The Johnson County Park and Recreation District is pleased to announce that they are the recipient of a Discussion Grant from Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area in the amount of $2,500 for the project “A Raisin in the Sun and the Legacy of Redlining.”  This program is a collaborative effort within the Culture Division of JCPRD. Together with their partners in the Fine and Performing Arts Department, the Johnson County Museum team created a new field trip experience and materials that provide a meaningful exploration of the history of systemic inequality in our communities.

The immersive learning field trip experience, which is available in person or in the classroom, is rooted in a study of Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun,” supported by local and national historical context, and culminates with a multi-media art project. Students explore the play’s complex topics through the lenses of history, fine arts, theater, and writing. Through tours of the Johnson County Museum and an examination of primary sources, they delve into the history of redlining and the government policies that created housing discrimination. Students participate in a scene study with theater teaching artists, followed by a creative writing reflection. And fine arts instructors lead participants in a multi-media project that will allow students to reflect on their experience and unpack this complex topic through art.

The cumulative experience is designed to leave participants inspired and empowered to understand more fully the past, present, and future of the enduring struggle of freedom here in Johnson County and across the nation. This inter-disciplinary format fosters a deeper understanding of how communities are created and for whom, which situates the play within the local and national context of redlining. The historical examination utilizes an inquiry-based lesson on redlining that Johnson County Museum leaders created with the Heartland Learning Collaborative. The lesson includes primary sources from the Johnson County Museum as well as other Freedom’s Frontier partner sites, like the National Archives and Records Administration in Kansas City.

The onsite field trip is available through Jan. 7, 2023, when the special exhibit “REDLINED: Cities, Suburbs, and Segregation” closes. A traveling version of the field trip is currently touring local classrooms, complete with digital and physical materials, lesson, and guides. After the exhibit closes, this version of the field trip will continue to be available at a low cost thanks to the funding from FFNHA.

Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area was authorized by Congress in 2006. FFNHA consists of willing partners from throughout the 41 counties in western Missouri and eastern Kansas that guide the planning and execution of heritage area projects.  FFNHA’s discussion grant program awards grants for projects that provide learning opportunities and discussion on equal justice issues within partner communities. For more information about Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area, visit freedomsfrontier.org.

The Johnson County Park and Recreation District Culture Division includes the Johnson County Museum, Theatre in the Park Indoors and Outdoors, Fine & Performing Arts Programming, and the Johnson County Park and Recreation District Public Art Program.  The Johnson County Museum is an award-winning history museum with a long tradition of service to our community. The museum’s mission is to showcase Johnson County’s unique stories through collections, programs, and exhibitions within our iconic venues. Now in its 55th year, the nationally accredited museum is a treasured site to explore the history of a suburban county and its relationship to regional and national history. Learn more at JCPRD.com/museum.