Selected primary source sets tell the stories, struggles, and contributions of four major ethnic groups in California that have been historically underrepresented by digitized primary source materials.
African Americans
Asian Americans
Hispanic Americans
Native Americans
Especially for Teachers: Primary source analysis worksheets, lessons plans, and other resource links.
Brief historical overviews and related images explore California’s evolving ethnic diversity:
Before 1768: Pre-Columbian California
1768-1820s: Exploration
1821-1847: Missions
1848-1865: Gold Rush
1866-1920: Rapid Population Growth
1921-Present: Modern California
Use these lesson plans just as they are, or as springboards for your own creative ideas.
Los Californios: California's Spanish, Native American, and African Heritage
Children in the Fields: The Life of the Hispanic Child Laborer During California's Agriculture Explosion
"How Do Men Like You Become Great?": The Early Years of Dr. Ralph J. Bunche
Stealing Home: How Race Relations, Politics, and Baseball Transformed Chavez Ravine
The Prints of Self Help Graphics: The Chicano Movement in California — Culture, Causes, and Community