Primary Source Wraps Up 2011 Summer Institutes with Courses on Africa and Asians in the U.S.
At Primary Source's Africa in the 19th and 20th Centuries summer institute, panelists from Malawi, The Gambia, and Zimbabwe share their personal histories of growing up African today and what young adults in the U.S. most need to know.
Primary Source held its last 2011 summer institutes for K-12 educators this week: Africa in the 19th and 20th Centuries: Colonialism, Independence and Legacies, held at Primary Source in collaboration with the Boston University African Studies Center, and Asians in the U.S.: Migrations, Challenges and Achievements, held in Milton, Massachusetts.
On Monday, the forty-two participants in Africa in the 19th and 20th Centuries gathered to hear a panel of graduate students from Malawi, The Gambia, and Zimbabwe discuss their experiences growing up in Africa, their changing perceptions of the U.S., and what young adults in the U.S. most need to know about Africa today. "I think Americans should know that Africa is very diverse, that it is composed of many states, and many cultures, and that not all of Africa is in poverty," said panelist Mariama Khan from The Gambia.
Educators visited the Harvard Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology on Wednesday. Suzanne Blier, Professor of Fine Art and African Studies at Harvard University, led a tour through the museum exhibits and gave a talk on telling multi-dimensional stories of African history through teaching with art, artifacts and photography. Educators experienced Ethiopian food and culture with lunch at Addis Red Sea in Porter Square. The week concluded with a look at Africa's pressing issues today, economic strategies of post-independence states, and hopes for economic prosperity and social equality in Africa going forward.
Asians in the U.S.: Migrations, Challenges and Achievements concluded Friday with a day focused on the experiences of South Asians in the U.S. Mitali Perkins, author of several young adult novels, and Shilpa Davé, Assistant Professor of American Studies at Brandeis University, shared knowledge and resources with participating educators.
Earlier in the week, the group visited the Forbes House Museum in Milton. This museum features furniture, ceramics, and other artifacts brought back from China by Captain Robert Bennet Forbes nearly 200 years ago. Tours of the Forbes House Museum led by Executive Director Robin M. Tagliaferri and Rebecca Wright, Assistant to the Director, provided educators with a window into the lives of a New England family with strong trading ties to China.
Primary Source welcomed Professor Wing-kai To, a scholar of history and Asian studies, to speak to teachers prior to their tour of the Forbes House. In addition to sharing the stories of Chinese visitors and immigrants in New England, Professor To recommended Fortunate Sons for further reading. The book tells the story of 120 Chinese boys (ages 12-15) who came to New England in the mid-19th century to study and chronicles their contributions to China when they return.
With the completion of our summer institutes, Primary Source is now looking ahead and gearing up for the coming school year. Visit our website for information on our exciting fall course offerings.
