Hidden History, Moonstone Arts, and Why I Love Writing in Groups

Saturday was the Charlotte Forten Writing Workshop (put on by the Philadelphia Writing Project, NMAJH, and Moonstone Arts).

When I was young, I thought that the reason there weren't any women in history books (other than in special block sections proclaiming that they were, in fact, important) was because women really hadn't done anything important.

That is not a lie. That was hegemony in practice*.

That might be why I love Moonstone Arts's Hidden History series. It's an opportunity to learn about people who don't make it into the history books or who only get a special block section.

The workshop on Saturday brought together students, teachers, parents, grandparents, actors, and scholars. Elijah Pringle, Jonathan Steadman, and Bethlehem presented Charlotte Forten's journal entries by having Jonathan act as interviewer and Bethlehem play the role of Charlotte Forten reading from her journal. At every 'commercial break,' Elijah gave students a writing prompt that related to the journal entry. At the end of each break, we shared what we wrote.

Charlotte Forten was an abolitionist, educator, member of Port Royal Experiment, Philadelphian, and writer. Her journals (where she casually mentions meeting Colonel Robert Shaw) provide a first-hand account of living before, during, and after the civil war.

This photo is of Bethlehem playing the role of Charlotte Forten as she read Forten's 6/2/1854 response to the decision against Anthony Burns:

And if resistance is offered to this outrage, these soldiers are to shoot down American citizens without mercy; and this by the express orders of a government which proudly boasts of being the freese in the world; this on the very soil where the Revolution of 1776 began; in sight of the battle-field, where thousands of brave men fought and died in opposing British Tyranny, which was nothing compared with the American oppression to-day. I can write no more. A cloud seems hanging over me, over all our persecuted race, which nothing can dispel.

The writing prompt we used with this was, "What do you witness in the world around you? How do you feel about it? Write a journal entry about something you have seen that stirred your emotions."

Throughout the workshop, the writing ranged from poignant to silly, and each time someone shared her writing, I was reminded of why I love writing in groups: because everyone can be inspired by the same passage, and there's something amazing about the differences in people's responses.

At the end of the workshop, everyone got free admission to the museum. That was when I saw this book. I cannot tell you how happy I am that there's a book called My First Kafka. Sigh. Love post-modernism when it does things like this.

Although this post is way, way too long, I'm going to put in links to two videos made by participants in the NMAJH Story Corps booth. You have to link through the captions because Blogger and Story Corps didn't want to format nicely together. 

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

What Does Freedom Mean to You?

At the end of the day: found this on a table tent. Thank YOU, Emilie and Pam, for participating!

If you're interested in getting a copy of the booklet that we gave to participants (because it's awesome), email larrymoonstoneartscenter.org to find out more. 

*Dave Baroody, I am aware that I have to put a quarter into the grad school jar now.