Migration is a constant in human history and laden with cultural implications. In virtually any locale the movement in of people has occurred. Those migrations are not always at the forefront of the historical memory of a place. In this course students have investigated migration into the community or communities nearby their campus. Once an in-migration group was identified the students worked to discover the cultural contributions brought to bear by that group on their communities. This movement may have happened at any time in the community’s history. By thinking creatively and broadly students have found groups in their regions and identify the contributions of those one-time newcomers to the life and culture in those places. Students were asked to consider how migrant culture broadly defined may have influenced music, culinary traditions, labor relations, craft and art, agriculture, architecture, or religion. By bringing to life these stories the students’ crossroads projects worked to rescue forgotten local history from obscurity.
Alvis E. Dunn, PHD
University of North Carolina Asheville
Leland Turner, PHD
Midwestern State University
And a wonderful cadre of students from The University of North Carolina Asheville, The Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (North Adams, MA), The University of Minnesota Morris (Morris, MN), Keene State University (Keene, NH), Truman State University (Kirksville, MO), and Midwestern State University (Wichita Falls, TX).
With special thanks to Leah Tams of Mary Washington University for all the support, both technical and emotional.
Continue on to see the work that the students have done: Cultural Crossroads Student Sites
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