At age 50, National History Day keeps pushing students to seek difficult truths through research
abcnews.go.comMiddle and high school students across the United States are taking ownership of their history educations through a nonprofit that encourages young people to rigorously examine the past
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — It wasn't your typical trifold poster board display. High school freshman Alexandra Bui constructed a jumbo mail-order catalog replica from wooden sheets — an inventive, oversized way to convey her research on the Sears catalog's impact on getting consumer goods to Black shoppers who faced in-store discrimination in the Jim Crow South.
Bui, of Temple, Texas, is one of half a million young scholars taking part in this year's National History Day, a Maryland-based nonprofit's annual campaign that encourages students to take ownership of their history educations and rigorously examine the past. As the 2024 edition marks 50 years of championing evidence-based argumentation, participants say they find the work more relevant than ever.
With students encountering toxic falsehoods online and some Republican-led states like Florida looking to limit historical analysis in the classroom, the competition wants to empower middle and high school students to dive deeper into topics of their own choosing.
“We can do our research. We can talk to experts. And we can figure out the truth,” Bui told The Associated Press.
This year’s theme of “Turning Points in History” asked students to explore ideas or events that sparked change. More than 2,800 finalists reached the national competition after months spent visiting libraries and poring over primary sources. Contestants lined University of Maryland hallways this week as they anxiously waited to present trifold exhibits, documentaries or even theatrical performances. They rehearsed lines
Read more on abcnews.go.com
