Monticello Education and Family Programming

From education and family programming to museum theater performances and a series of dedicated genealogy programs, guests of all ages examine the key themes associated with the exhibition Slavery at Jefferson’s Monticello: How the Word is Passed Down such as ancestry and social and political history.

GENEALOGY PROGRAMMING

A selection of workshops centered on African American genealogy will be offered at both on-site and off-site facilities to encourage family research.

HISTORY MATTERS EXPERIENCE

History Matters: Four Days of Fury, Atlanta 1906: History Matters is a new after-hours program series designed to involve audiences in the ideas, debates, emotions, and perspectives from pivotal moments in our country’s history. During this immersive and provocative theater experience, visitors follow trailblazing African American editor and journalist J. Max Barber as they meet period characters in staged historical settings to explore the headlines and controversies surrounding the 1906 Atlanta Race Riot. Facilitated reflective dialogues after the performance help visitors understand why history matters and how it impacts our lives today. This experience is recommended for ages sixteen and up.

FESTIVAL DAYS

Struggles and Strides: The Early Fight for Civil Rights, Saturday, February 23
Guests explore the African American experience from the Great Migration to the Civil Rights Movement.

Citizens and Soldiers: The American Civil War, Saturday, March 16
The Commemoration of the Civil War sesquicentennial continues through reenactments, weapon demonstrations, home front activities and encampment on our 1860s Smith Family Farm, and tours of our award-winning Turning Point: The American Civil War exhibition.

Sheep to Shawl, Saturday, April 13
Gather the entire family for a full day of engaging activities including demonstrations of sheep shearing, spinning, weaving, open-hearth cooking, blacksmithing, candle making, and much more at the 1860s Smith Family Farm, including storytelling and traditional music.

Military Timeline, Saturday, May 25
Spend a day in the company of veterans and hear their stories of wartime through personal accounts and memorabilia. Living history interpreters represent soldiers of previous wars by showing authentic dress, equipment, and vehicles.

Juneteenth: The First Day of Freedom, Saturday, June 15
This celebration will focus on the appreciation, reconciliation, and commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

Fridays in February: This school program provides students the opportunity to experience African American history, culture, and achievements through exhibitions, live performances, living history interpreters, and hands-on activities. Themes include A Day in the  Life of a Slave; From Slave to Soldier: The African American Experience during the Civil War; Early Fight for Civil Rights: The African American Experience Leading to Civil Rights Movement; and The Civil Rights Movement.

Fight for Your Rights: The History of African American Progress: Through this new immersive school program, students participate in historical simulations that employ museum theatre, real-time decision making, and role play around pivotal events as they experience what it takes to stand together in the quest for racial equality from post-Civil War through civil rights.

TEACHER WORKSHOP

Summer Institute on Slavery, June
This week-long course for teachers will feature well-known scholars and experts on the subject. With an emphasis on primary and secondary resources, teachers will be given the tools to work with students of all ages in this often difficult subject.