The Center for Brooklyn History education department connects students, educators, and archivists in New York City and beyond to unique collections, programs, and events that bring the history of Brooklyn to life.
For students
We make the archive a more inclusive place for students of all backgrounds by giving them the agency to engage and interrogate collections through a culturally responsive lens. By broadening the definition of researcher, students are given access to primary sources while developing their critical research skills. Our signature partnership program, Brooklyn Connections, offers fourth through twelfth grade classes rare access to original archival materials while students complete customized, standards-based projects.
Our work with students extends beyond the school day to our youth internship program that assists youth college, career, and employment readiness skills.
And, beginning in 2021, CBH is thrilled to be the home of New York City History Day.
For educators
Every school year, we offer a robust array of professional development workshops where guest speakers engage educators in fascinating content knowledge while our team models lesson plans and activities that transfer to any classroom. CBH Education is a New York State-certified provider of Continuing Teacher and Leadership Education (CTLE) credit and ASPDP “P” credits. Our events introduce educators to New York City cultural institutions that can support their students with class visits and field trips. Educators can access our customized lesson plans, research guides, and more by visiting our educator resources page and our curriculum library.
For archivists
CBH Education encourages archivists and archives educators to replicate and adapt our model in their own communities. We make our resources and teaching strategies openly available for archivists to access. Our team can be found speaking at conferences and publishing widely to promote the work we do to the archival community. For more information about our resources for archivists, please contact us.
Contact us
CBH Education is generously supported by The Morris and Alma Schapiro Fund, The Rose M. Badgeley Residuary Charitable Trust, The Hearst Foundation, Epstein Teicher Philanthropies, The Michael Tuch Foundation, The Nissan Foundation, National Grid Foundation, The Pine Tree Foundation, Con Edison, and Festa Family.
Upcoming Events
CBH Talk | Progress and Preservation: Atlantic Avenue End-to-End
This program is offered in partnership with the Municipal Art Society (MAS), as part of its Enduring Culture Initiative
Atlantic Avenue is one of the most critical corridors in our city. The sole east-west truck route through Brooklyn, it also bifurcates…
Brooklyn Is... Exhibition Tour
Come for a free curator-guided tour of the exhibition Brooklyn Is...!
Visitors will get an interactive look at the photographs, maps, and community reflections that make up the heart of this exhibition, as well as a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the process of putting together…
New York City History Day Virtual Drop-in Office Hour
Virtual drop-in to talk to the New York City History Day Coordinator about your History Day project. Get one-on-one help with registration, brainstorming, research, and more! Open to all students and teachers. Zoom link will be sent on the day of the office hour to those who've registered.
Just Conversations | Reparations in New York City: A Path Toward Justice and Equity
Pictured: Slave Bill of Sale "for a Negro Wench Pegg" from George Van Brunt to Andrew Cropsey, 1797
In September 2024, four New York City elected officials introduced a series of groundbreaking bills aimed at advancing reparations for Black New Yorkers seeking to…
A Symposium: The Value of Debate
In these troubling times of people shouting down one another and turning a closed mind to one another's beliefs, it is important to discover the value of debate in a democracy.
Join us…
Brooklyn Is... Exhibition Tour
Come for a free curator-guided tour of the exhibition Brooklyn Is...!
Visitors will get an interactive look at the photographs, maps, and community reflections that make up the heart of this exhibition, as well as a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the process of putting together…
CBH’s Brooklyn Trivia Showdown
Think you know Brooklyn history? Well, it’s time to put that to the test at CBH’s Brooklyn Trivia Showdown! From the rise of the Brooklyn Bridge to the rise of Brooklyn pizza, we’ve got the iconic moments, quirky facts, and bizarre tidbits that make this borough the cultural…
Brooklyn Is... Exhibition Tour
Come for a free curator-guided tour of the exhibition Brooklyn Is...!
Visitors will get an interactive look at the photographs, maps, and community reflections that make up the heart of this exhibition, as well as a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the process of putting together…
New York City History Day Virtual Drop-in Office Hour
Virtual drop-in to talk to the New York City History Day Coordinator about your History Day project. Get one-on-one help with registration, brainstorming, research, and more! Open to all students and teachers. Zoom link will be sent on the day of the office hour to those who've registered.
CBH Talk | Joining the Clubs: Inside the Ethnic Power Centers of 1960s Brooklyn Politics
In 1960s and 70s Brooklyn, the borough's political clubs were the temples of political power. Decisions made in those halls reshaped the borough’s political structures in ways that cleaved along racial and ethnic lines, specifically Irish, Jewish, and Black. Perceived threats became…
Education News from the Center for Brooklyn History
Sign up to receive our monthly Open Book Educator Alert email newsletter! We share events and resources from CBH and from cultural institutions across New York City.
Drop us a line!
You can contact us at cbheducation@bklynlibrary.org.
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