23 10 232 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/a1783dd5ebe64fe3de9e6ed3669f0d4c.jpg dd8b1617d544f2e520a60db5f7e83082 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/0e2ea7987c10e0572964852028702470.pdf 3b011ae3a157e4c71a4db59ef42af335 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Colonization and Settlement Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1607-1763 Description An account of the resource The colonial era in American history is essential in setting the framework for all the eras to follow. Nearly two centuries of colonization on the continent and in the Caribbean provide three distinct groups to study: Europeans, indigenous peoples, and Africans brought to the colonies as enslaved persons. The varying reasons for departure from Europe set the stage for how different colonies came into being and interacted with each other. Violent conflicts, importation of disease, and dispossession of native lands were all results of Europeans’ interactions with the indigenous populations. The importation of enslaved people also led to an economic structure in some colonies that became, in their minds, reliant on the continued existence of slave labor. Government structure and political life had distinct characteristics in New England, the Mid-Atlantic, and the South as they groped their way toward mature political institutions. Economics were affected by geographic location and the local natural resources, adding to regional differences, and sometimes, divisions. Religion and politics were often influenced by the European nation who colonized the area – French, Spanish, Dutch, or English. Religion was a defining characteristic of some colonies, as opposed to the economic reasons for which others were established. Ideas of religious freedom, denominationalism, and the Great Awakening all impacted daily life. Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a>. Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context Located in the Accomack County court records from 1758 is this advertisement for a fugitive enslaved person named Will. Prominent Richmond County planter Landon Carter placed the ad. Carter enslaved hundreds of adults and children on his plantation. The advertisement is typical of ads in the period, which were used to locate fugitive enslaved people, or “runaway slaves.” Often described as "runaway ads," these documents generally include four elements: a description of the person who ran away, any relevant information that might hasten the runaway’s capture, the reward offered, and the name of the person who placed the advertisement ("the subscriber"). This advertisement was written to provide as much information as possible about Will in order to facilitate his recapture, including a physical description, personality traits, his known family and friends, his residence(s), and conjecture about his possible destination. The advertisements would be published in a variety of local, state, and even national publications to ensure the widest audience possible. Citation: Runaway Slave Advertisement, Landon Carter, Richmond County, 1758. Accomack County, Free Negro & Slave Records Box 1, Barcode 1138011. <a href="https://lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/collectionDiscovery?vid=01LVA_INST:01LVA&collectionId=81120268970005756&lang=en">Find more "Runaway Slave Records"</a> in the Library's Digital Collections Discovery. <a href="https://freedomonthemove.org/" target="_blank" title="this external link opens in a new tab" rel="noreferrer noopener">View advertisements from Virginia</a> in Freedom on the Move. <a href="https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/runaway-slaves-and-servants-in-colonial-virginia/" target="_blank" title="this external link opens in a new tab" rel="noreferrer noopener">Learn more in the Runaway Enslaved People and Indentured Servants in Colonial Virginia entry</a> online at Encyclopedia Virginia. Suggested Questions Preview Activity Scan It. Scan the document. What kind of information can you learn about Will from this advertisement? Post Activities Think About It: Why would someone place a runaway ad? Another Perspective: What would you do if you saw the runaway ad and thought you knew where Will was located? Consider potential ramifications for your action or inaction. Map It: Looking at a modern map of Virginia, find the locations mentioned in the ad. How far apart are they? How might Will have traveled from one place to the next? Standards 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, VS.4, USI.5, VUS.3 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Advertisement Seeking a Fugitive From Slavery, 1758 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1758 African American History https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/c24273793ef2af76d929111e674e2893.jpg fc1e19ca4b6651f822ebc06efd17aef1 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/6e912ccf814427b7d7ec9dda36bedcb1.pdf 2f7f0e34c3d2711421b962477cdba071 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource Beyond the toll it took on the nation, the Great Depression helped to shape modern-day America, especially in expanding the role of government in citizens' everyday lives. The circumstances of the Depression spurred President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal initiatives that included the Works Progress Administration, Civilian Conservation Corps, Farm Security Administration, and the Social Security Administration to assist the unemployed, farmers, and the elderly. World War II helped not only to bring the nation out of the Depression, but also put the United States on the world stage as a superpower. Unlike previous administrations, both Roosevelt and President Harry S. Truman placed the United States on a path to leadership in worldwide conflicts and reform movements. The war changed the role of women as they entered the workforce while American men went to war. Events such as the bombing at Pearl Harbor, liberation of concentration camps, the use of atomic bombs, and the rise of the Soviet Union as a superpower shaped future American foreign policy. Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a> Title A name given to the resource The Great Depression and World War II Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1929 - 1945 Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context During World War II booklets were published to assist homemakers provide for their families and meet the requirements of the wartime ration system created after the U.S. entered the war in December 1941. President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Executive Order 8875 established the Office of Price Administration (OPA) on August 28, 1942. The OPA regulated the prices of most goods and limited the amount available for purchase across the country. Goods such as gasoline, tires, coal, sugar, coffee, meat, dairy, silk, and shoes were rationed as they were needed for the war effort. Moreover, because trade was disrupted by the war, some items became scarce. The government allotted “points” to each person, including infants, in the form of stamps that had to be given to the store employee when purchasing rationed items. By the end of 1945, sugar was the only remaining product still rationed. The wartime rationing program ended in June 1947 as products became more readily available. Many companies, like the Kelvinator Appliance Company, printed materials to help homemakers make the most of what was available within the wartime ration point system. As this image depicts, meat was in short supply, and rabbit could be used as a substitute in a variety of recipes. Other suggestions in these publications might offer tips on stretching sugar rations, including substituting corn syrup or honey, and how to make one-crust pies rather than two-crust pies. Publications like those put out by Kelvinator would have been available in Virginia and homemakers across the state could have used them to find solutions to provide for their families. Citation: A suggested means of saving ration points—using rabbit for the meat dish. From a “Helps for Homemakers” booklet produced by Kelvinator ca. 1943–1945. Jessee Family Papers, Accession 50402, Library of Virginia. Suggested Questions Preview Activity Take a Look: Look at the image. What stands out to you? What do you think the image represents? Post Activities Current Connections: During the coronavirus pandemic many household items such as cleaning products and toilet paper were in short supply. What are some ways people saved resources while providing necessary items for themselves or their families? Up for Debate: How do you think women of today's generation would feel about a booklet such as this one? Would it be considered helpful? Insulting? Prepare an opening argument in which you state your position and be prepared to share it with the class or in small groups. Art Exploration: Design a similar handbook page that might be used today if a rationing system were to become needed. Select a food product to be used as the basis for your design. Standards Social Studies: VS.10, USII.6, VUS.14 Art: 4.1, 5.1 Content Warning Accounts for problematic historic language and images. Materials in the Library of Virginia’s collections contain historical terms, phrases, and images that are offensive to modern readers. These include demeaning and dehumanizing references to race, ethnicity, and nationality; enslaved or free status; physical and mental ability; and gender and sexual orientation. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Helps For Homemakers Booklet, ca. 1943–1945 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1943 Economics Popular Culture Women's History https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/564d6172de944183ecee416396ab70d2.jpg aa27a397540f1521acfe8c18e4ddfe49 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/b11587bfaca47b30489c0715b409b543.pdf ebeb054f059106bff680ca1163b0d585 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource Beyond the toll it took on the nation, the Great Depression helped to shape modern-day America, especially in expanding the role of government in citizens' everyday lives. The circumstances of the Depression spurred President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal initiatives that included the Works Progress Administration, Civilian Conservation Corps, Farm Security Administration, and the Social Security Administration to assist the unemployed, farmers, and the elderly. World War II helped not only to bring the nation out of the Depression, but also put the United States on the world stage as a superpower. Unlike previous administrations, both Roosevelt and President Harry S. Truman placed the United States on a path to leadership in worldwide conflicts and reform movements. The war changed the role of women as they entered the workforce while American men went to war. Events such as the bombing at Pearl Harbor, liberation of concentration camps, the use of atomic bombs, and the rise of the Soviet Union as a superpower shaped future American foreign policy. Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a> Title A name given to the resource The Great Depression and World War II Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1929 - 1945 Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context During World War II, the United States Army established a unit that enabled women to fill non-combat roles. Prior to the creation of this unit women mostly served as nurses supporting combat troops. In May 1941, Rep. Edith Nourse Rogers of Massachusetts introduced a bill to establish a women's corps of the U.S. Army. The bill gained support after the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, becoming law on May 15, 1942. The law established the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC), which provided official status and salary, but few of the benefits afforded to male soldiers. In July 1943, after thousands of women had enlisted, the Army changed the name to the Women's Army Corps (WAC) and granted members full military benefits. Despite initial public resistance, the WAC succeeded in taking over clerical, radio, electrical, and air-traffic control positions. More than 150,000 American women served in the Women's Army Corps during World War II. In 1980, 16,000 women who had joined as WACs were granted veteran's benefits. Second Lieutenant Alice C. Thompson was one such woman who served in the WAC unit. She is shown in the image with her Women's Army Corps Honor Platoon. The platoon received Good Conduct Ribbons during WAC Day on February 19, 1944 in Newport News. The ribbons were awarded to enlisted personnel who had completed at least one year of exemplary behavior while serving in the United States Army. Citation: United States Army Signal Corps. 2d Lt. Alice C. Thompson, L-201903. Newport News, Va.: U.S. Army Signal Corps, Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation, 1944. Prints & Photographs, Special Collections, Library of Virginia. Standards Social Studies: K.4, 2.2, 3.9, VS.10, USII.6, VUS.14 English: 4.7, 5.7 Suggested Questions Preview Activity Scan It: Look at the photo of the WAC soldiers and examine their uniforms, posture, and facial expressions. What does this image reveal about the women and their roles during World War II? Post Activities Up for Debate: The WAC is not always mentioned in textbook accounts of America during World War II. Do you think that textbook publishers should make a more concerted effort to portray women in the military? Write a short opening statement in which you express your views. Be prepared to share with the class or in small groups. Form an Opinion: Write a letter home to your parents or a friend as if you were a member of the original WAAC who was not receiving the full benefits granted to your male counterparts. In your letter include why you are entitled to equal benefits, what you would like to be seen done to remedy the situation, and how your family might support your efforts to get benefits. Social Media Spin: Create a post, tweet, or short video in which you show support for the women serving in the WAC. Be sure to include relevant information about their contributions to the war effort. Content Warning Accounts for problematic historic language and images. Materials in the Library of Virginia’s collections contain historical terms, phrases, and images that are offensive to modern readers. These include demeaning and dehumanizing references to race, ethnicity, and nationality; enslaved or free status; physical and mental ability; and gender and sexual orientation. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2d Lt. Alice C. Thompson, L-201903, Photograph, 1944 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1944 Military History Women's History https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/f4cc9b5724a626ba172b1bda7d391f50.jpg 5352ea3496a8ac62b80802769d5b14e1 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/a6f5db850249c72790d425246a6ddb8b.pdf 384b63cc2ddf24b497f08140deee2869 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/8c94f93ab4c695d4ea85b4c95a954f0a.pdf ea02145d6e97e5ea95aa40d3bb89d97b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Colonization and Settlement Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1607-1763 Description An account of the resource The colonial era in American history is essential in setting the framework for all the eras to follow. Nearly two centuries of colonization on the continent and in the Caribbean provide three distinct groups to study: Europeans, indigenous peoples, and Africans brought to the colonies as enslaved persons. The varying reasons for departure from Europe set the stage for how different colonies came into being and interacted with each other. Violent conflicts, importation of disease, and dispossession of native lands were all results of Europeans’ interactions with the indigenous populations. The importation of enslaved people also led to an economic structure in some colonies that became, in their minds, reliant on the continued existence of slave labor. Government structure and political life had distinct characteristics in New England, the Mid-Atlantic, and the South as they groped their way toward mature political institutions. Economics were affected by geographic location and the local natural resources, adding to regional differences, and sometimes, divisions. Religion and politics were often influenced by the European nation who colonized the area – French, Spanish, Dutch, or English. Religion was a defining characteristic of some colonies, as opposed to the economic reasons for which others were established. Ideas of religious freedom, denominationalism, and the Great Awakening all impacted daily life. Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a>. Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context Indigenous Virginians and the English colonists conceived landownership in different ways. Tribal members did not "own" land individually, but lived in small communities and hunted, planted, and gathered food or other materials in the larger surrounding area. The English colonists patented their land and claimed exclusive right to that property. Treaties signed between Virginia tribes and the colonial government during the 17th century granted land to the tribes but did not contain patents or legal rights to ownership of the land. In 1723, Meherrin tribal members petitioned the royal governor, Hugh Drysdale (d. 1726). They informed the governor that Englishmen were taking their land and threatened "to take our corn" that they had grown. Describing themselves as obedient subjects, they asked for the governor's help by putting a stop to such harassment and theft. The Meherrin, an Iroquois people, lived on the banks of the Meherrin River in southeastern Virginia, near present-day Emporia. At the end of the 17th century they had complained to the governor that colonists were encroaching on their land and sought to obtain ownership of it. In 1705, the Virginia Assembly assigned the boundaries of a reservation for the Meherrin and ordered that offenses committed by the English within the reservation to be handled by the county court. The reservation was in an area of dispute between Virginia and North Carolina, and after the border was finalized the Meherrin became tributaries of North Carolina in 1729. The Meherrin received formal tribal recognition from the North Carolina government in 1986. Citation: Virginia (Colony), Colonial Papers, Petition of the Meherrin Indians, Sept. 9, 1723. Accession 36138. State Government Records Collection, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia. Standards VS.2, VS.3, USI.2, USI.3, VUS.4 Suggested Questions Preview Activity Scan It: Scan the transcription of the document. What word or phrases stand out to you? What do those word or phrases tell you about the people involved in writing the petition? Post Activities Analyze: We know today that the colonists seized the lands that Indigenous Virginians were living on with very little compensation given to them. Why do you think the colonists felt justified in doing this? Think about the social, religious, and economic issues of the time. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Petition of the Meherrin to the Governor, 1723 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1723 American Indian History Government and Civics https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/b607e493271f2204172ada150692792b.jpg f3a030137025638e87236a248f214806 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/3e36030ed5ca3ec7a957d98161dae48a.pdf 8b71c8749ca5e7c888e8e5f50827603d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Development of the Industrial United States Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1870-1900 Description An account of the resource From Reconstruction to the end of the 19th century, the United States went through a dramatic shift in its economic landscape. Industrialization changed not only the nature of business, but also brought technological advances and demand for an ever-increasing workforce. A rapid expansion of the power of big business was countered with the rise of labor movements, and often resulted in conflict, sometimes violent in nature. In contrast to the positive outcomes of technological developments, there were ecological effects not understood at the time, and unhealthy working conditions that often sparked labor disputes and strikes. This shift was felt not only in the industrial big cities of the North and Midwest, but also in the realm of farming, where the United States was now put into the role of the world’s premier food producer. This era is defined largely by migration of African Americans from the South to the Midwest and North; immigration to the U.S. from other countries; and growing urbanization, all of which fed the industrial system. The rapid influx of Black southerners heightened racial tensions as they fought for equality and opportunity. Immigrants, for the first time, were less likely to come from Western Europe, but rather from Southern and Eastern Europe, Asia, Mexico, and Central America. Along with the need for expanding educational systems, which were often structured to push assimilation, the rise in immigration also led to religious tensions as Protestantism was no longer the dominating faith of those immigrating to the United States. Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a>. Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context Tobacco production has dominated Virginia commerce for more than four centuries. From the colonial period, producers created brands that made their products distinguishable from others. Early tobacco art usually took the form of the planters' brand that makers used to distinguish their crop. Most planters used a form of their initials to mark their wares, and these became advertising marks as early as 1625. Eventually, the labels displayed designs that were more artistic, including pictures of indigenous people and other figures to portray the romantic origins of tobacco. By 1890, there were more than 100 tobacco factories in Richmond alone, which created fierce competition. Advances in the production of lithographs made the use of brightly colored images in advertising more commonplace. Tobacco companies took advantage of this means of reaching out to a wide range of consumers. Advertising became paramount to the success of tobacco companies who began to create new and different ways to advertise their products. Trade cards, calendars, fans, matchbooks, and trays became popular throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This image is a facsimile of the diploma (what today would be termed an award) given to Wm Cameron & Bro. for the best exhibit of dark manufactured tobacco at the Virginia Agricultural, Mechanical and Tobacco Exposition held in 1888. The award was published by the company in 1889. The tobacco factories of the Cameron brothers were among the most successful in Virginia, with agents selling their tobacco worldwide, including in Australia, China, India, South Africa, Europe, and North America. By the 1890s the Cameron factories in Richmond and Petersburg employed hundreds of workers and could produce as much as four million pounds of tobacco each year. Citation: Virginia State Agricultural and Mechanical Society. This is our Latest and Greatest Triumph: from the World's Greatest Tobacco Exposition. 1889, Broadside 1889 .T44 BOX, Special Collections, Library of Virginia. For information about the Cameron brothers see their Dictionary of Virginia Biography entries: <a href="http://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/dvb/bio.asp?b=Cameron_Alexander">Alexander Cameron</a> <a href="http://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/dvb/bio.asp?b=Cameron_William">William Cameron</a> Standards Social Studies: 2.13, VS.9, USII.3, USII.5, VUS.10, CE.12 Art: 4.3,5.3 English 11.2 Suggested Questions Preview Activity Scan It: Scan the document. What might have been the purpose of the document? Post Activities Analyze: What can you learn from this award? How effective do you think it was as a form of advertising? Current Connections: Compare and contrast current tobacco advertising with advertising from the late-19th and early-20th centuries. How has advertising for tobacco products changed? Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Diploma from Tobacco Exposition, 1888 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1888 Economics Popular Culture https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/8cf1b8b11aee0ece8466b1903b85c710.jpg ff2341b49cdb922cc1b8f7454d4429a8 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/7f3aa6060b3a5484565963b6f42401d6.jpg cbab03ded321b364d1ca8d6235663705 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/d9af20b84b42e73c56e149866a588905.pdf 635bdbe22b3726d9b21dd74d475cb38a https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/3e7d04df074e44e773a7ecc24a85b809.mp3 09649194aa639635dc31ceca2ff3d98f https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/7374ac0d8d0af5ef376429e0180941b5.pdf 61c52f6835d7eb3e70f2ce1ccebb2bfc https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/0405d3ada6649bf46a002e7f234393ef.pdf 1313332faaae090e8599656104af7c7e https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/78482f7f2dd0c9b830e201d1213eb5d2.pdf 33185c15902d97f583a6c8425f381425 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/5cd356b6688ec4bb29e6d364fd89ac89.pdf fb2fdf438e48c9d5b4252f6ef811f830 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Postwar United States Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1945 - 1970s Description An account of the resource The era following World War II brought about vast changes, not only in foreign policy, but in economics and a changing civic landscape. The liberalism of the New Deal era grew into movements towards increasing civil liberties and economic opportunities, particularly for underrepresented communities and women. Protests became more common as groups demanded equal rights and voting equality. These movements were juxtaposed with Jim Crow laws and the reemergence of the Ku Klux Klan. The Cold War pitted the United States and its allies in NATO against the Soviet Union and other communist nations, particularly China, Korea, and Vietnam. During this period campaigns were fought not only on the battleground, but in the political arena and social consciousness as well. The fall of the Nazi regime opened the door to the Iron Curtain and Soviet dominance of Eastern Europe. Through the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan the U.S. sought to halt the spread of communism further west. The defeat of Japan enabled previously occupied counties the chance to choose new leaders, many of whom sided with communism over capitalism. The United States would spend much of this period adhering to the “Domino Theory” foreign policy to contain the spread of communism. Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a> Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context Danville does not commonly appear in the general narrative of civil rights protests and police brutality, but the city was the site of the most aggressive reaction to a peaceful civil rights protest in Virginia. In the 1960s, Danville was a small city of fewer than 50,000 people, about a quarter of whom were African American. As with the rest of the South, Danville was completely segregated, including the city's public schools where segregation had been declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1954. Black citizens had no voice in the local government and had few employment opportunities other than menial positions in the tobacco and textile industries. After an unsuccessful sit-in to desegregate the Danville public library in 1960, a group of Black Danville residents formed the Danville Christian Progressive Association (DCPA), which affiliated with the <a href="https://socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/eras/southern-christian-leadership-conference-sclc/" target="_blank" title="external link opens in a new tab" rel="noreferrer noopener">Southern Christian Leadership Conference</a> (SCLC), a national civil rights organization whose leadership included Martin Luther King, Jr. On May 31, 1963, the DCPA began a series of daily marches to protest the absence of Black voices in the municipal government and the refusal of local businesses to hire Black workers. Demonstrators, many of whom were students, marched into City Hall on June 5 and occupied the city manager's office. Several leaders of the protests were arrested and indicted under a pre-Civil War law (sometimes described as John Brown's law) prohibiting anyone from inciting African Americans to violence against whites. Hundreds of Black citizens held a peaceful prayer vigil on the evening of June 10 at the jail to protest the arrest and detention of demonstrators. There, police and city employees who had been deputized by the police chief attacked the participants with fire hoses and clubs. In the aftermath, almost 50 Black demonstrators, including women and children, were injured, some severely, and dozens of demonstrators were arrested. The violent reaction to the vigil was publicized on television and gained the attention of the SCLC. Martin Luther King, Jr. traveled to Danville three times, and in one speech he denounced the police as "brutal" and "vicious" and among the most violent in the South. At the March on Washington in August 1963, John Lewis, leader of the <a href="https://snccdigital.org/events/protests-danville-virginia/" title="external link opens in a new tab" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee</a> (SNCC) described Danville as a “police state” and called on Congress to pass a law to protect Black citizens there and across the South. SNCC activists from around the South came to Danville to support the civil rights movement there. Demonstrations continued during the summer of 1963, and Danville police arrested more than 300 civil rights activists. Many Black home and business owners supported these activists by using their property as collateral to bail them out of jail as they awaited their trials. It would take the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to create fundamental change in Danville, although SCLC leaders managed to negotiate with the city to hire its first Black police officer. The judge of the Danville court continued to try cases from the 1963 arrests for years and often handed down harsh sentences. The last of the defendants in the civil rights cases were not exonerated until 1973, when a federal lawyer suspended the last six demonstrators’ sentences. While they were not jailed, many had to pay hefty fines. Accompanying this photograph of police making arrests in June 1963 are court records related to the experience of Paul Price, who stated in his 1966 trial that he was a bystander watching the demonstration of June 13, 1963, but who was beaten and arrested. In the audio file (3 minutes) of his court testimony he is responding to questions from civil rights attorney <a href="https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/charity-ruth-lacountess-harvey-wood-1924-1996/" target="_blank" title="this link opens in a new tab" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ruth L. Harvey</a>, who represented many of the men and women who had been arrested. The case file is his bail bond after his arrest in 1963. The court transcript is an excerpt from testimony of Danville's police chief during the September 19, 1963, trial of defendants arrested at the demonstration on June 5, 1963. Along with the legal documents is a front page article about the June 10 prayer vigil published in the Danville Register, a white newspaper. Citations: Series VI, Evidence-Photographs; Paul Price testimony in Sylvester Burrell et. als., Dec. 15-16, 1966, Dictabelt 9; Paul Price Case File (Bail Bond); and Eugene G. McCain transcript of testimony (excerpt), Sept. 19, 1963, Series XI: Transcripts, all in Danville (Virginia) Corporation Court, 1963 Civil Rights Case Files, 1963–1973, Accession 38099, Local Government Records Collection, Library of Virginia. Danville Register, June 11, 1963. <a href="https://uncommonwealth.lva.virginia.gov/blog/2024/05/29/danville/">Learn more about the history of racial violence in Danville and the 1963 demonstrations in The UncommonWealth blog.</a> <a href="https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/danville-civil-rights-demonstrations-of-1963/" target="_blank" title="external link opens in a new window" rel="noreferrer noopener">Read the online entry on the Danville Civil Rights Demonstrations of 1963 at Encyclopedia Virginia.</a> <a href="https://lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/collectionDiscovery?vid=01LVA_INST:01LVA&collectionId=81158300010005756&lang=en">Find more records in the Danville Civil Rights Case Files, 1963-1973, in the Library of Virginia's Digital Collections Discovery.</a> Suggested Questions Story Map (15 minutes) VS, USII, CE, VUS, GOVT Create a chart to map out the story here. Who are the protagonists? Who are the antagonists? Where do you place Paul Price in this chart? Identify the problem, the actions taken by the participants towards a solution, and the challenges they faced. What was the ultimate solution/ending? Do you think this was the end of the story? Why or why not? Philosophical Chairs (20 minutes) VUS, GOVT The Prompt Nonviolent protest is not an effective way to promote social change. The Setup Students physically move to opposite sides of the room (or designated areas) representing "agree" and "disagree". The Debate Students take turns making their arguments, using evidence from the documents to illustrate their points. Shifting Positions Students can choose to change their positions and move across the room when they change their minds. Reflections At the end of the discussion, have students reflect on their initial positions, the arguments that influenced them, and the overall learning experience. What are the lessons learned from the Danville action and the larger civil rights movement? Decision Making—Summative Assignment (20 minutes) CE, VUS What do you think of the actions taken by the Black community here? Who decided to get involved? Why do you think some people chose to get involved and others did not? What other actions could Black Danville citizens have tried in order to achieve integration? Think about efforts you have learned about from other communities, and consider how successful those were, and why. Exit Ticket (10 minutes) VS, USII, CE, VUS, GOVT List three things that you learned, two things you found interesting, and one question that you still have. Standards VS.11, USII.8, CE.6, CE.7, CE.9, VUS.16, VUS.17, GOVT.10, GOVT.11 Goals and Guiding Principles: Through this lesson, students will investigate the choices made by Danville residents who sought to address racial discrimination in their community and faced a violent response. Students will understand how activists peacefully worked for change to serve the public good. Students will understand how these events were part of the larger American civil rights movement that laid the groundwork for Black Americans’ expanded participation in political life. Students will explore how citizens can exert influence on local government to ensure that civil rights are protected by law. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Lesson Plan — Civil Rights Protests, Danville, 1963 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1963 African American History Government and Civics Reform Movements https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/505a6ee77d37680e47bf77d97dc21bcb.jpg d89bfdcb91e1676b1d6239e63ff2e2d2 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/bcc1aa53236d977b552e4a452df11497.pdf c3e51413f931a5641cd4ec695421c7bc Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Contemporary United States Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1968 - Present Description An account of the resource This era is, in large part, a study of the United States as a global power – politically, economically, and militarily. The detente with communist China under President Richard Nixon began a shift from the “Domino Theory” of foreight policy in Asia. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War changed how the United States interacted with Europe. At the same time, interventions increased in our own hemisphere and in the Middle East. Terrorism also became a driving force behind foreign policy. Socially, this time period saw for the first time immigration primarily from Asia and Central America. A new wave of reform movements promoted environmental, feminist, and civil rights agendas. There was also a resurgence of religious evangelicalism. Technological advances once again redefined not only the economic landscape of America, but also the lives of everyday citizens. Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="https://phi.history.ucla.edu/nchs/united-states-history-content-standards/united-states-era-10/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a>. Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context Arthur Robert Ashe was one of the greatest tennis players in American history and a noted human rights activist. He was the first and to date is the only Black man to win the singles title in three Grand Slam tennis events--the U.S. Open (1968), the Australian Open (1970), and Wimbledon (1975), He also won the doubles title in the French Open (1971) and Australian Open (1977). Ashe was also the first Black male player on the U.S. Davis Cup team, and served as its captain. This photograph was taken at the 1970 Fidelity Bankers Invitational Tennis Tournament in Richmond at the height of Ashe’s tennis career. Virginia Governor Linwood Holton holds the trophy that was presented to Ashe after his victory. Born in Richmond, Arthur Ashe (1943–1993) grew up in a segregated community. The city's tennis courts were segregated, so he was barred from entry. Ashe found coaches in Richmond and Lynchburg who assisted in his development as a player. Although Ashe found was not allowed to compete in many elite tennis competitions that were open to whites only, his talent did not go unrecognized. After graduating as valedictorian of his high school class, Ashe received a scholarship to play tennis at the University of California at Los Angeles, where he excelled in academics and athletics. Ashe helped his team win a national championship in 1965. After receiving a business degree from UCLA, Ashe served a two-year term of service in the U.S Army while still competing in professional tennis competitions. As a well-known civil rights activist, Ashe was clear about his opposition to the apartheid system in South Africa, This system oppressed Black South Africans with laws that created the same kinds of segregation Ashe faced as a Black youth in the South. After his application for a visa to compete in a tournament there was rejected in 1970, he led a campaign to ban white-only teams representing South Africa from international competition. He later started a foundation to train African tennis players and continued to use his prominent role in tennis as a means to make social change. Heart problems forced Ashe to retire from tennis in 1980 with an overall record (Open era) of 33 titles. In retirement, Ashe focused on humanitarian work. He a sponsored an extensive research project resulting in a three-volume history, A Hard Road to Glory: A History of the African-American Athlete. Ashe's ongoing heart problems, however, necessitated multiple surgeries, including a blood transfusion, which resulted in Ashe contracting the HIV virus that causes AIDS. At the time, AIDS was mischaracterized and misunderstood, and many AIDS patients faced discrminiation. Initially, Ashe kept his diagnosis private. He finally shared his story publicly in 1992 and became an advocate for research and education regarding HIV/AIDS. Ashe left a legacy not only in world of tennis, but also in the creation of Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health that continues to operate today. He also established the Virginia Heroes program which provides role models and mentors to middle school students in Richmond Public Schools. The United States Tennis Center, home of the U.S. Open in New York City, named their main court the Arthur Ashe Stadium. In Richmond, a statue is dedicated to him on Monument Avenue, and a major city thoroughfare was re-named Arthur Ashe Boulevard. Citation: Arthur Ashe Accepting Trophy at Fidelity Bankers Invitational Tennis Tournament, February 16, 1970, Robert Hart Photograph Collection, Special Collections, Library of Virginia. <a href="https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/dvb/bio.asp?b=Ashe_Arthur_Robert">Learn more about Arthur Ashe in his Dictionary of Virginia Biography entry online.</a> Suggested Questions Preview Activity Look at It: Look at the photograph; what is happening in the image? Why might have this event been important? Post Activities Be the Journalist: Imagine you are a journalist interviewing Arthur Ashe when he retired from tennis. What 3 questions would you ask him? Why? Analyze: Why might Arthur Ashe have separated himself from his ties to Richmond and Virginia for a long period of time? Consider how he was treated in his youth as an aspiring tennis player and what he had to go through to achieve his goal. Current Connections: Is there a current athlete who you would identify as having broken down barriers in a similar way? If so, describe him or her. Standards K.4, 1.5, 2.1, VS.11, USII.8, VUS.16, VUS.17 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Arthur Ashe Accepting Trophy at Fidelity Bankers Invitational Tennis Tournament, Photograph, 1970 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1970 African American History Popular Culture https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/6a9767318c37957e7c93df7df66e455f.jpg 3911da8fb200e0a00f6cc30d7765f3ef https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/57260de85ec24fc10f971a60198a77bc.pdf c2fa40f8131fdf3fd5b42b934566942b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Emergence of Modern America Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890-1930 Description An account of the resource The idea of a “Modern United States” begins with the advent of the Progressive era. The Progressive movement focused on reforms viewed as necessary after drastic increases in industrialization, immigration, and urbanization, as well as corruption in the business and political realms. Temperance reached its peak with the 18th Amendment and the decade of Prohibition, while woman suffrage became guaranteed nationally with the 19th Amendment. Other movements that gained traction on a new scale during this era were the labor movement, including the rise of unions, and the Harlem Renaissance. Shifting roles for African Americans migrating to northern cities and unprecendented immigration to America's shores heightened racial and ethnic tensions and led to the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan. With all of the changes on the home front of America, this era also saw the emergence of the United States as a major world power. The Spanish-American War pitted the U.S. against a European power other than Great Britain for the first time. Not long after, the United States found itself embroiled in World War I, despite strong isolationist tendencies. Along with a large death toll, World War I led to the development of the failed League of Nations, ultimately pushing the United States even further into an isolationist standing that would last for decades. The immediate postwar period of the Prohibition-era “Roaring 20s” saw a domination in politics and economics by big business and its supporters, which would all come crashing down in less than a decade. Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a>. Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context At the National American Woman Suffrage Association convention in 1919, President Carrie Chapman Catt proposed the creation of a “league of women voters to finish the fight and aid in the reconstruction of the nation.” Even before the ratification in 1920 of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution granting women the right to vote, the National League of Women Voters (NLWV) was established in Chicago. Catt described its purpose: “The League of Women Voters is not to dissolve any present organization but to unite all existing organizations of women who believe in its principles. It is not to lure women from partisanship but to combine them in an effort for legislation which will protect coming movements, which we cannot even foretell, from suffering the untoward conditions which have hindered for so long the coming of equal suffrage. Are the women of the United States big enough to see their opportunity?” Members of the Equal Suffrage League of Virginia dissolved their organization after ratification and reorganized as the Virginia League of Women Voters. Like the national league, of which they were a part, the Virginia league was non-partisan and expressly stated in its constitution that the league would not support any political party. Members worked to register new voters, educate voters about issues, and held public forums with political candidates. The Virginia League did not accept African American women as members for many years. Instead, Black women worked to promote civic awareness through their own clubs and in their own communities. The League of Women Voters in Virginia is still an active organization which promotes active participation in government, educating the public on policy issues, and advocating for voter empowerment. This poster celebrates women's new-found power and encouraged women to vote, but in a way that did not challenge society's gendered stereotypes. Citation: League of Women Voters. 1920. Erie: Erie Litho & Ptg Co. Poster. Equal Suffrage League of Virginia Records, Accession 22002, Organization Records, Library of Virginia. <a href="https://uncommonwealth.virginiamemory.com/blog/2020/12/16/banded-together-for-civic-betterment-the-virginia-league-of-women-voters-2/">Learn more about the Virginia League of Women Voters in the Library's The UncommonWealth blog.</a> Standards Social Studies: 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, USII.3, USII.5, CE.6, CE.9, VUS.12, GOVT.10 Art: 4.3, 5.3 English: 4.7, 5.7 Suggested Questions Preview Activity Look at It: Look at the poster. Who might have the target audience? What do you think is the message being sent to the audience? Why do you think this image was chosen to represent the message? Post Activities Form an Opinion: In your opinion, to what extent is this poster effective in its advocacy for voting? Would it be effective for a modern audience? Provide details and examples using your knowledge of this period in American history. Social Media Spin: Create a post, tweet, or short video for a modern audience in which you encourage women and others to vote. Be sure to include relevant information about the importance of voting from a historical and modern perspective. Content Warning Accounts for problematic historic language and images. Materials in the Library of Virginia’s collections contain historical terms, phrases, and images that are offensive to modern readers. These include demeaning and dehumanizing references to race, ethnicity, and nationality; enslaved or free status; physical and mental ability; and gender and sexual orientation. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource League of Women Voters Poster, 1920 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1920 Government and Civics Reform Movements Women's History https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/27339658e937214947ed185440a77cbf.jpg 81a58d269090a9f889186d22a4272827 https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/771c7074b8f3577d254e3e9358d3cd81.pdf b81dbbcd4c15cd8d0a3204e1595b6f0f Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource Beyond the toll it took on the nation, the Great Depression helped to shape modern-day America, especially in expanding the role of government in citizens' everyday lives. The circumstances of the Depression spurred President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal initiatives that included the Works Progress Administration, Civilian Conservation Corps, Farm Security Administration, and the Social Security Administration to assist the unemployed, farmers, and the elderly. World War II helped not only to bring the nation out of the Depression, but also put the United States on the world stage as a superpower. Unlike previous administrations, both Roosevelt and President Harry S. Truman placed the United States on a path to leadership in worldwide conflicts and reform movements. The war changed the role of women as they entered the workforce while American men went to war. Events such as the bombing at Pearl Harbor, liberation of concentration camps, the use of atomic bombs, and the rise of the Soviet Union as a superpower shaped future American foreign policy. Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a> Title A name given to the resource The Great Depression and World War II Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1929 - 1945 Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context The United States produced many posters exhorting people to join the armed forces during World War II, as the need for soldiers, sailors, and pilots was critical. Often, the Office of War Information designed and circulated these posters, which were displayed in public places around the country to generate support for the war. This one, however, has no identifying markings that explain its provenance, and it may have been produced within the Commonwealth of Virginia. In this poster, the image and words of Robert E. Lee are used to encourage Virginians to join the Lee Navy Volunteers. Using the leader of the Confederate army to recruit Virginia’s men to join the Navy may seem unusual. It succeeded, however, and 650 white men enlisted during the summer of 1942, making this the second most successful recruitment campaign in the history of the United States Navy. The men mustered in Richmond and marched to the Robert E. Lee statue on Monument Avenue, where they saluted the statue of the secessionist general as the U.S. Navy Band played “Dixie.” In September 1942, the Lee Navy recruits completed a five-week military training regimen before being assigned to ships in the United States fleet, mostly in support roles. The recruitment effort clearly targeted white men. Like schools and many public spaces in Virginia and across the South, the military was segregated. (It was not until President Harry S. Truman's 1948 executive order that the armed forces ended segregation.) The Red Cross even segregated blood during the war. This kind of discrimination prompted a major civil rights effort during World War II, when Black men and women employed the "Double V for Victory" slogan—victory for democracy abroad and democracy at home. Referencing the V for Victory campaign of the US government, Black volunteers demanded the right to participate as equals in the war effort, calling out the hypocrisy of the American government in allowing segregation. Black Virginians could point to this type of recruitment campaign as evidence of inequality during the war, as it appealed for white men and mustered on Monument Avenue, which was located in a white segregated neighborhood. Citation: I Fought for Virginia – Now it's Your Turn! Join the Lee Navy Volunteers, ca. 1942, Lab# 08-0770-01, WWII Poster Collection, Visual Studies Collection, Library of Virginia. Standards Social Studies: VS.10, USII.5, USII.6, VUS.14 Art: 4.1, 5.1 Suggested Questions Preview Activity Look at it: Look at the poster. What images do you see? Why do you think these images were chosen? Post Activities Take a Stand: You are a journalist for the Richmond Afro-American newspaper in 1942. How would you describe this poster to your audience? What would you say, and why? Up for Debate: Do you think it is appropriate to use the image of Lee, or any Confederate, for military recruitment or to instill a patriotic action? Why or why not? Art Exploration: You are an artist creating a recruitment poster during World War II. What imagery and language would you use, and why? Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource I fought for Virginia — Now it's your turn! Join the Lee Navy Volunteers, World War II Poster, 1942 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1942 Government and Civics Military History Popular Culture https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/72b0796dacd56a795100231ed7d12530.jpg ce2e25cb3fc4b5add6e15063e516cffa https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/files/original/f29449c1eff06210121914c74eba8696.pdf 0e7fef40ac5bd66426b010884a231497 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Emergence of Modern America Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890-1930 Description An account of the resource The idea of a “Modern United States” begins with the advent of the Progressive era. The Progressive movement focused on reforms viewed as necessary after drastic increases in industrialization, immigration, and urbanization, as well as corruption in the business and political realms. Temperance reached its peak with the 18th Amendment and the decade of Prohibition, while woman suffrage became guaranteed nationally with the 19th Amendment. Other movements that gained traction on a new scale during this era were the labor movement, including the rise of unions, and the Harlem Renaissance. Shifting roles for African Americans migrating to northern cities and unprecendented immigration to America's shores heightened racial and ethnic tensions and led to the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan. With all of the changes on the home front of America, this era also saw the emergence of the United States as a major world power. The Spanish-American War pitted the U.S. against a European power other than Great Britain for the first time. Not long after, the United States found itself embroiled in World War I, despite strong isolationist tendencies. Along with a large death toll, World War I led to the development of the failed League of Nations, ultimately pushing the United States even further into an isolationist standing that would last for decades. The immediate postwar period of the Prohibition-era “Roaring 20s” saw a domination in politics and economics by big business and its supporters, which would all come crashing down in less than a decade. Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a>. Lesson Plan A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction. Context Radio waves were harnessed to send the first transatlantic wireless transmission in 1901, revolutionizing communication throughout the world. Some entrepreneurs saw a future for widely transmitting voice and music over radio, and by the 1910s amateurs were broadcasting music and other entertainment. The first commercial radio station in the United States began broadcasting out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1920, and hundreds of radio stations were quickly established across the country. More than 400,000 households owned radio sets by 1923 and the medium had become a national phenomenon. Radio brought the world into the homes of ordinary people, exposing them to new cultures and forms of entertainment. For the first time people could listen to sports events, political speeches, sermons, music, or other entertainments without leaving home. Some people believed that radio would be beneficial for educational purposes, such as reading children's books or giving classroom lectures over the air. Some states provided educational programming that was broadcast in classrooms during the school day. In Virginia, students at Ruffner Junior High School in Norfolk helped build and operate a short-lived station, WBBW, between 1924 and 1928. Virginia's first commercial radio station, WTAR in Norfolk, went on the air in 1923. It was followed by WDBJ in Roanoke in 1924. Virginia's third radio station was WRVA, located in Richmond. It made its first broadcast on November 2, 1925, from a studio in the Edgeworth Tobacco factory. Owned by the Larus & Brother Company, the station initially operated as a community service without commercial revenue and broadcast only two nights a week. WRVA became the largest radio station in the state, and by 1929 operated a 5,000-watt transmitter and broadcast all day, seven days a week. As an affiliate of NBC and later CBS, WRVA placed considerable emphasis on the state's regional culture, sporting events, and special local programming coverage. The Wireless Age was a monthly illustrated magazine published between 1913 and 1925 that focused on radio communication. Citation: Wireless Age; An Illustrated Monthly Magazine of Radio Communication, Sept. 1924 (New York: Wireless Press) Serial TK5700.W4. Library of Virginia. Standards Social Studies: VS.9, USII.3, CE.9, USII.5, VUS.10 Art: 4.1, 4.3, 5.1, 5.3 Suggested Questions Preview Activity Look at It: Look at the image. What is happening in the image? Post Activites STEM STAT: What did the phrase "wireless age" mean in 1924 versus today? Did technology make the world bigger or smaller in the early twentieth century? Consider the difference in communications depicted in the image versus communications today. Artistic Exploration: Create an advertisement (print or voice) selling radios to the general public in 1924. What features might you emphasize? To whom would you market the radio? Think About It: Radio was new technology in the 1920s and some people were eager to use it in classrooms to make lessons more interesting for students. Think about the technology used in classrooms today. How does it help or hinder learning in the classroom? Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wireless Age Magazine Cover, 1924 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1924 Economics Popular Culture