New FAKE NEWS? RACISM? ANTISEMITISM? CITIZEN HISTORY TO … · 2020. 1. 31. · Objectives Understand that: Citizen history promotes student engagement, 21st century skills, and authentic,

Eric SchmalzUnited States Holocaust Memorial Museum

FAKE NEWS? RACISM? ANTISEMITISM? CITIZEN HISTORY TO THE RESCUE!

Introductions● Introduce yourself to those around you● For a warm-up, share any

strategies/resources you currently use in your classroom to discuss hard topics, such as false news, racism, and antisemitism

UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM2

ObjectivesUnderstand that:● Citizen history promotes student engagement, 21st century skills, and

authentic, original research to improve societyKnow:● How newspapers reported on the persecution of Jews in 1933, the refugee

crisis of 1938-1939, and Charles Lindbergh’s anti-semitic speech in 1941● The History Unfolded learn, research and contribute process

Be able to:● Use History Unfolded to address false news, anti-semitism and racism● Implement History Unfolded in classrooms to hone students’ media literacy

and historical thinking skillsUNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM3

AGENDA1. Citizen History at USHMM2. Case Studies You Can Use in Your Classroom 3. How to Transform Your Students into Citizen

Historians4. Takeaways and Resources


5 UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM


Initiative Questions1. What information was available to the American public

about Nazi persecution of Jews and the Holocaust as it happened?

2. How did newspapers report about the Nazi threat and events of the Holocaust?

3. How did Americans respond?



Why is the Museum doing this?● To learn what information was available to Americans across the

United States● To fill gaps in the historical record by focusing on newspapers of all

size and distribution in all US localities● To support a special exhibition as well as future research,

programming, and resources● Most importantly -- to engage people in learning about the Holocaust

in a way that is exciting, teaches valuable research skills, and helps them to love history

Photo credit Edu Bayer for The New York Times UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM9



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7qmJnTSRfw

Case studies


Mistreatment of Jews: Early 1933● Late January: Hitler appointed chancellor ● Through April: Reports of persecution

against Jews and US citizens● March 22: Opening of Dachau ● Late March: State Department report● April 1: Nazis boycott Jewish businesses


Reno Evening GazetteMarch 24, 1933


https://newspapers.ushmm.org/article/11419

Bangor Daily NewsMarch 27, 1933



St. Petersburg TimesMarch 22, March 26, March 27 1933





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Situation: Explained● Nazis did not like negative international press

on the persecution of Jews● Claimed persecution result of negative reporting ● US State Department in a difficult situation ● Diplomatic negotiations led to State Department

statement in attempt to avoid future persecutions


Discussion● What does the situation teach us about what Americans

could have known about the mistreatment of Jews in early 1933?

● How might American readers have reacted to these reports?

● In what ways can the media influence governments?● In what ways can governments influence the media?


Refugee Crisis ● March 11, 1938: Hitler annexes Austria● July 6, 1938: Evian Conference● September 29, 1938: Munich Agreement● November 9-10, 1938: Kristallnacht● February 9, 1939: Wagner-Rogers Bill● May 13, 1939: St. Louis sets sail


Pittsburgh Courier CartoonApril 16, 1938



Dallas Morning News CartoonJuly 7, 1939


https://blogs.lib.utexas.edu/nonaka/tag/wagner-rogers-bill/

Discussion● What message does each cartoon convey?● How are the cartoons similar?● How do they differ?● What do these cartoons teach us about American

responses to the refugee crisis in 1938 and 1939?


Letter to Arizona RepublicApril 30, 1939



Letter to The Pittsburgh PressJuly 3, 1939



Discussion● What arguments are made in the letters about the

Wagner-Rogers act?● What do the arguments reveal about the concerns

Americans had in the late 1930’s? ● What factors may have influenced reactions?● What can these letters teach us today?


Charles Lindbergh’s speech● September 1, 1939: Germany Invades Poland ● September 1940: America First Committee (AFC) forms ● April 1941: Lindbergh begins giving addresses for AFC ● September 11, 1941: Lindbergh claimed “the British,

the Jewish and the Roosevelt administration” were pushing for US entrance in WWII

● December 7, 1941: Japan bombs Pearl Harbor


Detroit Jewish Chronicle and the Legal Chronicle EditorialSeptember 12, 1941



Honolulu Star-BulletinSeptember 19, 1941



Discussion● What stereotypes did Lindbergh make about Jews?● How did the question of democratic free speech shape

reactions to Lindbergh’s words? ● What does this situation reveal about antisemitism in the

United States in 1941? ● What lessons does this case study have for us today?



Mindy’s experience



Learn

Background knowledge to focus research 33

Reading Historic Newspapers● How to read old newspapers● How Americans got their news student handout


https://newspapers.ushmm.org/about/scanning-newspapers

https://newspapers.ushmm.org/pdf/news_historical_overview.pdf



Explore TimeCheck out a few History Unfolded event modules on your phone or computer if you have one.



Research

Engage in historical thinking




Explore TimeSee what newspaper articles have already been submitted from your state.





Contribute




Evaluate Sources and Use Evidence

Explore TimeCheck out articles already uploaded from your state by going to “Menu” and “Explore User Research”


Open online newspaper collections● Illinois Digital Newspaper Collections● New York State Historic Newspapers● Utah Digital Newspapers ● North Carolina Newspapers DigitalNC● California Digital Newspapers Collection● Hoosier State Chronicles (Indiana) ● The Portal to Texas History


http://idnc.library.illinois.edu/

http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/

https://digitalnewspapers.org/

http://www.digitalnc.org/collections/newspapers/

https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc

https://newspapers.library.in.gov/

https://texashistory.unt.edu/

Suggested Event Modules ● Nazis Boycott Jewish Businesses ● Germany Annexes Austria● Anti-Jewish Riots Convulse German Reich

(Kristallnacht)● Nazi Plan to Kill All Jews Confirmed● Eisenhower Asks Congress and Press to

Witness Nazi Horrors UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM51

https://newspapers.ushmm.org/events/nazis-boycott-jewish-businesses

https://newspapers.ushmm.org/events/germany-annexes-austria

https://newspapers.ushmm.org/events/anti-jewish-riots-convulse-german-reich-kristallnacht

https://newspapers.ushmm.org/events/anti-jewish-riots-convulse-german-reich-kristallnacht

https://newspapers.ushmm.org/events/nazi-plan-to-kill-all-jews-confirmed

https://newspapers.ushmm.org/events/eisenhower-asks-congress-and-press-to-witness-nazi-horrors

https://newspapers.ushmm.org/events/eisenhower-asks-congress-and-press-to-witness-nazi-horrors

Additional Resources● Full Lesson Plan● Student Packet● Teacher step-by-step guide● Librarian research sprint packet● Americans and the Holocaust online exhibition● IHRA Blog Post about History Unfolded ● History Unfolded Facebook Group● US Holocaust Museum Educator Resources


https://newspapers.ushmm.org/pdf/HistoryUnfolded_Lesson_Plan.pdf

https://newspapers.ushmm.org/pdf/HUF_Student_Packet.pdf

https://newspapers.ushmm.org/pdf/HUF_Teacher_Step_By_Step.pdf

https://newspapers.ushmm.org/blog/2017/07/19/how-to-host-a-research-sprint/

https://exhibitions.ushmm.org/americans-and-the-holocaust/main

https://holocaustremembrance.blog/2018/10/26/history-unfolded-us-newspapers-and-the-holocaust/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/487541611425502/

https://www.ushmm.org/educators

Documents

New FAKE NEWS? RACISM? ANTISEMITISM? CITIZEN HISTORY TO … · 2020. 1. 31. · Objectives Understand that: Citizen history promotes student engagement, 21st century skills, and authentic,