On January 19th an exhibition from the African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, was held in the Cafetorium. Throughout the day, many classes visited in order to learn about the civil rights movement as it pertains to Southern New Jersey.
The showcase was presented by a group of juniors from Mr. Sohl’s APUSH and US 1 Classes, who guided their fellow history students through the exhibits shown throughout the room. Many of the exhibits were focused on Atlantic City, the hub for the changes seen throughout the Civil Rights Era, from the 50s through the 60s.
“Hopefully, most of our students have a good understanding of the people and events of the Civil Rights Movement; however, most are unaware of the role that New Jersey played within that movement,” Mr. Sohl commented on the importance of this presentation.
To convey this, they explained topics from the Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City; which saw the members of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party protest on the Atlantic City Boardwalk to the first Miss Black America contest; a stepping stone in accepting African-American beauty across the US which saw Oprah Winfrey as the first Miss Black America. Miss Black America was controversial due to the rule in Miss America which stated that no non-white contestants can win the competition.
Other exhibits include the March on Washington (which was contributed to by many from Atlantic City), the violent protests of Camden and Newark, and the establishment of Chicken Bone Beach, a historic site established by African-Americans to preserve the beach’s story.
Mr. Sohl also stated that by; “Focusing on the local people and events involved in the broader civil rights movement ideally makes the ideas more accessible to the students.”
Overall, the exhibit featured many important lessons about the civil rights movement within New Jersey, which typically ends up overlooked by the focus on the greater nationwide movement within history classes.
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