For years, the University of South Carolina’s (UofSC) Center for Civil Rights History and Research held a three week training for teachers on Reconstruction in July titled “Freedom’s Lawmakers: Black Leadership During Reconstruction” on the “three themes of citizenship, lawmakers and the memory of Reconstruction.” According to an article in Diverse the training looked “at the organizations, the places and the people who are part of the Reconstruction movement particularly in South Carolina but around the nation….From July 12-30, 25 K-12 teachers and librarians from 16 states learned about the legacy of Black political figures in the state during Reconstruction through virtual visits to historical sites and museums.” The article continues:
A self-described lifelong learner, Anna O’Brien, an 8th grade social studies teacher at Pleasant Knoll Middle School in Fort Mill, S.C., often participates in professional development programs. She plans to share “the wealth of resources” she acquired from the institute with her students this fall.
“I hope that when I teach about Reconstruction, it is meaningful and it is in a way that will allow students to see that there are connections between reconstruction, history and the present,” said O’Brien. “I think it’s the missing link almost to understanding the history of African American history from the end of the Civil War to today.”
The opportunity to interact with other educators across the country made [Anya] Bonnette [a school librarian at Robert E. Howard Middle School in Orangeburg, S.C.] feel that she wasn’t “alone.”
“I have a group that feels strongly about making sure the history and the message of Reconstruction is represented in the best light,” she said. “That is important because this is a sensitive time that we have going on. You want to know that you are not alone in the fight.”
O’Brien shared similar sentiments.
“We don’t want to feel like we are alone on an island,” she said. “It really is helpful to know that we have support out there and that we have the opportunity to participate in high-quality development that really will be effective in teaching our students today.”
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