Class Visits
Are you looking for ways to introduce or practice primary source literacy with your K-12 students?
Special Collections welcomes students of all ages for class visits, in which students get active, hands-on instruction with primary sources related to the history of Maine, the United States, and the world.
Teaching African American History in Maine
The African American Collection of the Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity in Maine is an exceptional resource for teaching the history of African American communities in Maine.
Many items from the collection have been digitized and made available for use in your classroom via USM Digital Commons.
We also welcome class visits where students can get hands-on with primary sources.
Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity in Maine
- Descriptions of over 200 collections documenting African American, Jewish, and LGBTQ+ communities in Maine are available here on our website.
- Browse selected digitized items from the diversity collections on USM Digital Commons for use in your classroom.
- Contact us to learn more about how the collections can support your curriculum.
History of the Teaching Profession
University of Southern Maine traces its roots back to a teachers college established in Gorham in 1878. The records of the Western State Normal School (later known as Gorham Normal School, Gorham State Teachers College, and Gorham State College) and the University Archives of University of Southern Maine encompass over 150 years of development of the teaching profession.