Dr. Michael Klarman of the University of Virginia School of Law analyzes and interprets the Brown case and its impact on the Civil Rights Movement. He annotates Justice Douglas's conference notes on Brown, tells stories about the justices, details how justices decide cases, explains why Brown was a hard case for many of the justices, and makes conclusions on why they were nonetheless eventually able to reach a unanimous outcome. He discusses the various ways in which Brown mattered and did not matter by linking Brown with the rise of southern massive resistance, violence, and ultimately the enactment of civil rights legislation in the mid-1960s. Klarman includes lessons on how and why Court decisions matter, how historians tend perhaps to overemphasize the importance of the Court's contributions to racial change in the U.S., and important reminders about how violence was necessary to prompt most whites to care about the civil rights of southern blacks.

The Virginia Experiment Teaching Fellows Program was featured as a keynote panel presentation at the Teaching American History Project Directors' Seminar. Andy Mink, Chris Bunin, and Scott Nesbit present a session to a national audience of project directors, curriculum experts, and educators, considering how historians and educators look at primary and secondary sources and how those perspectives can overlap.

Dr. Lauranett Lee of the Virginia Historical Society explores ways to use oral history and historic preservation efforts to teach history. She is currently completing a commissioned project for the city of Hopewell in which she documents African American history. She discusses the mechanics of constructing a community history project and its applicability for teachers and students. The second half of the session focused on using the cultural landscape to teach history, including a walking tour of the historic Jefferson School.

To listen to this lecture, select "Podcast" under the September 4th session.

Dr. Tom Ewing of Virginia Tech talks about perceptions of foreign threat during the Cold War, in discussion format.

To listen to this discussion, select "Podcast Part 1" under the March 1st listing.

Dr. Gary Gallagher, University of Virginia, discusses themes and strategies for teaching the Civil War and the Reconstruction.

To listen to this podcast, select "Podcast" under the November 2nd listing.

Eighth grade American history educator Eric Langhorst reviews the book Abraham Lincoln: Great American Historians on Our Sixteenth President, edited by Brian Lamb and Susan Swain, suggesting it for classroom use during the Lincoln Bicentennial and to compliment the 2009 Presidential inauguration.

Eighth grade American history educator Eric Langhorst talks about several online resources that can be used to teach about Presidential inaugurations and Barack Obama's inauguration in particular.

Eighth grade American history educator Eric Langhorst discusses two books—The Political Cartoons of the Whispering Gallery by the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and The Lines are Drawn: Political Cartoons of the Civil War, edited by Kristen M. Smith—that he uses to give students an understanding that Abraham Lincoln was viewed in many different lights during his own time.

Christy Keeler of Clark County School District, NV, discusses the creation and use of digital stories in history classrooms. She presents an example of digital storytelling, "At Lincoln's Hand"; and looks at how students can use primary sources and research combined with emotive narration, music, and sound effects to craft effective digital stories.

Don Vitale of Archiving Early America narrates an overview of Benjamin Franklin's early life and his scientific, social, and inventive accomplishments prior to the Revolutionary War.

Captioned and uncaptioned versions of the film are available.