South Carolina ETV and Public Radio (SCETV) is pleased to announce the completion of its interactive and immersive educational website Reconstruction 360.
Work on Reconstruction 360 began in 2019 to complement the PBS documentary series Reconstruction: America After the Civil War and explores the Reconstruction era in American history. Content modules use a 360° video platform as a storytelling device that lets the audience step inside pivotal Reconstruction events. By clicking on icons within the 360° video, users can access short documentaries that offer the perspectives of multiple characters, historians and descendants across topics including 40 Acres and a Mule, the Black Codes, the Memphis Massacre, African American voting rights, education and the Black family.
Supported by multiple grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Reconstruction 360 is designed for the general public, students and educators and is accessible on desktop and mobile devices. Reconstruction 360 includes lesson plans, curriculum standards, primary documents and contemporary stories that reflect issues of Reconstruction that still prevail today.
Forty Acres and a Mule - Step into a working farm in South Carolina in 1865, where an amazing reversal of labor and land ownership has taken place. Freed people are working their own farms, producing crops, and making money. But then a visitor appears on the horizon, and one of the most painful, lasting chapters in American history is about to unfold.
A Seat at the Table - You are invited to dinner in Savannah in 1868. The mother of a Black family has prepared a special meal to commemorate the new Georgia State Constitution that her husband and pastor have helped to create.
Teaching Ourselves - Welcome to a small school in rural Alabama. Everyone in the community is excited about the new teacher, a recent Normal School graduate who brings spelling books for her students.
Violence and Hatred - Set in Memphis, Tennessee in May 1866, experience a terrible event known as the Memphis Massacre, in which at least 46 Black Memphians were murdered by members of a White mob.
The Black Codes - The Civil War is barely over, and Southern states have created Black Codes to control formerly enslaved people. A Black man is in jail for refusing to sign a labor contract, a violation of the Black Codes. He and his wife negotiate with the white landowner for better terms.
The First Vote - Join a group of new African American voters at a polling station in Virginia in 1867. Black and white U.S. Army soldiers are serving as poll workers, since the state of Virginia is under federal military rule, and two Confederate Army veterans are not pleased.
View the full Reconstruction 360 collection at www.reconstruction360.org.
QUOTES
“Reconstruction resulted in changes that fundamentally altered the meaning of citizenship and the relationship between the federal and state governments in America, so it’s vital to ensure our audiences recognize the effects of that era and the lasting impact it had on our society.” –SCETV Interim President and CEO Dr. Stephanie Cook
“This collection of stories wasn’t only designed for the public. Students and educators can use lesson plans, curriculum standards and primary documents to cultivate a deeper understanding of the expansion of rights and the evolution of democracy in the United States.” –SCETV Chief Learning Officer Dr. Salandra Bowman
“This dynamic collection is structured around six themes of Reconstruction, unpacking the history of a pivotal era in American history. Reconstruction 360 provides immersive insight into the efforts to create a biracial democracy in the United States during the crucial period after the Civil War.” –SCETV Producer Betsy Newman
“Reconstruction 360 is an immersive website that brings alive the hopes and challenges of the Reconstruction era. The project skillfully ties past to present with short documentaries that connect Reconstruction’s powerful themes to many of today’s most pressing issues.” –Northwestern University Professor of History Kate Masur
FAST FACTS
- SCETV announces the completion of its interactive and immersive educational website, Reconstruction 360.
- Reconstruction 360 is an interactive website that explores the Reconstruction era in American history using a 360° video platform.
- Reconstruction 360 is designed for the general public, students and educators and can be accessed on desktop and mobile devices.
- Reconstruction 360 is supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
- View the full Reconstruction 360 collection at www.reconstruction360.org.
About South Carolina ETV and Public Radio
South Carolina ETV and Public Radio (SCETV) is the state's public educational broadcasting network. SCETV amplifies South Carolina voices, provides educational experiences and strengthens communities, while working toward creating a stronger, more connected and informed South Carolina. In addition to airing local programs, such as Carolina Classrooms, Making It Grow, and This Week in South Carolina, SCETV also presents multiple programs to regional and national audiences, including By The River, After Action, Reconnecting Roots, Reel South, Somewhere South, Yoga in Practice and How She Rolls. In addition, SC Public Radio produces the national radio production, Chamber Music from Spoleto Festival USA.
Media Contact:
Landon Masters
media@scetv.org
803-737-3337
