The following is a joint news release from the Marin County Free Library and Dominican University of California.
Marin County, CA – Educators in Marin County will soon receive new materials to teach the history of Marin City, starting with how important the community was in helping the United States win World War II.
Virtual meetings are set up for K-12 teachers starting the week of March 4 to learn more about the curriculum inspired by the work of Marin City historian Felecia Gaston. The schedule of the sessions, tailored for teachers at different grade levels, is on the Marin County Office of Education (MCOE) website.
Dominican University of California and the Marin County Free Library (MCFL) are developing resource guides, activities, and lesson plans based on Gaston’s commemorative book "A Brand New Start…This is Home: The Story of World War II Marinship and the Legacy of Marin City."
The book showcases a collection of primary sources, oral interviews, news archives, and photographs that portray the Black experience from 1942 to 2022, highlighting the vibrant history of the Marin City community. Focused on a narrative of California Black history, American patriotism, and Black migration in the 1940s, the collaborative efforts aim to breathe life into the rich historical content of the text, tailored to TK-12 grade-level bands.
Through the generous support of donors, including the Marin Community Foundation, copies of Gaston's book have been distributed to every public elementary, middle, and high school library in Marin. Educators and librarians will have the opportunity to participate in four virtual meetings with representatives from MCFL and Dominican University. The sessions will provide valuable resource guides, information, and activities designed to enhance the understanding and engagement with the historical content specific to grade-level bands.
Gaston, the founder of the Marin City Historical and Preservation Society and a member of the Marin Women’s Hall of Fame, emphasized the significance of the collaboration between Dominican and MCFL in enriching the educational experiences of young learners.
“This initiative offers students a unique chance to delve into the intricate history of Marin City and appreciate the contributions of its Black residents to Marin County,” Gaston said, noting the suitability of both institutions in creating these educational resources.
"This is an exciting collaborative initiative in which community partners have come together to ensure that an important historical resource – A Brand New Start … This is Home – is accessible to Marin County students who then have the unique opportunity to connect with the rich history of their community,” said Dr. Katie Lewis, Dominican’s Associate Professor of Education.
John A. Carroll, Superintendent of Schools for Marin County, lauded the collaboration. "We are deeply grateful for the expertise and leadership demonstrated by Dominican University and the Marin County Free Library in leading this educational endeavor to meet the needs of students in Marin County," he said.
MCFL Director Lana Adlawan said she and her staff are thrilled to be part of this new local history initiative as well. “These new materials provide all public school children the opportunity to celebrate their hometown heroes from Marin City,” she said. “This partnership allows all of us to create a meaningful learning experience for all ages, centered right here at home.”
Learn more about tours of the Marinship location and a March 14 celebration hosted by the Office of Education called “The Legacy of Marin City.”
