The importance of storytelling in African American quilt heritage is critical to understanding the context in which these objects were and are created and the meaning this art has for the maker, their communities, and wider audiences. Quilts made by African American artists have been overlooked and misinterpreted by those who do not have access to…

In this piece, we share a story about the power of historical investigation as a means of developing critical literacy in young children. Drawing on the work of VanSledright (Social Educ 68:230, 2004), we outline four aspects of historical thinking as they relate to the development of critically minded citizens. We then turn to a discussion of a…

The folk songs and ballads of early America describe life as experienced by the common people. They were sung within the family, by neighbors and at gatherings of larger communities. The stories told were carried in the memories of those who heard them. Once a strictly aural and oral tradition, the words came to be written down, and the surviving…

The third volume of a newsletter for integrating folk music appreciation into elementary and secondary social studies, literature, and humanities courses, this publication contains three issues of the newsletter which together provide a compilation of folksongs from various historical periods and cultures. The first issue contains an article on…

Discusses the Salem witchcraft trials as a reflection of the social and moral values of colonial Massachusetts and New France. Traces the history of the trials. Describes other instances of witchcraft and folk superstitions during that same historical period. Provides primary sources of a picture, map, and excerpts from letters pertaining to the…

This booklet has two main purposes: (1) to promote understanding of maritime cultural heritage; and (2) to provide an introduction to the methods for identifying and documenting common maritime traditions. The guide is intended for non-professional researchers and community groups who wish to explore their own maritime cultural heritage. It also…

Contrasts the working life of the U.S. cowboy with the whitewashed myth promulgated throughout the media. Discovers some parallels between the nomadic loner embodying an individual code of honor and the Hollywood representation. Discusses the genesis of "the singing cowboy" and includes examples of the actual early ballads. (MJP)

Explores the family farm as an economic institution and cultural symbol in U.S. history. Explains how farms worked as economic units. Contrasts the idyllic family farm against realities of business failures and family problems. Examines the family farm's role in shaping the U.S. character and asks what its essential demise will mean. (CH)

A packet of teaching activities helps elementary and secondary teachers commemorate the sesquicentennial of Texas' independence. Activities include listening to stories about the mockingbird, bluebonnet, and pecan tree, drawing interpretations of these stories, and using a graphics tablet, light pen, or graphics software to illustrate a Texas folk…

The eighth volume of "Folksong in the Classroom" covers three periods in U.S. history where folk music was a cornerstone in the lives of people. The first issue of the volume contains a brief history of the Jewish experiences and hardships and how individuals stood by each other in maintaining a rich, musical, Yiddish folksong heritage.…

This issue of "The Goldfinch" focuses on Iowa history. The booklet is divided into two sections. Section 1, "Features," contains the following: (1) "Looking for History"; (2) "Talking History"; (3) "Climbing the Family Tree"; (4) "Tribal Storytelling"; (5) "News About You"; (6)…

Prepared as a guide to participants in a pilot Oral History Project designed to encourage the collection and preservation of personal reminiscences and histories of communities, families, and individuals as well as to gather knowledge of surviving customs, examples of folk art, folklore, and linguistic characteristics of German or other ethnic…

This digest addresses the uses of oral history projects in the secondary U.S. history classroom. The document advocates that oral history is a stimulating classroom process designed to increase student involvement in a United States history class and improve student understanding of a relatively recent historical period. Oral history also involves…

In the latter half of the nineteenth century five Chicano "bandidos" became prominant in Southwestern history. These "social bandits" were viewed by the dominant Anglo culture as outlaws and criminals; their people saw them as heroes and fighters for justice. Anglos had invaded Northern Mexico, disrupted the existing society,…

More than 6,600 separate tracts of land, purchased by the citizens of Tennessee and North Carolina and given to the people of the United States in 1934, comprise the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The history of the Great Smokies is, therefore, a story of people and their home. This volume presents historical vignettes of the groups who…