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Reacting to the (Public) Past™: Innovations in Public History Pedagogy

“All I want to do is tell the story and history of these noble savages,” Mr. Howard Price exclaims to the gasps and outrage of the assembled Cultural Patrimony Congress of 1988. “Noble savages!?” Native American activist Maria Pearson interjects; “These are our ancestors and people, not artifacts for your entertainment.” So begins another debate at the meeting of the minds discussion of the United States’ Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. It isn’t 1988, though, but 2018 in a classroom in South Carolina. This congress is comprised of undergraduate students of public history, not influential lawmakers, activists, archaeologists, or museum professionals. The class is participating in a Reacting to the Past role-play simulation to engage with issues of patriation, ethics, and a variety of other public history issues. Through these innovative simulations, students learn the principles of public history and historical research in courses that are designed for the general education requirements and courses about public history for undergraduates. Through games, role-play, and reenactments students build empathy, analyze events and ideas from all sides, and more clearly understand the role stakeholders play in the creating and presentation of history for the public.