Education News for February 2021

World War II veteran survey for Joseph C. White

This primary source is from a veteran survey completed by Joseph C. White, an African-American fighter pilot in the 301st Fighter Squadron of the 332 Fighter Group during World War II, famously known as the Red Tails. White's answers provided information regarding his military unit and service, life in the United States military, how the military affected his life after the war, and basic family history.

During the early and mid-1940s, the United States military was still racially segregated. A cadet training program established at the Tuskegee Institute trained young, African-American men as pilots. The pilots, and anyone who worked in the program, were known as the Tuskegee Airmen.

In 1996, the Tennessee State Library and Archives sent surveys to WWII veterans from or currently living in Tennessee. Over 7,000 veterans, or family members of veterans, returned completed questionnaires, often submitting additional supplemental materials, such as photographs, with their surveys.

This source meets the US.51 and AAH.36 Tennessee social studies standards.

Questions for Discussion:

1) What impact did Joseph C. White and other Tuskegee airmen have on the military effort during World War II?

2) What impact did the Tuskegee Airmen have on advancing the cause of civil rights for African Americans?

Tuskegee Airmen - Additional resources:

Digital Public Library of America (DPLA)

High School Edition - Gale Onefile (if prompted, use the password: elvis)

World Book Advanced

For more primary sources about the Tuskegee Airmen and World War II, be sure to visit our website.

Tennessee Agriculture

This digital breakout uses primary sources to explore Tennessee Agriculture (3rd grade TN Social Studies-Focused). Use your background knowledge and the clues within this breakout to gain a deeper understanding of this topic. Time yourself to see how fast you can "breakout!"

For more digital breakouts, visit our website.

World Book Kids - Maps and More

World Book Kids is more than an elementary online encyclopedia. Beyond encyclopedia entries, there are several built-in tools to help students learn more about the world around them. Maps and More offers three unique interactive features to help build students' knowledge of geography and map skills. This resource is available to all Tennessee students for free through the Tennessee Electronic Library (TEL).

Learn more by watching this short video: World Book Kids: Maps and More

Tennessee Blue Book: A History of Tennessee - Student Edition

Tennessee History teachers, check out the Tennessee Blue Book: A History of Tennessee - Student Edition for student-friendly text, primary sources and assessment quizzes that tell the story of the great state of Tennessee!

Note: Please email education.tsla@tn.gov for quiz/discussion answer keys.

Tennessee Council for the Social Studies (TCSS) Conference

The annual TCSS Conference will take place virtually Feb. 22-27, 2021. Join presenters and exhibitors for this annual conference with engaging sessions and many giveaways! Click here to register and view sessions.

Join the Library & Archives Education Outreach staff as they present during this conference:

Kelly Wilkerson, Education Outreach Coordinator - "Resisting Removal: The Struggle Between the Cherokee Nation and the United States." Friday, Feb. 26, 7 PM CT/ 8 PM ET.

Casey Gymrek, Education Archivist & Janis Perry, Education Specialist - "Reaching New Digital Heights with the Tennessee State Library & Archives." Saturday, Feb. 27, 9:30 AM CT/ 10:30 ET

2020-2021 School Year Webinar Series

Discover Tennessee History is excited to continue its webinar series during the second semester. On the second Tuesday of each month, a Discover Tennessee partner organization will offer a one-hour session exploring a Tennessee history topic. There is no cost to participate in this webinar series, but you must register for each webinar individually.

Tennessee State Parks and the New Deal

Feb. 9, 2021 at 4 p.m. CT/ 5 p.m. ET

Click here to register for this webinar and to view details for other upcoming webinars.

Black History Month

This historic newspaper article includes quotes from John Lewis, one of many students arrested during a Nashville sit-in in March 1960. John Lewis and three other students were arrested at Moon-McGrath Drug Store in downtown Nashville. After refusing to leave, the police were called. "A few minutes later the police came and told us we were under arrest. They did not ask us to leave first," Lewis said.

Lewis championed the rights of African Americans and was elected to Congress in 1986 and served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the state of Georgia.

Lewis died on July 17, 2020. Note: On Nov. 5, 2020, the Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County voted to rename an extensive part of 5th Avenue to Rep. John Lewis Way N.

For more information on 1960s era sit-ins, please visit our website.

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