The Space Age on the Space Coast

FAIN: BH-293742-23

National Council for History Education, Inc. (University Heights, OH 44118-3204)
Kathleen Barker (Project Director: February 2023 to present)

Two week-long residential workshops for cohorts of 35 K-12 educators on the historical, educational, and cultural relevance of the Kennedy Space Center in its geographic context. 

The National Council for History Education proposes to partner with the Astronauts Memorial Foundation at Kennedy Space Center to offer a residential NEH Landmarks Workshop that will take place twice in 2024: July 8-12, and July 15-19. These workshops will provide 70 K-12 educators from across the country with opportunities to explore Florida’s Space Coast. During the Cold War era, politics, science, and culture collided in this unique geographical location beginning in the 1950s; they continue to intersect there in profound ways today. Participants will investigate landmarks associated with the American origins of space exploration, including the Brevard Museum of History and Natural Science, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, and multiple exhibitions and experiences at the Kennedy Space Center. Participants will engage with historians, education specialists, and astronauts to explore these sites and give meaning to America’s scientific past through a focus on the human experience.