Lesson 1: Day 1 - Intro and Mapping Exercise

Google Doc of this Lesson

Overview:

In this introductory activity, students will engage with a short video on the 1838 Black Metropolis to begin thinking about how history is shaped by whose stories are told—and whose are left out. Through a guided discussion, students will explore the value of multiple perspectives and reflect on the complexities of recovering lesser-known narratives. This sets the stage for deeper inquiry using archival materials throughout the unit.

Time: 10 minutes

Format: Whole Group

Objective: SWBAT analyze the significance of exploring history through multiple perspectives by discussing the benefits and challenges of uncovering lesser known narratives.

Watch  Intro to The Black Metropolis and ask students to respond to the following discussion questions:

• What are the benefits of exploring historical events from multiple perspectives? 

• What may be some of the challenges associated with uncovering hidden or missing aspects of history?

Activity 1: Mapping Philadelphia’s “Black Metropolis”

Guided walkthrough of the 1838 Black Metropolis Map and 1838 Census Finding Aid

Overview: Students will be introduced to the 1838 Black Metropolis Map and 1838 Census Finding Aid through a guided, whole-group walkthrough. By focusing on the life of Rachel Myers, a free Black woman living in Philadelphia in 1838, students will practice navigating digital archival tools to extract meaningful historical data. This activity helps students build geographic literacy and understand how primary source research can illuminate individual stories within a broader social landscape.

Time: 10 minutes

Format: Whole Group

Objective: SWBAT navigate the 1838 Black Metropolis Map and 1838 Census Finding Aid to locate biographical information about free Black residents in Philadelphia.

• Access and project the 1838 Census Finding Aid

• • Search for Rachel Myers

  • Locate the volume and page

  • • Rachel Myers, Vol. 3, pp 48-49

  • Identify key details (occupation, address, family, value of property, etc.)

• Access the 1838 Pennsylvania Abolition Society (PAS) Census Vol. 3: https://www.1838blackmetropolis.com/1838-pas-census

• • Go to pp 48-49 to view Rachel Myers

• Then, access and project the 1838 Black Metropolis Map

• • Click on the Layers icon (the fourth icon on the right side of the map) 

  • • Scroll through the Layers under ”Choose What to See”

  • Deselect the Population Heatmap

  • Select 1838 and Later Confirmed House Locations and 1838 Census Household Detail- Accurate to Intersections

  • Click on the Filter icon (the sixth icon on the right side of the map) 

  • • Search for Rachel Myers by her “Family Name” which is Myers

  • Zoom in to search for Rachel Myers on the map at 412 South 7th Street Philadelphia, PA. 

Rachel Myers shows up on the map via the following icons:

• Click on the Export or Print icon (at the top of the map) 

• Show students how to save this view of the map as 1838 Black Metropolis Map- Rachel Myers. 

• Show the digital map featuring Rachel Myers' 1838 PAS Census data:

• • 1838 Black Metropolis Map- Rachel Myers.pdf

Activity 2: Mapping Lives, Making Meaning

Overview: In this collaborative small-group activity, students will use the 1838 Black Metropolis Map and 1838 PAS Census data to investigate a real person from the archive and reconstruct the key details of their life—including occupation, location, and family context. Students will synthesize their findings into a short biographical profile and reflect on the significance of recovering and sharing these stories today. This activity invites critical thinking, empathy, and real-world application of archival research.

Time: 15 minutes

Format: Small groups 

Objective: SWBAT analyze primary source data to reconstruct a historical narrative that centers lived Black experiences in antebellum Philadelphia.

• Assign students to small groups. 

• Assign each group to one of the following people:

• Invite students to use the  1838 Black Metropolis Map to chart at least five personal and social facts about the person/ their family.

• Each person in the group should complete Mapping Lives, Making Meaning.docx and: 

• • create a short profile about their assigned person.

  • include a five sentence synopsis based on the following prompt: 

  • • Why is it important to tell these stories now?

  • If possible: save a PDF version of their person’s map view (similar to the Rachel Myers example)

Activity 3: Map the Meaning

Overview: In this whole-group activity, students will present key facts about their assigned individuals while visually locating each person on the 1838 Black Metropolis Map, reinforcing connections between geography, historical identity, and community context.

Time: 15 minutes

Format: Whole Group

Objective: SWBAT present key biographical details about historical individuals on the 1838 Black Metropolis Map to demonstrate connections between personal narratives, geography, and community identity.

• Project the 1838 Black Metropolis Map.

• Invite each group to spend 1-2 minutes sharing important facts about their assigned person. 

• • Show the assigned person’s location on the map.