Author: Daniel Shogan, Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History Students will learn about the 1883 Massacre in Danville, Virginia as an example of violence against African Americans. Within the context of the massacre, they will be shown primary documents from the event. These documents will provide the students with not only a lens into the Danville of the nineteenth century, but also provide them with an opportunity to think critically about the documents. After careful discussion of the events and outcomes of the massacre, the students will be given vocabulary worksheets that help to define and underline the most important elements of the narrative.

This activity explores the push and pull of moving from Richmond, Virginia to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for 4 siblings during the 1920s by examining primary and secondary sources and using a decision-making model. This activity includes topics such as the impact of segregation and discrimination against African Americans, and the impact of Black migration from the south to the north.

Students are asked to use the provided source material to answer the central historical question: Why did African Americans join the Union Army during the Civil War?

Author: Katie Frazier, Museums at W&LStudents will examine a ceramic object made by David Drake (about 1800-about 1870), an enslaved person who lived on a plantation in Edgefield, South Carolina. As an enslaved individual, Drake was denied the basic rights of learning how to read and write. Despite writing being illegal for enslaved people, David Drake was known for writing his name and poetry on the ceramics he made. He wanted to express his feelings about life, religion and his own identity as an enslaved person.  

Authored by Jasmine Dunbar (Virginia Beach History Museums)Students will examine the daily lives of enslaved individuals and the institution of slavery in early Virginian history and understand its connections to current societal issues of predjudice, racism, and white supremacy.

Students will explore primary and secondary sources to investigate the origin, purposes, and vitality of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.