Past Institutes

The Making of Modern America, 1877–Present

In June 2011, more one hundred and fifty teachers attended four professional development institutes organized by Humanities Texas, the College of Liberal Arts at The University of Texas at Austin, the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum, Texas A&M International University, The University of Texas at El Paso, and The University of Texas at San Antonio examining significant events and themes in U.S. history since Reconstruction.

Curriculum

The institutes covered topics central to courses in U.S. history, such as the Progressive Era, the New Deal, World War II, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Cold War. Content was aligned with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), with particular emphasis on newly added or revised standards.

The institutes emphasized close interaction with scholars, the examination of primary sources, and the development of effective pedagogical strategies and engaging assignments and activities. The programs were designed ultimately to enhance teachers' mastery of the subjects they teach and to improve students' performance on state assessments. Teachers received books and other instructional materials.

Faculty

Faculty included Pulitzer Prize-winners David M. Kennedy (Stanford University) and David M. Oshinksy (The University of Texas at Austin); Pulitzer Prize-finalist H. W. Brands (The University of Texas at Austin); Michael Les Benedict (The Ohio State University); Albert S. Broussard (Texas A&M University); Monica Perales (the University of Houston); Steven Mintz (Columbia University); Greg Cantrell (Texas Christian University); Keith Erekson (The University of Texas at El Paso); Maceo C. Dailey Jr. (The University of Texas at El Paso); and Gretchen Ritter (The University of Texas at Austin).

Educational specialists from the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum and the National Archives and Records Administration also served on the institutes’ faculty, providing participants with facsimiles of historic documents that support the teaching of U.S. history.

Program Resources

View videos of faculty lectures from the institute:

• H.W. Brands, "How the Rich Got Rich: The Gilded Age in America"
• Albert S. Broussard, “Teaching the Civil Rights Movement"
• David M. Kennedy, “World War II"
• Monica Perales, "Mexican Americans in the 20th Century"
• Gretchen Ritter, "Women's Citizenship and Political Activism, from the Bill of Rights to the Equal Rights Amendment"

Our July/August 2011 newsletter included a slideshow of images from the institutes and a transcript of David M. Kennedy's remarks on World War II from the Austin institute. 

The institutes’ final report includes a complete roster of all faculty and participants, as well as extensive excerpts from faculty presentations.

Locations and Schedules

Sponsors and Partners

Program sponsors included The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts, the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum, Texas A&M International University, The University of Texas at El Paso, and The University of Texas at San Antonio. Partners included the Center for Legislative Archives at the National Archives and Records Administration, the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, and the Institute of Texan Cultures.

These workshops were made possible with major funding from the state of Texas and a We the People grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.