 |
The Waynflete Wire |
Beyond textbooks: Upper Schoolers engage with historical documents at Bowdoin College
Our grade 11 African American History students recently visited the Bowdoin College Library to examine primary source documents from a critical moment in our nation’s history. Students reviewed and analyzed testimonies given before Congress in 1871-72 from formerly enslaved Black Americans and members of the Ku Klux Klan. This hands-on research experience allowed students to engage directly with historical evidence and develop a deeper understanding of the post-Civil War era.
“This history field trip to Bowdoin was something that everyone needs to experience at least once in their high school career,” reflects Upper Schooler Tessy. “Being able to immerse ourselves in the documents is crucial to grasping the severity of slavery and its lasting impacts. Some people may be hesitant to show students the very detailed descriptions of violence, but I argue that it’s THE most important part. Reading these accounts allow us to understand the true brutality of slavery and break down the cycles of normalization that have allowed slavery to be downplayed.”
