Rosa Parks, called the Mother of the Civil Rights movement, was an ‘ordinary person’ whose extraordinary courage in challenging segregation stimulated five decades of effort aimed at reaching the goal of equal protection for all. Read the rest of this entry »
Are kids still inspired by books?
Judging by the winning entries submitted by Maryland students for the most recent Letters About Literature contest, the answer is a resounding “Yes!”
Please join MHC staff and Board members on December 1, 2008 at the World Famous Lexington Market Arcade at 10:30am to help celebrate the legacy of Rosa Parks with Sitting Down to Take a Stand—Remembering Rosa Parks.
Why do they call it “research” and not just “search” or “looking something up?”
That’s because the research process is just that–a process–not something that can be accomplished in one sitting, or at the last minute.
Research means that you have to try diverse types of sources, such as journals, magazines, photographs, websites, databases, newspapers, and books. You also have to approach a topic from many angles, trying to get all sides of the story. Research implies that you have to dig deeper than just the surface level of information. You have to take more than one look!
If you’ve read this year’s One Maryland One Book selection, A Hope in the Unseen, you’re familiar with the engrossing story of Cedric Jennings’ journey from the inner city to the Ivy League. But do you know the story behind the story? You do if you were one of the 2008 Baltimore Book Festival attendees who crowded under the tent to hear Hope author Ron Suskind! Read the rest of this entry »
Could you imagine living in Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water with the rush of water right beneath your house? Remember how you delighted in N.C. Weyth’s illustrations for Last of the Mohicans? Who could forget the haunting faces captured in Dorthea Lange’s Migrant Mother and Children? And, who could not be inspired by the iconic image of Washington Crossing the Delaware?
Beginning Your History Day Research: Getting the Topic Right
Now that you’ve selected a great History Day topic, it’s time to begin your research!
Look at broad secondary sources that summarize the historical period and help you understand why your topic is important. (Hint: You’ll probably have to broaden or narrow your topic to fit your research findings. Don’t worry: some of the best projects expand and contract and shift several times before you compete.) Read the rest of this entry »
I was privileged to hear Cedric Jennings speak at Montgomery College on the evening of August 19, 2008. Prior to the event there was some talk about turnout. The college was on summer break—would there still be students to fill the auditorium? Would anyone else come? Having arrived early, I sat in my car working a crossword puzzle. At fifteen minutes before the start time I decided 
to wander over to the auditorium. To my surprise, it was packed! I barely found a seat! There were some students there, but the majority of the audience seemed to be made up of interested people from all over the county and beyond, all sparked by enthusiasm for Cedric’s book, A Hope in the Unseen.
Hello History Day Fans! Maryland History Day 2008 was a great success! Over 16,000 Maryland students showcased projects! Topics were very wide ranging–women’s rights, the Cuban missile crisis, apartheid, the Armenian genocide, religious tolerance, Navajo code talkers, animal rights, nuclear disarmament, and more. Students and teachers, give yourselves a pat on the back for a job well done!
But now it’s time to think about History Day 2009! Let’s get started!
Sometimes the best stories have no easy endings.
It can be surprising how often people have high expectations of other people–sometimes their expectations for others is higher than those they have for themselves. For example, at my post-college graduation party, one of my aunts appeared shocked to discover that I, a Political Science major, was not going to continue on to law school. Not that she’s a lawyer, mind you; just that she assumed that was the way I was heading. I suppose for some of the people with whom I graduated my staying in Baltimore and working for the library proves me to be an underachiever. Read the rest of this entry »