CODES 2027 Research Team 2

    From the article read the author’s main argument is that restorative justice in the St. Louis is correlated to the ideas of peoples and their wrongdoings.  There are some principles or guidelines that speak about how wrongdoings are a violation of people’s interpersonal relationships.  I believe this is the biggest reason why certain things like racism was and are so big in St. Louis and even across the country. When you go against people’s personal boundaries in relation to being treated right and equality you run into situations where people feel like they are not being heard or understood. This then can turn into protests and other acts of freedom of speech which is our first amendment right. As the article mentions “Restorative Justice acknowledges that when a person does harm, it affects the people they hurt, the community and themselves”.  It’s not just about when you do something wrong and forget it, the moral is when there is a misunderstanding when it comes to people’s voices and actions, people should be held accountable for their wrongdoings and the people that are or were affected should not have to suffer because others do not like the way things are going, or because a particularly community wants to improve or do better for themselves.

      This source teaches us to understand what restorative justice is and to address issues when they should be and need be, within a respectful and proper manner.  One phrase I like to use is “One bad apple can spoil the whole bunch”, that is what can happen when one person gets hurt or a group of people get hurt, it spreads like wildfire. As humans we have to be conscious and aware of who and what we are doing because if not we can hurt people emotionally instead of uplifting and helping. 

 In this podcast we get a perspective from a black elementary school teacher about the topic discussion about the history of slavery being taught to younger kids. I find it very interesting myself that  growing up and back in elementary school I personally did not learn much about slavery and the oppression and effects it had on black people. Towards my middle school years going closer to eighth grade I had more white teachers and I was at an all black elementary school where everyone looks like you. You come up hearing about the Dr. King and Malcom X and Fredrick Douglas but you never hear about George Washington Carver who discovered peanut butter and Lewis Latimer who invented the lightbulb. The technology and items we use on a daily basis most were invented and or founded by black people and we do not get the credit we deserve today. It goes to show how in most school systems government officials are trying to ban the teaching of African American history and slavery. In the podcast it mentions how schools talk about heroes and they do not talk about villains. Kate Shuster first interviewer as her role in leading the new framework of teaching the hard history to elementary school students.   The goal of the framework  was to create a diverse range of access points for teachers for K-5 specifically  and its difference in relation to trying to teach high school history. The idea behind this was to already look at lesson plans teachers had and not change it completely but to add and to expand on what they already was teaching and incorporate some minor changes for the perspective of K-5 so students at an early age can get an understanding and retain that crucial information that needs to be brought into the light. 

In the TED Talk “What if gentrification was about healing communities instead of displacing them?” by Liz Ogbu was about the overarching topic of gentrification. Liz is an architect who works on spatial justice. She believes that the idea that justice has a geography and that the equitable distribution of resources and services is a human right. She develops real and deep questions that challenge developers, architects, and policymakers about gentrification. When these people participate in the act of gentrification, they are harming the community members, some of whom have lived there for numerous upon numerous years. Liz strongly believes that healing is not about erasing pain, healing is about acknowledging pain and making peace with it and that is exactly why she does the occupation she is in right now. She is there not to build on top of the brokenness but rather, restore hope and healing in these communities. Some key points that were raised in the TED talk that really caught my attention were, “Who thinks you can go to therapy once and be healed,” “Hurt people hurt people, healed people heal people,” and “pain and grief are recurring themes of gentrification.” She also mentions that the choice of gentrification is not yours to make, it is no longer your home. This is completely true and disturbing becuase at the back of your mind you must formulate a backup plan just in case, which is saddening. 

 In this article it talks about the slave trade that happened in St. Louis that was led by a prominent trader, Bernard Lynch. Black Missourians were considered property under the state law. During this time period, the cotton industry was on the rise so many enslaved people feared being sold down the Mississippi River. His main trade site was called, “Lynch’s Slave Pen.” Bernards prison incarcerated enslaved people about to be sold at auction, freedom seekers who had been captured, and free Blacks who had violated the law. Not to mention, he had employees to violently punish the “inmates.” Lynch abandoned his prison because the U.S military seized it at the beginning of the Civil War. Before these people were sold, they had to endure beatings, were forced to be naked or wear very little clothing in front of big crows, etc. In one of Lynch’s advertisements, it was descriptioned, “For Sale–A highly likely intelligent MULATTO BOY, between ten and twelve years of age. It is a good hand to wash dishes, wait on the table, take care of children, run errands, &c. Address post office, box 2,577”.  In the advertisement for the selling a little light skin boy, they referred to him as “it” rather than his proper pronouns which are he/his. I feel as if that was very dehumanizing and degrading. 

So the questions I’ve posed are:

• What are some ways to deliver information to people who aren’t willing to learn about the negative past of, in this case, St. Louis? How do you deal with their  guilt and change their perspective?  
• What goes through your head when finding out about uncovered history and how does it make you feel?
• Why don’t you think history like this isn’t already being told ? Do you think it’s not being told for a reason (like they are trying to hide it) or what do you think? 

The abolitionist movement gained momentum in St. Louis, fueled by the efforts of activists and free Black communities who wanted to challenge the institution of slavery and advocate for equal rights. However, the legacy of slavery continued to cast a long shadow over the city long after its formal abolition. Today, St. Louis struggles with the history of it’s slave trade history,  issues of systemic racism, inequality, and social justice. Efforts to memorialize the dark chapter in the city’s past have included the preservation of historical sites, the establishment of educational programs, and ongoing dialogue about race.

In summary, while the slave trade in St. Louis may not be as widely known as in other parts of the United States, its impact on the city’s development and its lasting impacts on race and social justice cannot be overlooked. The history of slavery in St. Louis serves as a reminder of the struggle for freedom and equality in America.

Some may say teachers may feel uncomfortable addressing such a dark aspect of history, especially when discussing its brutality and long-lasting impact. Slavery is often intertwined with issues of race, power, and privilege, which can lead to discomfort from both educators and students, particularly in diverse classrooms where students may have personal connections to the history of slavery.

Teaching about slavery underscores the importance of human rights and the consequences of their abuse. It promotes values such as equality, dignity, and respect for all individuals, regardless of race, ethnicity, or background.

Slavery’s impact continues to garner issues such as racial discrimination, economic disparities, and social inequality. By learning about slavery, students can better understand and address current challenges. Slavery has impacted cultural identity, traditions, and heritage, particularly for African Americans. Teaching about slavery allows students to appreciate the diversity of human experiences and the history of marginalized communities. Studying slavery in the school system encourages critical thinking skills by prompting students to analyze sources, consider different perspectives, and evaluate history. It also inspires engagement by empowering students to advocate for social justice and contribute to positive change.

Source Analysis #3: The Slave Trade in St. Louis

This article acknowledges the history of slave trading within St. Louis, it begins with a photograph of Benard Lynch’s “Slave Pen” which is now the site of Ballpark Village. Following the photograph was more information about the historical prominence of the site and what events occurred within it. The article also magnifies the importance of remembering the victims of St. Louis’s Slave Trade along with, the role that the St. Louis County Sheriff of 1843 enacted. In addition, this article celebrates how Representatives of Missouri State in 2021 arranged a memorial to commemorate the city’s enslaved residents who were victims of the slave trade. Lastly, this article ends illustration of an auction of enslaved people near the steps of the St. Louis Courthouse.

This article was created to reach the audience of the National Park Service of St. Louis and address the history of slavery in St. Louis. This article can teach about the history of slave trading in St. Louis while communicating that for many years the lives of enslaved victims in Benard Lynch’s “Slave Pen” went silenced until Missouri State Representatives felt a calling to repair injustice by holding a memorial for the enslaved victims in 2021. What surprised me most about this article was that it didn’t elaborate more upon the “Last Sale of Slaves” painting that Thomas Satterwhite Noble painted in 1865 and what all the illustration depicted.

Source Analysis #2: Teaching Hard History (Podcast: Episode 4, Season 2)

The Teaching Hard History Podcast: Episode 4, Season 2 discusses that when teaching elementary-age children about slavery many avoid explaining oppression and only focus on heroic figures. If students do not learn about slavery during early grades this may cause consequences for the rest of their education and educational experience. Dr. Kate Shuster provides an essential guide to navigate through the new Teaching Hard History K-5 framework from Learning for Justice. This framework is further discussed by a few elementary teachers who have already started to implement the framework within their classrooms.

The purpose of this source is to talk about how slavery is a hard piece of history to teach elementary-age children, which isn’t a reason to not teach slavery or even skip out pieces about slavery. The framework that was discussed acts as a guideline for teachers to utilize and implement in their classrooms.

This source helps us understand that our problem is rooted in the fact that many people don’t learn about slavery at all or enough during their elementary-age career. The framework created by Dr. Kate Shuster acts as an essential guide to how to teach an approach slavery to a K-5 audience.

This source is important to us because it shows what resource we can use to effectively address slavery to elementary-aged children.