English/Language Arts Curricula
The Power of Story: Kentucky Black Civil War Soldiers
Exploring History Through Personal Narratives
The Power of Story text sets provide students with a deeply engaging exploration of the contributions and experiences of Kentucky’s Black Civil War soldiers. These resources highlight the courage, resilience, and agency of African Americans who fought for their freedom and the nation’s future. By integrating primary sources, personal accounts, and historical analysis, these text sets allow students to engage with history in a meaningful and immersive way.
Purpose of the Text Sets
Each set is designed to:
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- Deepen Historical Understanding – By exploring the real-life stories of Black Civil War soldiers from Kentucky, students gain insight into the broader struggles for freedom, equality, and citizenship during and after the Civil War.
- Enhance Critical Thinking – The texts encourage students to analyze motivations, challenges, and historical impact, fostering discussions on themes of bravery, injustice, and perseverance.
- Develop Literacy Skills – Through reading diverse formats such as memoirs, military records, biographies, and poetry, students refine their comprehension, analytical, and writing skills.
- Make Connections Across Disciplines – The text sets bridge ELA and Social Studies, allowing students to see history as a lived experience rather than just a series of events.
- Deepen Historical Understanding – By exploring the real-life stories of Black Civil War soldiers from Kentucky, students gain insight into the broader struggles for freedom, equality, and citizenship during and after the Civil War.
Collective Theme
At the heart of these text sets is the idea that history is best understood through the voices of those who lived it. The personal narratives of Black soldiers in the Civil War illustrate the larger themes of freedom, sacrifice, and the ongoing struggle for civil rights. By engaging with these stories, students gain a more inclusive and accurate understanding of American history.
Whether in Upper Elementary, Middle Grades, or High School, these carefully curated resources ensure that students of all levels can engage with history in an age-appropriate, thought-provoking, and impactful way.
Upper Elementary Text Sets
The Power of Story: KY Black Civil War Soldiers Upper Elementary-Grades Text Sets is a text set that introduces students to firsthand accounts, biographies, and historical documents that bring KY Black Civil War soldiers’ experiences to life. Students will explore how personal stories contribute to our understanding of history by examining primary sources such as letters, military records, and narratives. This text set encourages critical thinking, literacy development, and a deeper appreciation for the resilience and contributions of enslaved people in the fight for justice. The stories of Sgt. Maj. Henry Marrs, Henrietta Wood, and Pvt. John Wesley Burks offer powerful insights into the struggle for freedom and equality.
*Created for Reckoning, Inc.
Middle-Grades Text Sets
The Power of Story: KY Black Civil War Soldiers Middle-Grades Text Sets is an educational resource that explores the experiences of Kentucky’s Black Civil War soldiers through historical narratives, primary sources, and literary works. It includes memoirs like Life and History of the Rev. Elijah P. Marrs, a firsthand account of a Black soldier’s service, and biographical profiles such as Pvt. Randall Edelen, 125th U.S. Colored Infantry. The text sets feature poetry by Frank X. Walker, including “Affidavits”, alongside articles like “Fighting for Their Freedom—How Black Soldiers Came to Fight in the Civil War.” Additional primary sources, such as enlistment records and affidavits, and multimedia like videos and podcast episodes, provide students diverse perspectives on courage, sacrifice, and the fight for equality. Designed to align with Kentucky academic standards, this resource enhances critical thinking, literacy, and historical analysis in middle-grade classrooms.
*Created for Reckoning, Inc.
High School Text Sets
The Power of Story: KY Black Civil War Soldiers High School Text Sets provides an in-depth exploration of the lives and contributions of Black soldiers from Kentucky during the Civil War. This resource includes biographical profiles of Pvt. Abram Garvin and Pvt. George Davis Long of the 108th U.S. Colored Infantry, as well as Pvt. Randall Edelen and Pvt. John Wesley Burks. It features historical analysis, primary sources such as enlistment records and affidavits, and literary works like poetry by Frank X. Walker, including “Accounting,” “Buffalo Soldiers,” and “Affidavits.” Additionally, students can engage with multimedia such as podcasts, including “Hidden History,” “Sold Down River,” and “Recovering History” and videos of Frank X. Walker reading his poetry. Designed to meet Kentucky academic standards, this resource encourages critical thinking, literacy development, and historical inquiry, making it a valuable cross-curricular tool for ELA instruction.
*Created for Reckoning, Inc.
*Photo courtesy of the Randolph Linsly Simpson African-American Collection, James Weldon Johnson Memorial Collection in the Yale Collection of American Literature, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.