Katherine Dunham - The HistoryMakers

The HistoryMakers’ Education Institute
The HistoryMakers Education Institute is a year
long, educational program that takes place in select
Chicago Public High Schools. The program combines
an effective mentoring program using an existing base of
over 1200 HistoryMakers combined with the resources of
The HistoryMakers unique African American video oral
history archive. In essence, The HistoryMakers is bringing
American history to life for students!
This past year Larry Crowe and Chicago HistoryMakers
visited area schools. Crowe introduced students to the
techniques of oral history and the necessity of continually
documenting positive movements in contemporary history.
On a visit to W.H. Brown Math and Science Academy,
Crowe asked 8th grade students if they had heard of Harry Belafonte.
Lincoln Park High School teacher, Juanita Thurman and Julieanna
Richardson hold up a special HistoryMakers inspired quilt created by
Thurman’s students.
Most perked up at the familiar name but few could describe
who this man was and why they knew the name. Then one
student sang out, “Dayyyo ... dayyyyyooo”. Though “The
Banana Boat” song is probably what Mr. Belafonte is most
famous for, Crowe explained that Belafonte was an early
supporter of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and
one of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s confidants. The song
made him famous; his life-story makes him a legend.
After Crowe’s visits,
Chicago HistoryMakers
also visited area schools to
share their inspiring stories
one-on-one with students.
The HistoryMakers Education Institute Teachers Alicia Donald, Juanita Thurman
and Erik Young of Lincoln Park High School with Sharon Ponder of William H. Brown
Elementary School
Students also learned
research and skills to help
them conduct their own
interviews.
The HistoryMakers’ producer/
interviewer Larry Crowe
THE HISTORYMAKERS SPRING 2006 PAGE 17