Philadelphia National Archives Branch Supports Free Library's After-School Project to Commemorate Brown v. Board Decision
On January 21, 2004 the National Archives Philadelphia Branch joined with the National Constitution Center and the African American Museum of Philadelphia to support the Philadelphia Free Library's efforts to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision in its After School Program, LEAP.
At their mid-year leadership meeting, the Philadelphia Free Library's LEAP After School leaders and branch managers received training and resource materials about the Brown v. Board decision. The leaders also had an opportunity to explore the National Constitution Center and view civil rights documents, including one of the Brown briefs signed by Thurgood Marshall from the National Archives holdings.
The Brown v. Board training sessions included a digital classroom session via video conferencing from the National Archives Education Program in Washington, DC. The National Archives also gave each participant resource materials including the latest edition of Our Documents: A National Initiative on American History, Civics and Service, which is sponsored by The History Channel, National History Day, USA Freedom Corps, and the National Archives. The National Archives Mid Atlantic Branch also produced a CD resource tool, Teaching the History of School Desegregation Efforts: Brown v. Board of Education and Civil Rights. This resource provides documents related to the story of Brown and Civil Rights from across the country and in Philadelphia. Additionally, it gives users links to an array of digital resources on the Internet. Each participant also received information about upcoming Brown v. Board cultural programming in Philadelphia at the collaborating institutions.
The Free Library will use these materials for cultural and learning enrichment activities with the After School children. Combined with the Library's book collections, the resource materials expand the Library's ability to help neighborhood children learn about their community and develop technology and research skills.
A literacy specialist from the School District of Philadelphia is also assisting this project to help provide a framework for literacy learning as a part of the offerings to parents and students in the Free Library branches.
The Free Library of Philadelphia's LEAP After School Program provides homework assistance, computer literacy, library skills and enrichment for school age children and teens in grades 1 through 12. In addition to the homework and computer help offered Monday through Friday, LEAP provides a planned weekly cultural or educational activity and a weekly computer or other technology activity. LEAP is an open, drop-in program; no registration is necessary. The LEAP program is in operation at 54 agencies from September through June. Last year LEAP served 85,000 school age children. For more information about LEAP, contact your local library or The Free Library, Office of Public Service Support at 215-686-5372.
For more information about National Archives Brown v. Board resources, contact National Archives - Philadelphia Branch at 215-606-0102.
