Samantha Smith: America’s Youngest Ambassador - TPS Album Resources

This album was created to give educators in Maine, the U.S., and across the world information about a young Mainer who made a global impact, Samantha Smith. 

Who is Samantha Smith?

Samantha was the girl from Manchester, Maine, who, in 1982, as a ten-year-old, wrote to Soviet leader Yuri Andropov, questioning his commitment to world peace. Shortly after receiving the letter, Andropov invited Samantha and her parents to tour the Soviet Union, which they did in a highly publicized two-week visit. The Maine State Museum’s collection includes objects and photographs from that visit.

 In 1982, at age 10, Samantha Smith of Manchester, Maine, sent a letter to Yuri Andropov, leader of the Soviet Union, asking him why he wanted “to conquer the world or at least our country.” Andropov answered Samantha’s letter, telling her he didn’t want to go to war and that the Soviets only wanted peace. Shortly after receiving the letter, Andropov invited Samantha and her parents to tour the Soviet Union, which they did in a highly publicized two-week visit. The Maine State Museum’s collection includes objects and photographs from that visit. Tragically, in 1985, at the age of 13, Samantha was killed along with her father in a plane crash as the plane attempted to land at Maine’s Lewiston-Auburn Regional Airport.

Selections from the Samantha Smith Collection at MSM https://mainestatemuseum.org/learn/samantha-smith-americas-youngest-ambassador/

Grade appropriate approaches:

For younger grades (lower elementary): 

• Show the image of Samantha holding the letter and engage in inquiry with the class about what they see.  Some compelling questions could include: 
• What do you see?
• Who is in the picture?
• When do you think the picture was taken?
• What is she holding? 
• Why do you think this picture is important? 
• Teaching suggestion for younger learners is to focus on the idea that a young person wrote a letter that made a difference and that Samantha wanted peace.  Encourage young learners to use their voice to make a difference that positively affects their community.  

For older grades (upper elementary): 

Primary Source Analysis Tool from the Library of Congress 

• Start with the same image of Samantha holding the letter using the same compelling questions. 
• Add in the Primary Source Analysis Tool and go deeper (depending on the age of your students)  into the history behind the photo (the Cold War), politicians (Presidents of the US and USSR), and ambassadors. 
• To help contextualize her time in the USSR and relate it to Maine, educators can share the images of Samantha at the Artek camp.  (Many Maine children have experience going to a camp during the warm summer months.)

For Middle and High School: 

Build on what’s above and add in the political cartoon from the Maine State Museum website.  

Background on the Cold War

• https://historyforkids.org/the-cold-war/
• https://titanmissilemuseum.org/about/cold-war-timeline/
• Russia - USA Nuclear Arms Control
  • https://www.cfr.org/timeline/us-russia-nuclear-arms-control

Remembering Samantha-Additional Resources

• Carol Highsmith’s photo of the Samantha Smith statue in front of the MSM
• Resolution submitted to the House by John Baldacci that a postage stamp should be issued in her honor 
• Accompanying Senate bill by Olympia Snow to get postage stamps made of young people who made a difference, including Samantha Smith
• https://www.mainememory.net/record/25182 Soviet Union issued a stamp in memory and honor of Samantha Smith in 1985
• Anne & Samantha Day-Anne Frank and Samantha Smith Day happens twice every year: https://medium.com/@checkiday/its-anne-and-samantha-day-june-20-2024-1b1c2aa0481d
• www.SamanthaSmith.info website dedicated to the life and memory of Samantha Smith (the What’s New tab has recent articles and stories about Samantha and her legacy)

  TPSCelebratingRuralMaine  #ColdWar