Education
Discover dynamic education programs and curriculum resources about the history of our city, state, and nation.
Education Mission
The New-York Historical Society Education Division provides dynamic programming and curriculum resources for students and teachers in New York and beyond. Historical study sparks curiosity and creativity, promotes cultural understanding, and fosters an empowered citizenry to strengthen our democracy. Our staff of passionate professionals draws on our world-renowned collections to engage learners of all ages in the study of our collective past.
Education programs made possible through endowments established by:
National Endowment for the Humanities
The Hearst Foundations
The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation
Public funding provided by:
Institute for Museum and Library Services
New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council
New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature
Important support provided by:
Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation
Carnegie Corporation of New York
Ford Foundation
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Altman Foundation
Deutsche Bank
The Pinkerton Foundation
Barker Welfare Foundation
The Keith Haring Foundation
The Bay and Paul Foundations
The Alice Lawrence Foundation
The Henry Nias Foundation
Fred and Joan Pittman
Anonymous
Support the New-York Historical Society
Help us present groundbreaking exhibitions and develop educational programs about our nation's history for more than 200,000 schoolchildren annually.
THE VOICES OF HISTORY, 2017 – 2018
Using a multitude of primary sources from the New-York Historical Society’s Museum and Library collections, students will experience history through the words and actions of the statesmen, rebels, mothers, and explorers who shaped our nation. Each course in the five-week series will examine the lives, influence, and perspectives of two individuals from a shared moment in our nation’s history. Students will examine letters, diaries, and speeches and consider how each person shaped American history through their unique and compelling voices.
Schedule and Requirements
Ages 14–17
Students must be the age required for their specific class by the date of the first class.
Fridays from 10 am – 12 pm
$175 per series, $825 for all five
Series 1: Industrialization & Immigration
September 15 and 22, October 6, 13, 20
Examine how two overlooked figures left big impressions on American culture during the United States’ industrial age. Immigrant photographer Jacob Riis awakened the middle class to the injustices experienced by poor immigrant families, and Emily Roebling committed herself to the completion of the iconic Brooklyn Bridge.
Series 2: Progressive Era
November 3, 10, 17, December 1 and 8
Discover how two individuals shaped the social conscience of Americans during the early 1900s. Fighting against monopolies, racism, and much more, Theodore Roosevelt and Ida B. Wells helped to define the expectations of a responsible American citizen.
Series 3: The Great Depression
January 5, 12, 19, 26, February 2
Discuss and debate the two distinct responses to America’s Great Depression. Franklin D. Roosevelt, who sympathized with Americans’ plight, favored aggressive government intervention. Former New York Governor Al Smith had a different vision grounded in private enterprise.
Series 4: WWII and the Modern Era
February 9 and 16, March 9, 16, 23
Celebrate the contributions of two groups of Americans who were instrumental in the American war effort. Fighting abroad, American GIs sacrificed safety and solace to protect citizens’ freedoms, while WAVE women mobilized on the home front.
Series 5: Civil Rights for African Americans
April 20, May 4, 11, 18, 25
Investigate two different approaches to the fight for civil rights. Lawyer Thurgood Marshall fought for justice in court, standing before the Supreme Court to overturn decades-old precedent. The Freedom Riders organized in Southern cities and held demonstrations on public buses.
For questions and registration, contact homeschool@nyhistory.org or (212) 873-3400 ext. 505.
