Mike Wiley -One Noble Journey
Acclaimed actor and playwright Mike Wiley has spent the last decade fulfilling his mission to bring educational theatre to young audiences and communities across the country. In the early days of his career, Wiley found few theatrical resources to shine a light on key events and figures in African-American history. To bring these stories to life, he started his own production company.Through his performances, Wiley has introduced countless students and communities to the legacies of Emmett Till, Henry “Box” Brown and more. One Noble Journey is a 50 minute program appropriate for grades 3 and higher Henry “Box” Brown was an African American born into slavery in 1816 in Louisa County, Virginia. Although he was not subjected to physical violence, Henry’s story (the basis for One Noble Journey) demonstrates the cruelty of slavery was every bit as devastating to the heart as it could be on the body.At the death of his first master, Henry’s family was torn apart and parceled out to various beneficiaries of the estate. Eventually Henry married and had children, only to have his wife and children sold to a new owner and never seen again. This devastating incident was Brown’s breaking point. He devised an ingenious escape plan – sealing himself in a wooden box for shipment to friends and freedom in Philadelphia. Eventually, he traveled the northern states telling his tale of liberation to abolitionist groups.One Noble Journey also recounts the daring and miraculous quest for freedom of Elizabeth Craft and her husband William, who were born into slavery in Georgia.* Ellen Craft, who was very light skinned, disguised herself as a sickly, white gentleman traveling to Philadelphia for medical treatment. Ellen and William, who acted as her slave throughout the journey, bravely traveled on public trains and steamers as they made their way up the eastern seaboard to Philadelphia. Eventually they were forced to sail for England after the Fugitive Slave Law enabled slave hunters to pursue them even in free states.
SPY – Minute by Minute
Grades 7 to 12 | 75 minutes | Can your students change the course of history? Heat up your Cold War lesson by participating in a case-based simulation in which students play the role of intelligence analysts at the CIA in 1962. By examining declassified intelligence documents and U-2 photographs at various stages of the crisis, students “live” the crisis rather than only read about it. In this social studies standards-based lesson, students are challenged to make decisions and recommendations based on primary documents and photos. The outcome of the crisis is in their hands: will their analysis provide President Kennedy with the information he needs to avoid nuclear catastrophe?
Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum
19th Century In-School Program
(3rd Grade & up) 1 hour visit in classroom
(Limit 1 class per hour, 3 classes per visit)
Using primary source documents from the Bartow family, and the Bartow-Pell archives, students will learn and discover who lived at the mansion, how it was built, and what were some other occupations of the time period Students will also uncover why many of the servant staff were from Ireland by studying a transcript of the 1860 Federal Census for the Bartow household. In addition to using primary source materials students will also have the opportunity to handle and explore actual 19th century objects such as an iron, chamber pot, bathtub, and more. State Learning Standards: English Language Arts Standards 1; 3; 4, Social Studies Standards 1; 2, Mathematics, Science and Technology Standards 5