In 2020, the Center for Brooklyn History, in conjunction with Dr. Brian Purnell, curated Brooklyn Resists exhibition, a Public History Project that explores the history of Black Brooklynites and their stories of resistance and perseverance.
Introduction
This curriculum is an adaptation of the Brooklyn Resists (2020) exhibition. The featured case studies and contextual videos are derived from the exhibition and the Brooklyn Public Library's collections, incorporating materials that range in origin from the 1600s to the 2020s. The curriculum is divided into six separate sections, which correspond to the sections of the exhibition. This curriculum expounds the history of Black Brooklynites with the objective of tailoring the exhibition content to a social studies Scope & Sequence framework.
About this curriculum
We suggest using this curriculum with students in grades six and up. It is categorically grouped by theme and can be taught chronologically or out of order.
This curriculum is divided into the following sections:
- Prologue Lessons
- Section 1: Covenant with Color
- Section 2: Bodies on the Line
- Section 3: Education as Activism
- Section 4: Celebration as Political Demonstration
- Section 5: Alliances and Allyship
- Section 6: Too Many Names
- Epilogue Lesson
Each section includes:
- Primary sources such as newspapers, diary entries, oral histories, and photographs.
- Worksheets with questions worded to illicit an examination of sources.
- Contextual videos with related information.
Suggested Teaching Tools for Online Learning
We suggest using Padlet and Jamboard as interactive online learning tools with this curriculum. You can add the links to Padlet and have students write comments about each of the sources. With Jamboard, placing one of the primary sources on the board and/or having students listen to an oral history or watch one of the contextual videos enables them to write their thoughts on virtual post-it notes.
A special thank you to Dr. Brian Purnell, Akane Okoshi, and Jules David Bartkowski, for all of their hardwork on this curriculum. We also wish to thank Dr. Aja Lans and Nona Faustine for their time and wonderful insights. Thank you.
Upcoming Events
Trace/s Exhibition Tour
Come for a free curator-guided tour of the exhibition Trace/s: Family History Research and the Legacy of Slavery in Brooklyn.
Visitors will get an in-depth tour of the artwork and archival documents that make up the heart of this exhibition, and will get to explore the historical…
CBH Talk | The Divine Nine: The Origins and History of Black Greek-Letter Fraternities and Sororities
The Divine Nine, formally known as the National Pan-Hellenic Council, are nine historically Black Greek-letter fraternities and sororities that have played a pivotal role in shaping Black American life and culture. The first of these organizations, Alpha Phi Alpha, was founded in…
CBH Talk | Claire Hoffman and Eliza Griswold Discuss “Sister, Sinner: The Miraculous Life and Mysterious Disappearance of Aimee Semple McPherson”
On a spring day in 1926, Aimee Semple McPherson wandered into the Pacific Ocean and vanished. The nation’s most famous evangelist, Aimee was known as a sophisticated marketer who had used Hollywood magic and the newest technology to bring her message to the masses. Although Aimee’s Pentecostal…
CBH Talk | Larry Racioppo’s Photographs of Loss and Remembrance in NYC
We all die. Rich and poor, famous and unknown, we all meet the same fate. Almost everyone is mourned, but the method can vary greatly.
Larry Racioppo, "Here Down On Dark Earth"
In Here Down On Dark Earth,…
Trace/s Exhibition Tour
Come for a free curator-guided tour of the exhibition Trace/s: Family History Research and the Legacy of Slavery in Brooklyn.
Visitors will get an in-depth tour of the artwork and archival documents that make up the heart of this exhibition, and will get to explore the historical…
Opening the Archives: Exploring the CBH Collection - Building Research
One of the most common research topics at CBH is Brooklyn’s buildings. Join us for a hands-on workshop in the Othmer Library, led by urban data historian Jeremy Lechtzin and CBH archives manager Dee Bowers. This session will introduce you to four key collections used for building…
CBH Talk | “Capitalism and Its Critics” with John Cassidy and Doug Henwood
In his new book, Capitalism and Its Critics: A History from the Industrial Revolution to AI, The New Yorker’s John Cassidy traces 200 years of global capitalism through the voices of its most insightful and influential critics. At a time when technology, climate change, inequality,…
Trace/s Exhibition Tour
Come for a free curator-guided tour of the exhibition Trace/s: Family History Research and the Legacy of Slavery in Brooklyn.
Visitors will get an in-depth tour of the artwork and archival documents that make up the heart of this exhibition, and will get to explore the historical…
CBH Talk | Voices from the Past: Tracing Black Lineage and the Power of Genealogy
Being the narrators and experts of our own pasts comes with unique challenges for Black Americans. What we know about our families matters—and everyone deserves the ability to honor their ancestors’ stories.
CBH’s new exhibition, Trace/s, explores the crucial…
CBH Talk | Five Years After George Floyd: The Fight Today
On May 25, 2020, the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin stunned the nation and ignited a global uprising.
As we mark the fifth anniversary of that tragic day, CBH brings together three leading voices to examine the protests, their…
