Stacey Process Paper

Process Paper

I chose to do my project on Ocean-Hill Brownsville and Albert Shanker by singling out a topic that I was interested in first: education. I began researching major turning points in educational history. My search led me to Albert Shanker and how he created the United Federation of Teachers. As I delved further into Shanker and his legacy, I read about how he supported the Civil Rights Movement with Martin Luther King. I wondered how the UFT  dealt with racism so I researched further and came across the Ocean Hill Brownsville crisis of 1968.

First, I looked up any archives or libraries that had primary sources on Albert Shanker or Ocean- Hill Brownsville. I was led to the New York Municipal Library, the Library of Congress, the Walter P, Reuther Library, and the United Federation of Teachers Archives. I visited the Municipal Library where I found more information on Shanker and the strike, allowing me to work on my thesis. As for the Library of Congress, I located pictures online so I didn’t contact any experts. The Walter P. Reuther Library provided hundreds of pictures so I emailed Daniel Golodner, the AFT archivist at the library for access, but after multiple emails we found that the sources did not pertain to my topic. Next, I emailed Brian Gibbons, who works at the UFT, and he sent me a package with a DVD and booklet about the history of the union which included valuable information about the strike. As for other expert contacts, I interviewed Richard D. Kahlenberg and Jerald Podair, published authors who have written books and articles about the strike. In addition, I contacted Charles S. Isaacs, who was a member of the strike and he referred me to his book for interview answers.

I decided to present my project as an exhibition board for many reasons. First, I thought that it would be the best way to show before, after, and during the strike using the three panels. Also, an exhibit board can tell the strike’s story much more adequately than a website or documentary because of the wide range of options. The exhibit board cannot be limited by technology or software, so this gave me a better control of where and how I wanted to place my pictures.

Albert Shanker led the UFT in the Ocean- Hill Brownsville strikes and produced changes present today. In 1968, Albert Shanker organized and led three strikes to protest the transferring of white teachers from a black board. In fact, without Albert Shanker, there might not have been a strike at all. As for legacy, the crisis made New Yorkers more aware of what community control is and increased racial tensions in the city.

Word Count: 455