Freedom Was in Sight: Reconstruction as the Second Founding

Join educators from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture and renowned historian Dr. Kate Masur for a deep dive into the era of Reconstruction in and around Washington, D.C.

This year’s celebrations of America 250 invite us to consider the long history of struggle for a “more perfect union.” Participants will take an in-depth look at the changes brought about by the Civil War, especially how African Americans, many newly freed from slavery, built lives for themselves, their families, and their communities. The framing text will be Freedom Was in Sight! A Graphic History of Reconstruction in the Washington D.C. Region, written by Dr. Masur with illustrator Liz Clarke.

This seminar looks at Reconstruction through a local lens while drawing connections to the national story of the years following the Civil War and the end of slavery. Historians and others have called this period the nation’s “Second Founding” and an “unfinished revolution.” Participants will assess the era’s many transformations, including the landmark 13^th, 14^th, and 15^th amendments.

Throughout the week, sessions will include content delivered by Dr. Masur and other educators, opportunities for discussion, and trips to historic sites in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area where participants will meet with curators, historians, and other experts in historical interpretation. Facilitators will also offer strategies for effective history teaching and activities designed to meet teachers' personal and professional enrichment goals.

Essential Questions

• In what ways did the Civil War and the abolition of slavery transform the United States?
• What were Americans’ varying perspectives on how to create a “more perfect union” after the war?  
• What are America’s founding documents, and how have people used them to press for social, political, and economic change?
• How can the history of the Washington, D.C. area, expand our understanding of the Reconstruction era?
• How does engagement with places where history happened enhance our understanding of the past?