“Making a Way Out of No Way” is an expression in the African American community that reveals power of community. Whether through church congregations or labor organizations, sewing circles or sororities; through intellect, grit, and resilience, community makes the impossible possible.
In 1977, 13 years before the Americans with Disabilities Act, Kitty Cone and other disability rights activists occupied a federal building in San Francisco. They demanded the government protect their rights. Ren, a student, speaks with Katherine Ott, curator at our National Museum of American History, about why Cone's work matters.
Learn these stories or see more objects that showcase to the power of community in our collections.
Grades 6-12. Time: Variable (1-3 class periods). Aligned to C3 standards.
In this lesson students will learn about the Woman's Land Army of America during World War II and how this group of dedicated women fueled the United States's massive war effort. Students will examine the question: How can communities shape the direction of history?
Johnnetta B. Cole highlights the contributions to society and the influential fashion styles of two prominent community and civil rights leaders, Dorothy Height and Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune.
In New York City's Chinatown, college student Regina Lee and other volunteers organized a neighborhood health fair to improve health literacy in their community.
The Women's Collective in Washington, D.C., holds a "Call My Name" quilting workshop to include women of color in the AIDS Memorial Quilt. Hear how this project promotes representation and healing in the community.
Noriko Sanefuji, Museum Specialist at the National Museum of American History, speaks about World War II-era artifacts that represent the community life of incarcerated Japanese Americans.
Remarkable objects and stories of strength, ingenuity, and vision from the National Collection.
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