New K-12 Workshop: The Emancipation Proclamation with Harold Holzer

Over the next several months we are very excited to offer a new series of workshops for K-12 teachers. First up is “The Emancipation Proclamation” on Saturday, April 20 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., led by prominent Lincoln historian Harold Holzer.

"Reading the Emancipation Proclamation" by H.W. Herrick, 1864.

During this one-day workshop we will examine carefully the text of the proclamation, examine the political and social culture from which it sprung, and the impacts it had both in its own day and through American history. We will also be tying our study of the proclamation to recent popular culture by examining how the proclamation and the broader issues of slavery and race relations in nineteenth-century America can be taught through the award-winning Steven Spielberg film Lincoln.

The day will begin with a lecture/discussion with Dr. Holzer, who served as a consultant for the film Lincoln and wrote the official young adult companion book for the film, Lincoln: How Abraham Lincoln Ended Slavery in America, which will act as a guide for the day. This lecture/discussion will be followed by a series of interactive workshops in which participants will be able to examine first-hand a variety of historic texts and images from AAS’s collections. Investigating a variety of these primary sources relating to slavery, race relations, and the Civil War, and discussing how to use them effectively in the classroom, will be a major component of the day.

"Proclamation of Emancipation, Abraham Lincoln." by Augustus Hageboeck, 1865.

As evidenced by his role as a consultant on the film, Holzer is one of the country’s leading authorities on Abraham Lincoln and the political culture of the Civil War era. He serves as chairman of The Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation and is a prolific writer, having authored, co-authored, and edited 43 books. In addition to the official young adult companion to the film his latest book is Emancipating Lincoln: The Emancipation Proclamation in Text, Context, and Memory. (For more information about Holzer visit his website.)

As a nice complement to the workshop, Holzer will also kick off our spring public program series the previous night, April 19, with “Emancipating Lincoln: How the Great Emancipator Led, and Misled, America to Freedom.”

The cost for the day-long workshop is $60 per person (Worcester Public School educators can attend at no charge due to grant funding), which includes morning refreshments, lunch, and educational materials for use in the classroom. Professional development points for attending the session will also be available. For more information or to register visit: http://www.americanantiquarian.org/k12workshop

And keep your eyes open for more information on upcoming K-12 workshops!

Published by

Kayla Haveles

Outreach Coordinator, American Antiquarian Society

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