Using Material Culture to Teach Inclusive U.S. History; Empower Students to be Keepers of their own History Through Artifacts

“Archives are the factories and laboratories of the historian. . . they are the warehouses from which we acquire the materials to build the history we write.” But what of the histories not captured in traditional archives? Historian Tiya Miles calls this the “conundrum of the archives–the way that written records have favored those with the means to document their lives. Such archives have skewed toward power, meaning white and male, and have largely excluded women, African Americans and Indigenous people."

Using material culture in the U.S. History classroom is one way for teachers to combat the “conundrum of the archives” and to empower students to see themselves as the makers and archivists of history. Material culture refers to the physical aspects of a society, the objects made or modified by a human. In the history classroom, such objects help students to better understand the history of a person, group, time period, or event. Think family heirlooms for example - perhaps forgotten oddities in your attic or objects always on display in your family’s homes. They can expand a student’s understanding and appreciation of diverse perspectives in U.S. History.

Join us for a discussion and specific examples of how material culture can inspire students to be creators and keepers of their own history. Activities and resources on PBS LearningMedia will be shared that can support teaching U.S. History more inclusively.

Presenters are the GBH Education social studies team and Dr. Tiya Miles, author of "All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley’s Sack, a Black Family Keepsake," winner of the 2021 National Book Award for non-fiction. In "All That She Carried," Dr. Miles traces the life of a single object handed down through three generations of Black women to craft an extraordinary testament to people who are left out of the archives.

Register early for a chance to win one of ten copies of "All That She Carried." Deadline is Sun., 10/2, 11:59PM.