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.
