From Brown to Brown: Race in America

This six-day institute was part of Turning Points in the History of American Foreign Policy, aChoices Program Teaching American History initiative that engaged teachers at the secondary level in eleven districts in eight states.

Tuesday July 6th

  • 2:00 Welcome: Thomas Biersteker, Director, Watson Institute
  • Introduction to the Choices Program and the TAH Summer Institute — Susan Graseck, Choices Program
  • 2:15 Goals for the Institute — Kelly Keogh, Teacher, Normal Community High School, Normal, IL
  • 2:45 From Brown to Brown: Race in America - An Introduction to the Brown Brothers — Sarah Fox, Choices Program
  • Activity: Making Connections – From Brown to Brown — Ron Levitsky, Sunset Ridge School, Northfield, IL; Nicolle Robinson, Granite High School, Salt Lake City, UT
  • 5:30 Break
  • 6:30 Dinner - Radisson Hotel


Wednesday July 7th

  • 8:30 Workshop on the Triangular Trade and Slavery in New England (Part I) — Tim Bickford, History Teacher, Moses Brown School; Barry Marshall, Drama Teacher, Moses Brown School
  • 10:00 Break
  • 10:15 Scholar Presentation: Slavery in New England — John Wood Sweet, Assistant Professor of History, UNC Chapel Hill
  • 11:15 Workshop on the Triangular Trade and Slavery in New England (Part II)
  • 12:15 Lunch
  • 1:00 Workshop Deconstruction and Reflection by Participants of Workshop Experiences — Kelly Keogh
  • 1:45 [Two Groups]

New Teacher-Leaders: Introduction to Planning District Workshops

Veteran Teacher-Leaders: Modifying Choices in the Classroom — Robin Yates, Reading Specialist, Central Falls High School - scholar-in-residence

  • 4:30 End of Day

Thursday, July 8th

  • 8:30 Scholar Presentation: Slave Trade, Reparations, Responsibility, and the Concept of Race — James Campbell, Associate Professor of Africana Studies and American Civilization, Brown University; Joanne Pope Melish, Associate Professor of 19th Century U.S. History, University of Kentucky
  • 10:15 Break
  • 10:30 Review of Institute, Expectations and Deadlines: Participating Scholars, Development of Race Lessons (and scholar review), Modifications for Special Needs (veterans), Practice Workshops fro Brown MATs (new), Susan Graseck
  • 11:00 Curriculum Development: Supplemental Lesson Plans on Race — Introduction, Kelly Keogh
  • 12:00 Lunch
  • 1:00 Curriculum Development: Supplemental Lesson Plans on Race — Working Session #1
  • 3:00 Using Choices: Best Practices Discussion — Nicolle Robinson
  • 4:00 Scholar Presentation: Reconstruction and Plessy v Ferguson — Michael Vorenberg, Assistant Professor of History, Brown University
  • 5:00 End of Day
  • 6:30 Dinner - Watson Institute
  • 7:30 Scholar Presentation: Screening of The Fog of War (37-minute excerpt) — James G. Blight, Professor of International Relations (Research), Watson Institute, Brown University; janet M. Lang, Adjunct Associate Professor of International Relations (Research), Watson Institute, Brown University

Friday July 9th

  • 9:00 Scholar Presentation: The Impact of Race on Decisionmaking in Foreign Policy— Richard Payne, Professor of Politics and Government, Illinois State University
  • 12:00 Lunch
  • 1:00 Curriculum Development: Supplemental Lesson Plans on Race — Working Session #2 — Richard Payne as Scholar-in-Residence
  • 3:00 John Brown on Trial: Activity and Debriefing — Kelly Keogh and Becca Leaphart
  • 5:30 Wine and Cheese


Saturday, July 10th

  • 8:45 Working Session — New Teacher-Leaders: Continue Workshop Planning, Veteran Teacher-Leaders: Continue Modifying Choices in the Classroom
  • 9:45 Introduction to Newport Field Trip — Barry Marshall, Drama Teacher, Moses Brown School; Tim Bickford, History Teacher, Moses Brown School
  • 10:00 Field Trip to Newport—Scholar-Guided Walking Tour [Note: Ferry leaves 10:45. We must be on the dock at 10:30.]
  • 6:15 Ferry Returns to Providence (Field trip completed by 3:15 ferry — additional time to explore on own)


Sunday July 11th — Day off

Monday, July 12th

  • 9:30 Curriculum Development: Supplemental Lesson Plans on Race — Working Session #3
  • 12:00 Star Power: Explanation of Activity (moved from Thursday at 3pm) Activity and Debriefing — Ron Levitsky
  • 12:30 Lunch
  • 1:15 New Teacher-Leaders: Finalize Workshop Planning — Veteran Teacher-Leaders: Finalize Modifying Choices in the Classroom
  • 2:00 Leading Workshops: New Teacher-Leaders lead workshops for Brown student teachers and Veteran Teacher-Leaders – Classrooms at WIIS
  • 4:00 Break
  • 4:30 Debriefing Workshops — Kelly Keogh and Nicolle Robinson
  • 6:00 Dinner – Watson Institute
  • 7:00 Veteran Teacher-Leaders: Present Modifying Choices in the Classroom
  • 8:00 End of Day

Tuesday, July 13th

  • 8:45 Curriculum Development: Presentation of Supplemental Lesson Plans on Race (Part I) — Commentary: James Campbell and Joanne Pope Melish
  • 10:00 Scholar Presentation: Brown v Board of Education and Desegregation — James Patterson, Professor Emeritus of History, Brown University
  • 11:15 Break
  • 11:30 Curriculum Development: Presentation of Supplemental Lesson Plans on Race (Part II)
    — Commentary: James Campbell and Joanne Pope Melish
  • 12:30 Lunch
  • 1:30 The Year Ahead: Expectations, Deadlines, Plans — Workshop Presentations and Program Evaluation Procedures for Coming Year
  • 2:30 Poster Presentation: Making Connections—From Brown to Brown
  • 2:45 Break
  • 3:00 Closure: The Legacy of the Slave Trade — James Campbell and Joanne Pope Melish
  • 4:00 Reflections on the Institute and the Year Ahead — Kristin Hayes, Narragansett High School, RI; Yvette Santiesteban, Metropolitan Learning Center, CT; Raul Valdez, Ed Couch-Elsa High School, TX; Ron Levitsky (Moderator)
  • 4:45 Break
  • 6:00 Dinner at Watson and Institute Evaluation
  • 8:00 End of Institute

The Professional Development Calendar provides information on all Choices Program workshops and teaching institutes. Institutes and Seminars provides information on recent and upcoming institutes.