Hidden Voices: Untold Stories of New York City

The Hidden Voices project was initiated to help students learn about and honor the innumerable people, often “hidden” from the traditional historical record, who have shaped and continue to shape our history and identity. These peoples influenced the social, political, cultural, and economic landscape of the United States, and their contributions continue to shape our collective history and identity. Teaching students the different, and often conflicting, concepts and issues that impact diverse groups in the United States, and New York City specifically, helps them better understand the factors that contributed to the birth, growth, and development of the nation. Understanding the context and histories of diverse groups helps students to develop empathy for others.

Hidden Voices allows students to find their own voice as they become analysts of the past and make connections between the past and the present. The design and included resources allow teachers to integrate and explore inclusive learning experiences that center the diverse perspectives and contributions of underrepresented individuals and groups. The Hidden Voices: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in United States History guide constitutes essays by historians and experts. This guide is intended to help teachers develop pedagogical content knowledge about Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) history and experiences.

Caption by the New York City Department of Education: WeTeachNYC

A selection of portraits created for the Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders in United States History Study Guide.

Concepts and illustrations by Michelle Zhuang. Final poster layouts by the New York City Department of Education.

The Ah Ming & Helen Zia Hidden Voices Posters are from a collection of posters with original art by various AAPI artists and captions by historian Senti Sojwal. These posters were created to accompany the materials in Hidden Voices: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in United States History Guide and Hidden Voices: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in United States History Lesson Plans.

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