Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage Field Trip
Students from National Honor Society, African American History, and African American Literature took a field trip this week to the Point of Light exhibit at the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage. The traveling exhibit on display highlighted events from the Civil Rights Movement. Students began the tour with a question-and-answer session with the museum’s Director of Education and a short video that highlighted key events from the Civil Rights Movement. 3 talented docents led the students on a tour of the exhibit. The interactive field trip gave students an opportunity to connect with a rich heritage of African Americans who fought for voting rights and equality in the South. For example, students learned how the Mississippi Democratic Freedom Party fought vigilantly for a measly two seats at the Democratic National Convention. Students experienced being inside of a metal cage that was typical of the one put on trucks when African Americans were arrested for protesting. In a closer to home part of the exhibit, students were able to watch a short video about Cleveland and its own struggles with civil rights and its own reaction, including the Hough Riots.
At the end of the tour, students were amazed at being able to connect with those who went before them. One overwhelming reaction from students was their disbelief at the number of hate groups that still exist in the United States today. One of the last parts of the exhibit is a map of different hate groups and their respective locations. Hearing student reaction to a field trip is always the best way to judge its success, and the reaction we received indicated that it was a huge success. The end of the field trip discussion also lends itself to discussing with students how Christians should treat others as well as discussing the persecution Christians face. In all, we were blessed to have been able to go.