Stoutsburg Sourland
African American Museum

In June, 2018, members of Hillsborough High School’s Sophomore US/Honors students partnered with the Stoutsburg  Sourland African American History Museum to develop resources to bolster the new museum. In April, these students visited the museum site and associated Stoutsburg Cemetery, where they pitched ideas to members of the SSAAM Board. The students then worked on creating digital and physical content, activities and resources, to expand the offerings of the museum.

 

On Friday June 1, 2018, the students had an opportunity to present their work to the SSAAM board, in Hillsborough High School’s library. Their work included:

 

Virtual Tour of the Historic Sourland Area -- Through the use of RoundMe, the students created a VR experience with panoramas and 360 pictures that will take visitors to the cemetery and include points on certain gravestones that will clearly show information.  Also will show a VR experience in the museum that will include a link that visitors can use on their own phone to get the tour and then put their phone in VR mode.

​

Hillsborough Farms in the 1800's- A foldable wooden display that contains an 1864 map of Hillsborough with information on multiple farms. There are also two interactive activities such as a scavenger hunt and crossword puzzle.  The purpose is to talk about the history of the town and bring awareness that these farms were most likely maintained by slaves.

​

​A Self-Guided Tour of Stoutsburg Veterans and Artifacts through QR Codes- Easy method to present information to visitors. It connects the Stoutsburg Cemetery and Museum, and provides detailed and researched information on the veterans.

​

Reconstruction Timeline- An interactive timeline which showcases little-known events during the Reconstruction Era, pertaining to the lives of African Americans.  A visitor can click or tap on a specific point in the timeline, and a corresponding part of the physical model will light up with a summary.

​

Local African Americans in the Civil War- A four-part exhibition detailing backstories of local African Americans who aided in the Civil War. The exhibit includes a  poster with background information about blacks in the war and information about each subject.  The exhibit is geared to be accessible to younger and older viewers, as a portable exhibit.

 

Special thanks to Scott Kallens, Teacher of Social Studies at Hillsborough High School, who organized these events with SSAAM.