September 2, 2006 - Looking for Angola Expands Into the Classroom
Sarasota, Florida-- Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte County, Florida teachers and students will soon have a unique opportunity to participate in the archaeological search for an early 1800's Black Seminole community called the Angola Settlement. "The site is one of America's most important locations in African American history and heritage," according to historian Dr. Canter Brown, Jr. of Fort Valley State University, who began researching Angola twenty years ago.
The multi-disciplinary project called "Looking For Angola," based on Brown's research, began in 2002 when the Florida Department of State's Division of Historical Resources funded archaeological testing. Archaeological shovel tests were conducted on Pine Island on Florida's southwest coast, and selected parcels located in east Bradenton, Florida. The Florida Humanities Council funded a series of public lectures that featured Angola scholars discussing ongoing research with local residents and the signifcance of the "maroon" community.
Image: Educators and Community Leaders Visit De Soto National Memorial as Part of a Tour of Sites Along the Manatee River Associated with Angola.
Most recently, the History Channel, Comcast Cable and Pat Neal Communities, Inc. awarded grants that will fund training workshops, student activities and field trips for interested teachers who sign up to participate. "Since the Angola project's inception, I've looked for ways to include students. The project offers an excellent opportunity for hands on learning experiences," said LFA Project Director Vickie Oldham. Oldham adds, "LFA will exercise the reading, researching, critical thinking, problem solving and math skills of participating students."
Last year, Oldham began meeting with the Sarasota Herald Tribune's Newspaper In Education (NIE) Director Mary Charland and social studies curriculum directors in Manatee and Sarasota County to map out a plan to expand into the classroom during the 2006-2007 school year. In January, three student newspapers focused on subjects such as archaeology and the importance of historic preservation will be published and used by teachers to discuss Angola. Angola scholars will be featured guest speakers in schools; and students will learn about the lastest research techniques and equipment used by underwater archaeologists to find artifacts related to Angola.
This Fall, the search will expand as archaeologists perform the first underwater archaeology tests ever done in southwst Florida's Manatee River, in hopes of finding traces of the Angola settlement. The Florida Department of State's Division of Historical Resources will fund the investigations.
Recently, the team of education experts developing the educational component of LFA joined Mote Marine's underwater archaeologist Dr. J. Cozzi on Sarasota Bay to find out more about the tools scientists use to research ocean beds.
For more information about the Looking for Angola Project, please contact project director Vickie Oldham by using our Contact Us form.
