🌍 Lesson 2: People of the 1838 Black Metropolis

This lesson traces the global and local roots of Philadelphia’s free Black community, connecting the histories of African kingdoms, the transatlantic slave trade, and early American resistance to slavery. Students begin by exploring African origins and empires, then shift to African American experiences in colonial and early America. They learn how people of African descent preserved memory, challenged dominant narratives through historiography, and built institutions led by extraordinary Black women and families. This unit emphasizes storytelling and identity formation culminating in students surfacing “extraordinary ordinary” lives that made up the Black Metropolis.

🎯 Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Analyze maps and data to trace African origins and transatlantic migration patterns.

• Explain how African cultural heritage influenced African American identity and resistance.

• Evaluate how Black historians and writers preserved and reframed African American history.

• Investigate the impact of Black women’s leadership and collective organizing on community life.

• Develop biographical insights into everyday individuals who shaped the 1838 Black Metropolis.