Teaching the History of Civil Rights Through Digital Primary Sources: Introducing the 1939 Library Sit-In

Teaching history is never easy, and today’s public school teachers have many challenges in front of them, especially given the current push to teach non-divisive and patriotic stories of America’s past. Regardless of political persuasion, few people dispute the importance of helping students to learn from primary source materials and how to think for themselves about what historical documents say and mean.

In this panel and workshop, experts will discuss what it takes to ensure that students from elementary school through high school have opportunities to analyze and learn from primary sources, deepening their understanding of American history. We will highlight examples of programs in libraries and schools that are making those documents accessible via digital media. The second half features a workshop with teachers as we focus on the story of the 1939 Library Sit-In in Alexandria, VA. We will show how newly digitized primary source documents from the Alexandria Library’s Local History & Special Collections can be incorporated into lesson plans to help students learn about the Jim Crow era, see examples of Virginia residents’ efforts to demand equal access to public schools and libraries, and get to know the American heroes who envisioned and fought for civil rights for all.

Panel Speakers: Why Use Primary Source Materials When Teaching History?

• Rose Dawson, Executive Director, Alexandria Library
• Annie Evans, Director of Education and Outreach, New American History
• Karla Thompson, Director, Learning Design, Maryland Public Television
• Stephen Wesson, Manager of Professional Learning Products, Professional Learning and Outreach Initiatives, Library of Congress
• Sarah Whelan, K-12 Social Studies Specialist, Alexandria City Public Schools
• Lisa Guernsey, Senior Editor and Advisor, PreK-12, New America (moderator)

Workshop Speakers: A Tour of Lesson Plans and Digital Resources about the 1939 Library Sit-in

• Tricia Walker, Local History and Special Collections Librarian, Alexandria Library
• Charlie Williams IV,  Middle School Social Studies Teacher, District of Columbia Public Schools
• Jeryl Payne, Fourth Grade Teacher, Alexandria City Public Schools 
• Annie Evans, Director of Education and Outreach, New American History
• Jazmyne Owens, PreK-12 Senior Policy Advisor, New America (moderator)