Kids have to learn to see the history around us everywhere. History connects the past to the present, helping us understand how our world—and we—came to be. Learning history also encourages our sense of belonging. Each of us is part of multiple communities that give our lives meaning. We belong to nations, religions, small groups, and professions. We are shaped by our economic conditions, our ethnic background, and our gender. We become better caretakers of our communities, even when that requires using historical knowledge to criticize the present. Most of all, we discover that we are not the first to wrestle with the kinds of questions that possess us. We have much to learn from those who preceded us. History sheds light on the most important issues we face today. Making sense of other societies also encourages empathy for different cultures around the world. We thus study history to simultaneously situate ourselves in the present and to distance ourselves from it. The city of Buffalo has a rich complex past. We have always been a crossroads of people, cultures, good services and ideas. When you look to the indigenous people who first settled, to the French, Dutch and English that explored the region, African Americans, Germans, Irish, Poles, Italians, Hungarians, Ukrainians, Armenians, to more recently, Puerto Ricans, Vietnamese, Nigerian, Sudanese, Syrian and Pakistani to name just a few one can see how diverse our communities are and have always been. This diversity is what makes our city great. When kids study history and can see themselves in the story, that resonates. One thing we can do as teachers is to take kids on field trips to explore our past. This is a great way to help them understand their place in our community. It allows them to appreciate and celebrate our racial and cultural diversity. Over the years, I have taken kids to sites that celebrate our African American Heritage, our Native American heritage, and have toured many neighborhoods throughout our city. This allows kids to experience our past and present within an inclusive multicultural context. In addition, taking them to places like Forest Lawn Cemetery, the Freedom Wall, Teddy Roosevelt Inaugural Site, Old Fort Niagara, the Naval Park, on Architectural Tours, Olmstead Parks, the Erie Canal Locks Niagara Falls, helps give them sense of place and time. It the story of Buffalo, the story of us coming together to create a new society where everyone has a place and a voice. Helping kids make sense of the past and present will help them understand and anticipate their future.
