Virginia Conference for the Social Studies

The annual Virginia Conference for the Social Studies was held on Oct. 16-17 in Norfolk, Va., and for a 3rd consecutive year, the 1882 Foundation presented a workshop -- this time on the 50th Anniversary of the Immigration and Nationalization Act (Hart-Celler). Our recognition of this legislative milestone dovetailed well with the major theme of the Conference: looking at history from multiple perspectives. A key component of the workshop was to connect the Hart-Celler Act to the civil rights movement and, in particular, the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts…

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Civil Rights & the 1965 Immigration and Nationalization Act (Hart-Celler)

Teacher Workshop, Oct. 2, 2015 The 1882 Foundation and the Alexandria Black History Museum collaborated on a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of landmark legislative acts that have transformed America over the lat half-century. As part of the week's activities, teachers from Alexandria City schools participated in a full-day workshop entitled The World Comes To Us: A Fresh Look at What we Teach and the Students We're Teaching. A variety of sessions were designed to recognize the intersection of the African American experience and civil rights with that of…

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Young Historians Project

Nothing works better at getting students interested in history than having them become historians themselves. We all long to feel the excitement of uncovering something new, of getting our hands on a real document proving who we are or where we came from. We learn by seeing something through a different set of eyes, appreciating the work or experiences of someone by reading their stories, studying photos. or touching objects they touched. That's what the Smithsonian's Young Historians Project has students do in connection with searching…

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Curriculum Corner News

Back in May, participants at our 3rd 1882 Symposium heard from Social Studies specialists in Alexandria City and Fairfax County, Va. about ways in which we can highlight Asian American stories and make it more likely that teachers will use them as examples within their courses. We have been working on ways to influence state boards of education and legislators to be more inclusive of the role Asian Americans have played in the history of the United States. A key emphasis has been on showing that…

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National History Day Competition

National History Day, District 5, Virginia, March 7, 2015 It was an exciting day for some 300 students, many of their parents, and 60 judges as they gathered at Mt. Vernon High School in Alexandria, Va. to participate in this year's National History Day celebration for District 5 (Northern Virginia). For the first time, the 1882 Foundation sponsored an award of $250 for a student creating an entry on Asian American history around the theme of what it means to be an American. It was…

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Curriculum Corner 2014 Updates & Review

Teacher Workshops and Training: It was a busy fall season in the "curriculum corner." The 2014-2015 school year began in mid-August with a workshop for social studies teachers in Fairfax County, Va., that aimed to recast how Asian American topics are included in high school courses. Ted Gong used stories, family photos, and documents from his own family to give a personal feel to the Chinese American experience. Gina Inocencio talked about the Smithsonian's Young Historians Project that provides students with opportunities to interpret the…

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