from Detroit Public Theatre

Thursday August 14, 2025 12:30pm - 3:30pm EDT

Auditorium

-This event in ONSITE at The Icon. No travel to an offsite location is required.

Detroit Public Theatre will share one of our signature curriculum-connected arts experiences, Detroit '67 in the Schools. For ten years this program has been bringing the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s to life for high school social studies students studying American History and Detroit's place in that history. The program begins with an engaging in-school lesson, followed by a staged reading of the award-winning play Detroit '67 by Dominique Morisseau, and concludes with a facilitated post-show dialogue with students, educators and actors.

This program was developed in 2016 alongside DPSCD educators. Students and teachers have reported that this play and program have increased students’ understanding of history and our city’s place in it, helped to bridge our past and present, deepened connection to community, cultivated the belief that individuals can positively impact society, and promoted a sense of civic pride and desire for greater engagement.

DPT’s annual production of Detroit ‘67 has connected thousands of Detroit high school students to history through art. It has been the goal of DPT and our DPSCD partners to complement and fortify students' understanding of the 1960's Civil Rights Movement and to bring immediacy and relevance to students' studies of history and current events.

Detroit Public Theatre has steadily expanded our education programs over the past several years and we now build lessons and theatre experiences around multiple productions each season - productions which have curricular tie-ins to social studies, literature, and other academic classes. We look forward to sharing the lesson that started it all and repeats each year with you at the TEACHING DIVERSE HISTORY SUMMIT!

Speakers

Madelyn Porter

Thursday August 14, 2025 12:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
Auditorium

Excursion

12:30pm EDT

Excursion: Arab American National Museum

Thursday August 14, 2025 12:30pm - 3:30pm EDT

Arab American National Museum

-This is an offsite session.
-Roundtrip transportation will be provided by motorcoach from The Icon.

Guided tour of the Arab American National Museum: Join AANM as we take visitors on a guided tour of our core galleries. Along the way, we will explore elements of history, culture and the immigration of Arab Americans to the United States. We will also define the Arab World, highlight ethnic and religious diversity within the Arab World/Arab American community, analyze stereotypes and discuss layers of identity. Guests are welcome and encouraged to ask any questions and interact with our education staff!

Workshop: AANM Primary Sources: This workshop will focus on how the Arab American National Museum utilizes primary sources to tell the stories of Arab Americans. Educators will also share/brainstorm how folks can include these sources into their classroom/lessons.

Workshop: Learning Traditional Arabic Dances: Participants have the opportunity to learn the dabke, a traditional folk dance performed in several countries of the Arab world including Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Jordan.

Speakers

Dave Serio

Thursday August 14, 2025 12:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
Arab American National Museum

Excursion

12:30pm EDT

Excursion: Black Bottom Archives

Thursday August 14, 2025 12:30pm - 3:30pm EDT

Walter P. Reuther Library and Archive, Wayne State University

-This is an offsite tour.
-Roundtrip motorcoach transportation will be provided from The Icon.
This immersive half-day workshop is designed for educators looking to integrate geography and history through place-based inquiry. Focusing on Detroit’s history of redlining and social movements, participants will explore how location shapes social, economic, and political experiences. The workshop includes a guided tour of key sites that illustrate the legacy of redlining in Detroit, helping educators visualize how historical policies continue to impact communities today. Following the tour, participants will visit the Walter P. Reuther Library, where they will work with archivists to examine primary sources, including historical maps, oral histories, and images. Using these materials, educators will develop their own inquiry-driven lessons around the central question: "Does where you live impact how your voice is heard?" Through expert-led discussions, hands-on exploration, and collaborative lesson design, teachers at all grade levels will leave with practical strategies to bring diverse histories to life in their classrooms.

Participants attending this session will receive an additional text:

-Whitlock, Place-Based Social Studies Education: Learning from Flint, Michigan

Speakers

Marcia Black

Director of Archives and Education, Black Bottom Archives

Marcia (she/her) is a proud Detroiter, Black queer feminist archivist, memory worker, and abolitionist organizer. Marcia is an alum of Marygrove College where she received her Bachelors in Political Science and Sociology, and an alum of the University of Texas at Austin where she... Read More →

Thursday August 14, 2025 12:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
Walter P. Reuther Library and Archive, Wayne State University

Excursion

12:30pm EDT

Excursion: Detroit Historical Museum

Thursday August 14, 2025 12:30pm - 3:30pm EDT

Detroit Historical Museum

This is an offsite excursion. Roundtrip motorcoach transportation will be provided from The Icon.

Session description is forthcoming.

Thursday August 14, 2025 12:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
Detroit Historical Museum

Excursion

12:30pm EDT

Excursion: Honor in Action: Celebrating the Community History of Detroit’s Black Bottom Neighborhood

Thursday August 14, 2025 12:30pm - 3:30pm EDT

Detroit Public Library

Join us at the Detroit Public Library (DPL) to experience multi-disciplinary methods for teaching about the City’s historically significant Black Bottom neighborhood through museum artifacts, oral histories, and historic photographs. Based on the “Honor in Action: Celebrating the Community History of Detroit’s Black Bottom Neighborhood” curriculum guide, the activities focus on memory, community, and collective honoring of community members past and present through primary sources. Participants will learn about the history of Black Bottom through hands-on analysis of reproduction museum objects, oral histories from community members, and historic photographs from the DPL’s Burton Historical Collection. In addition to being able to experience being at the Detroit Public Library, participants will explore methods and skills with the presenters, then practice through guided group activities. Each participant will be encouraged to consider how these methods/skills can be used with their students to create interest and engagement with local history, primary sources, and the arts. Time to discuss and debrief the session experiences will be included. We hope this session will help educators make connections to local experts who can provide resources and potentially consult in the future.

Participants will receive printed copies of the Honor in Action: Celebrating the Community History of Detroit's Black Bottom Neighborhood curriculum.

Speakers

Denice Blair

Thursday August 14, 2025 12:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
Detroit Public Library

Excursion

12:30pm EDT

Excursion: Midnight: A History of the Detroit River

Thursday August 14, 2025 12:30pm - 3:30pm EDT

William Lambert Home / Blackburn Site / Underground Railround Memorial / Second Baptist Church

-This is an offsite excursion.
-Round trip motorcoach transportation from the Icon will be provided.
-This excursion involves walking; please dress comfortably and for the conditions.

In this interactive guided tour, participants will deepen their knowledge of the textured history of the Detroit River as an international gateway to freedom. Local historian and Underground Railroad descendant, Kimberly Simmons, will lead participants through the complex and powerful journey of Detroit’s abolitionist histories by centering the lesser known stories of Detroit activists, freedom seekers, and the refuge of the Detroit River. Join us as we lift the legacy of William Lambert, learn the resilience and resistance of the Blackburns, visit the Historic Second Baptist Church, and honor the lives of thousands of who sought freedom across the Detroit River.

Participants will receive additional texts for attending this session.

Speakers

Kimberly Simmons

Thursday August 14, 2025 12:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
William Lambert Home / Blackburn Site / Underground Railround Memorial / Second Baptist Church

Excursion

12:30pm EDT

Excursion: “You are Here!” Creating Feminist, Decolonial, and Community Maps

Thursday August 14, 2025 12:30pm - 3:30pm EDT

The Icon

-This excursion will begin at The Icon.
-This is a walking tour. Please dress comfortably for potentially uneven terrain and the weather conditions.
-This excursion will involve making.

“Traveling is more than going from one place to another. It is part of a tradition, and it is a metaphor for life.”
–J. Andrew Darling

“You are here! Creating Feminist, Decolonial, and Community Maps” asks us to reflect on how the ways we visually represent the land impact our relationship to it. U.S. American maps inscribe a colonial version of history on the landscape with place names based on British, French, and U.S. American conquistadors and settlers. This workshop will engage participants in creating maps that center feminist, decolonial and community perspectives, and to learn the meanings, origins, and histories of the place names we use to “label” the land, with a goal of growing connection and healing relationships between land, water and people.

Participants will receive two additional texts for attending this session:

-Monmonier, How to Lie with Maps
-Hill, Detroit in 50 Maps

Speakers

Joanne Coutts

Independent

I am an independent cartographer, writer, and activist whose work focuses on humanitarian aid in the Sonoran Desert and water rights in Michigan. I volunteer with Ajo Samaritans, volunteer search and rescue groups in Arizona and Waawiyatanong Water Protector Network. My cartographic... Read More →

Thursday August 14, 2025 12:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
The Icon 200 Walker St, Detroit, MI 48207, USA

Excursion

Wayne County Teaching Diverse History Summit