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ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to examine whether middle and secondary students' social identities impact exhibition of historical empathy through analysis of an underrepresented historical figure with the instructional unit "The Elizabeth Jennings Project."Major findings show that evidence of a "historical empathy gap" exists with regard to disparities on how students of diverse racial affiliations, English language proficiency, gender identities, and learning abilities impact demonstration of historical empathy.
Historical empathy (HE) is an important aspect of social studies instruction that is shaped through students' analyses of the historical context of documents, investigations of the perspectives of authors of documents, and making affective connections to content and/or personal experiences (Huijgen van Boxtel, van de Grift, & Holthuis, 2017; Endacott & Brooks, 2013; Yilmaz, 2007). Although considerable scholarship exists about pedagogies that promote the cognitive aspects of HE in middle and secondary social studies, there is limited research about how subjective conditions, such as students' social identities that include racial, gender, and ethnic affiliations, foster HE (Brooks, 2011; Colby, 2009 -2010; Dulberg, 2002; Epstein & Shiller, 2005). As debates concerning issues such as civil liberties, race, gender rights, and immigration persist in the 24/7 news cycle, social media, and legislative bodies persist, understanding whether students' social identities impact demonstration of HE is critical for educators to promote historical thinking skills, civic engagement, and participation in this democratic society (VanSledright, 2001).
PURPOSE OF STUDY AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The purpose of this study is to analyze whether the students' social identities impact demonstration of HE through source analysis about antebellum civil rights activist Elizabeth Jennings with the instructional unit "The Elizabeth Jennings Project" (EJP). The question that frames this research is as follows:
Do students' social identities reveal insights about whether racial, gender, and/or ethnic affiliation (s) impact demonstration of HE through engagement of an instructional unit about Elizabeth Jennings as an underrepresented historical figure in middle and secondary social studies classes? If so, how? If not, why?
Endacott's (2010) recommendations for further scholarship on whether the affective aspects of HE are shaped through source analysis about underrepresented historical figures inspired me to focus on Jennings as the curricular focus of this study. Jennings was ejected from a streetcar in New York City in 1854 due...