Mapping Journeys, Honoring Stories: Grades 3 to 5 This lesson invites elementary school students to understand that enslaved Africans were forcibly brought to North Carolina through forced migration and to examine how geography shaped the economic, social, and political development of NC ports. Industries highlighted include lumber, turpentine, rosin, and rice, all of which relied on enslaved labor. Students will analyze simplified county records from the Africa to Carolina site, which retell and honor stories of resilience through art and narratives. Students will work cooperatively to create a classroom artifact that honors memory and resilience. Mapping Forced Journeys & Building Connections: Grades 7 to 8 This lesson invites middle school students to investigate the role of North Carolina’s ports in the transatlantic slave trade. Students will analyze how forced migration reshaped Africans’ lives and the development of North Carolina. Students are encouraged to engage in critical inquiry by connecting maps, stories, and artifacts to the lived experiences of enslaved people. Students will also have the opportunity to collaborate to create a narrative about a port city that reflects both its history and its human impact. Seeing History Through Art: Middle and High School This lesson invites high school students to examine works of art that interpret or memorialize the transatlantic slave trade. Students will use visual analysis to interpret how artists convey themes of history, memory, and identity. They will connect artistic expression to historical sources, such as slave narratives and ship manifests. Students are encouraged to reflect on how contemporary artists shape our understanding of the past and its relevance today. On This Page Jump Links Off
