They Were Here: Promoting Historical Empathy With a Local History Research Project

• In Event: Critical Issues in Civic Education

Abstract

Historical empathy (HE) is a growing field in social studies education that has gained considerable scholarly attention over the past three decades. In alignment with the conference theme “Interrogating Consequential Education Research in the Pursuit of Truth,” the purpose of this study is to examine whether high school students’ participation in a local history research project where they filmed documentaries about a historically Black cemetery in a metropolitan region of the Southeast promoted HE. The aims of this study is to contribute to larger curricular discussions about how student engagement in local history research and community service can promote HE in the social studies curriculum.

Authors

• Katherine Perrotta, Mercer University
  Presenting Author

• Caitlin Hochuli, Mercer University
  Presenting Author

• Rachael Williams, Mercer University
  Presenting Author

• Jamilah Hickson, Mercer University
  Presenting Author