February 2015
FRIENDS OF MOUNT HOPE CEMETERY 2015 AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY PROJECT
The Friends of Mount Hope Cemetery are pleased to have received a grant from the Rochester Area Community Foundation for the purpose of creating tours and materials relating to the rich African American history of our city. This project will be chaired by Victoria Schmitt, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Friends of Mount Hope.
The project will include the research and content development for a comprehensive themed tour and associated material focusing upon notable African Americans buried in Mount Hope Cemetery. The primary objective of the tour is to document and explore the breadth and depth of contributions made by numerous African Americans buried in Mount Hope. The tour will be produced in hard copy and electronic format, enabling visitors to Mount Hope to learn about a particular person or gravesite by utilizing quick response (QR) code technology with their smart phone and by other electronic means. Visitors will be able to learn more about Frederick Douglass, but concurrently will also gain perspective on the African American community before, during and after Douglass’ time in Rochester. The tour will extend from the period in which Mount Hope Cemetery was established in 1838 to the present day.
Stops on the African American history tour in Mount Hope will encompass the broad range of contributions African Americans have made to the Rochester community and beyond and will consider the interests of students, scholars and tourists, as well as capture the interest of the recreational visitor to Mount Hope. Editorial decisions about the selected “stops” on the tour will be determined by a committee comprised of students, academics, tourism consultants, community members and leaders in the African American community. Committee members will collaborate to select tour “stops”, choosing an array of people and their stories that reflect the full range and extent of Rochester’s African American community.
The Mount Hope African American History tour and materials will consider educational outreach for the visiting public as well as content for Rochester and Monroe County’s many local colleges and K-12 classrooms, and will provide curriculum-focused content that aligns with Common Core standards. In order to achieve increased access for the entire community, tour content will consider multiple age groups and interest areas and will utilize middle school students in Rochester and surrounding suburbs to participate in the development of tour content designed to appeal to children and young adults.
The development of educational tour content contributes to the preservation of Mount Hope and adds significantly to its appeal as a tourist destination, a recreational resource, and a cultural asset.