One of the most important reasons to learn history is to gain an understanding of how it impacts modern society. Too often we fail to see how our past has influenced our present, and this leads to a level of disconnect. For our final assignment in sixth grade humanities, we wanted to highlight our individual cultural heritage–where we came from and how we celebrate this history today. Culture is nuanced and layered in a way that can lead to true appreciation and understanding of one another.

The object of this assignment was to bring to life the richness of culture and its impact on our lives. Too often, young scholars experience school without ever having the opportunity to pridefully share and learn about their own cultures.

American history, particularly colonial history, is often written as a story about European settlers, Enslaved Africans, and Indigenous people. This assignment allowed us to expand our knowledge and demonstrate that there are many cultural groups who have been a part of American history and have contributed to this country. Their cultures have also enriched our society. This assignment acts as a reminder that cultures and traditions are critical to what is best in our society. As Blair stated, “I really enjoyed learning and tasting all of the delicious foods from all of the cultures.”

During their research, the sixth grade had to examine and learn about the roots of many cultural expressions including the origins of foods, dance, and clothing. This assignment was inspired by the incredibly informative documentary entitled, High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America.