Students in History 7: The History of the United States from Multiple Perspectives unpacked the history of the Middle Passage by examining Faneuil Hall’s connection to the transatlantic slave trade. In an effort to contextualize the topic and encourage students to share their learning, the class was tasked with creating art installations that could be displayed outside of Faneuil Hall, communicating the landmark’s history to those passing by.
Prior to the assignment, students engaged in research, gallery walks, and discussions centered around the Middle Passage. Students began to comprehend the harsh conditions faced by enslaved individuals during the voyage and how slavery took root in the United States. Similarly, the class explored the legacy of Faneuil Hall, including how it was funded primarily by money from the slave trade. This knowledge served as the starting point for the class’ assignment, which asked them to consider how this history could be communicated through art.
Deeper learning happens through projects like this one. Students will always remember the sculpture they made for Faneuil Hall and the history behind it.
Head of School Kim Samson
History 7 spent the duration of the assignment meeting on the D-Level, allowing students to leverage R+D resources to complete their installations. With the option to work in groups or independently, collaboration became commonplace, with students discussing ideas and getting inspired by one another. Using paint, clay, recycled materials, laser cutters, and 3D modeling, each installation began to take shape.
I think it is really important that students are challenged to teach others–in this case the Boston community–about enslavement at Faneuil Hall. It centers the student as the experts and the creators.
Leslie Meahl, MS Global History and Social Sciences
Each student took a unique approach in designing their installations. In order to communicate the harsh realities of enslavement, Esmeralda Wright ’30 and Alessandro Traverso ’30 chose to depict an abandoned auction block in front of a 3D printed Faneuil Hall. “We made a stark contrast between the two sides to show the different realities people lived in and the realities that are still impacting us today,” they say. Elliot Fayne ’30, Charlotte Dolan ’30, and Sophie Herbstman ’30 took a different approach, wanting to convey a message through an abstract depiction of arms and chains. “We were originally going to represent breaking the chains,” Elliot says. “But there were so many people that weren’t known or freed; there were so many more people that didn’t break free than ones that did.”
The installations created by History 7 students are currently on display on the second floor of the Middle School wing. Following this assignment, teachers Leslie Meahl and Megan Wu Macomber hope that students will continue to critically engage with the history and public art that surrounds them. Students will continue to learn about enslavement during an upcoming project tasking them with creating virtual exhibits on forms of resistance to enslavement.
