The Minnesota Historical Society (Inquiry in the Upper Midwest project) is proud to share our most recent grant project: Empowering Communities with Local History. This program aims to develop elementary school teachers to find local, reputable primary sources that they can use with their students to learn about the history of their communities in connection with larger events and turning points required by new social studies state standards. In a series of four presentations, trainers instruct teachers in finding and evaluating primary sources, uncovering local stories through which students can study national and international historical events, and centering stories and histories that have been marginalized, erased, or ignored to create a more community-driven classroom, providing opportunities for students and teachers to unite with community members to tell their stories and advocate for their future. Ultimately, this project will develop a process for finding local history sources that can be replicated across the state and the TPS consortium through future grant-funded projects by the TPS Midwest Region as well as potentially the East and West Regions.

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Here's a snippet from one of our sessions:

We started with this image from the Library of Congress (also part of our Youth Movements primary source set):

Clinton, TN, school integration conflicts

After engaging in an "Observe - Reflect - Question" analysis, we made connections. As Minnesotans, we may think of the Civil Rights Movement as something that took place far away in the Southern states. Students may not see a personal connection to their place and history here. How can we connect this to St. Paul?

Enter local community organizations! Here are two primary source photographs to enrich understanding: 

NAACP members picketing outside Woolworth's for integrated lunch counters, St. Paul.

One way Minnesotans participated in the Civil Rights Movement was through boycotts. Woolworth's lunch counters in Minnesota were integrated, but these NAACP members in St. Paul still picketed to push the company to integrate their stores nationwide. 

“NAACP Youth Group,” circa 1960. Courtesy of Hallie Q. Brown Community Archives.

Searching a local community organization, the Hallie Q. Brown Community Archives, pulled up this photo. From left to right, the young men are Sandy Stephens, Ronnie Harris, and Judge Dickson. Further digging suggests all three were football players at the University of Minnesota!

These stories can connect students in St. Paul, Minnesota to the nation-wide Civil Rights Movement, making it come alive! 

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What are your experiences with teaching local history with primary sources and community organizations? What questions or ideas do you have?

Contact: Meghan Davisson 

  3 - 5    Pre K - 2    Social Studies/History     Primary Sources    Local History