New York State Literary Center

The Timeline Mural, 1950 - 1970

2011

timeline NYSLC 2

The idea for The Timeline Mural, 1950 – 1970 took seed in a yearly meeting between NYSLC Founder and Executive Director Dale Davis and members of the administrative division of the Office of The Sheriff to go over the New York State Literary Center’s programs with incarcerated youth since NYSLC began its partnership with Office of The Sheriff in 2006. A lack of knowledge of history was a major academic need identified by NYSLC early in its work with incarcerated youth, and as a result history became an important component of all of NYSLC’s programs. The idea for creating a timeline evolved from the discussion at this meeting.

Dale Davis followed up on the discussion and zeroed in on the dates 1950 - 1970 for the political and social impact that people, places, and events from that time period have had on us. Dale Davis built the foundation and curriculum for The Timeline Mural, 1950 – 1970 based upon NYLSC’s belief that knowledge begins with knowing the students, the relevance of the information presented, and the student’s ability to relate to the information. Research for the period, 1950 – 1970, included Rochester history, popular culture (i.e. number of television sets in the U.S.), music, health related inventions and treatment, and the Civil Rights movement. Dale Davis complied her research into an eleven-page document as a guideline for the project. A screening of the film “July 64” https://itvs.org/films/july_64 on a computer was incorporated into the curriculum for The Timeline Mural, 1950 - 1970 as were as some of photographs that were used in the film. The University of Rochester Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation provided copies of photographs for use in The Timeline Mural, 1950 – 1970. A graduate student, supervised by Dale Davis, worked at the Rochester Public Library to obtain copies of Rochester newspaper headlines and articles from 1950 – 1970. The headlines, articles, copies of images, copies of Rochester photos, stories, enabled the incarcerated students to manipulate and physically sequence the information while constructing the timeline with visual artist Margot Muto thereby increasing their academic engagement while simultaneously developing their problem solving and critical thinking skills. Former Rochester City Council Member At Large Dana Miller addressed the incarcerated youth with his personal reflections on growing up in Rochester in the time period to introduce the students to oral history.

Pedagogically the timeline format gave the incarcerated youth a chance to experience firsthand how many events simultaneously contribute to a historical period. The incarcerated youth worked with visual artist Margo Muto on four four foot boards to create the mural with visual synchronicity between the historical events.

NYSLC is grateful to The University of Rochester Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, the Rochester Public Library, and Dana Miller, Director of Development, Neighborhood and Business Development Rochester, New York for their help and support in the development of The Timeline Mural, 1950 – 1970.

The Timeline Mural, 1950 – 1970 was located in Monroe County Jail adjacent to The Jimmy Santiago Baca Library, Writing, and Publishing Center, NYSLC’s classroom, during the time NYSLC conducted programs for incarcerated youth at Monroe County Jail. It was not moved to Monroe Correctional Facility. In 2019 it was unable to be located at Monroe County Jail.

WRITING ON THE TIMELINE MURAL, 1950 – 1970

The Timeline Project brought history to life for me. It brought the past together as one. This was not a normal project. It was society, culture, slavery, freedom of speech, peace, and justice. This project helped me by helping me understand the past to look at the present.

I learned Rochester has a lot of history. I learned if I put my mind to something I could do it. I found out so much about history and where I came from and how the world got to be the way it is now. If I did not come to jail, I never would have learned like this in school.

Working on the Timeline Project, I learned a lot about Rochester. I never knew Malcolm X was here. I learned how things are connected in ways I wouldn't have thought about. I learned I love history.

Working on the timeline made me feel at peace. I loved meeting Dana Miller who came in. I never would have met him if I didn't do the Timeline.

From working on the Timeline Project I learned that I like to be specific and think things through. I learned so many things I never knew before.

I learned that in 1950 everything was a lot cheaper than it is today, and I learned a lot of people died trying to change the racism in our country.

I learned so much I did not know about Rochester. I never knew Rochester had a subway.

I learned something about my ancestors. Trent Jackson set a record that nobody has beaten to this day. I wish he was alive today and could tell me all about it.

I learned there was so much before I was born, and a lot of horrible things happened to people.

What I liked about the Timeline Project is that it put people together for teamwork, and we all learned our history together.

I learned that Disneyland opened in 1955, the same year Emmett Till was murdered. I learned that I like to learn working on the Timeline. I learned there is a lot of history from 1950 to 1970. A lot of events happened during those years that are really important today.

I learned working on the Timeline that my people had it hard and did so much for us to be where we are today. I learned teamwork is everything. I learned I like to learn about things I don't know.

I learned so much working on the Timeline. I learned about things I never knew about or knew how they came to be. These are clear to me now.

I thank you for putting this together so we could work as a group and learn things.

I learned where my family and culture came from working with this group of young men.

The Timeline Mural, 1950 – 1970 was made possible with funding from the New York State Council on The Arts.