Students Lewis Escano and Akila Laboy from IS 190 in the Bronx show off
their exhibit on display at the Organization of American Historians conference
in Manhattan
(Below) PS 140 students dress up as Grandmaster Flash and singer Frankie Lymon
to portray the history of music in the South Bronx

New York City public school students made history this week when they became the first students to attend and present at the national conference of the Organization of American Historians.

Students from several City schools participated in the prestigious conference, which draws major historians from across the country.

Students from Millennium Art Academy in the Bronx presented oral histories of senior citizens who participated in the Civil Rights movement.

"It was surprising how the feelings still affect them," Millennium student David Sprauve said. "They cried when they talked about the past."

"We got a living textbook," added classmate Keenan Redish.

Advanced Placement history students from the High School of Economics and Finance rewrote a chapter from their textbook about the slave experience for the conference.

"Our textbook did not tell the true story," student Olivia Hazel said. "It did not give enough information about the slaves themselves, about the slaves' perspective."

The rewritten chapter now includes documents and first-hand accounts that show the perspective of slaves.

The conference also included a large exhibition room devoted to student work, including videos, slide shows, visual displays, and papers.

Students said the experience, including mingling with some of the country's top historians, helped bring history to life. The Organization of American Historians is the nation's largest society devoted to the study of United States history.

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