Welcome to Democracy: A National Youth Summit Civic Education Series! These case studies are part of a special series that will ask you to tackle the question: How do the stories we tell about the past shape our democracy? In these case studies we will probe examples of civic engagement that go beyond voting, where civic life means active involvement in building and strengthening our communities and civic participation can take on many forms.

This series invites you to examine history as a tool for understanding our present and for shaping our shared future. Each case study will highlight groups and individuals who have worked to create a stronger nation and democracy by widening our country’s historical narrative. Through inquiry and discussion, you will think critically about how history shapes who we are as a people and how we imagine and move toward a democracy that is inclusive and just for everyone.

• The first case study centers on organized American Indian activism in the 1970s. Using the guiding question, “What happens when all or part of your identity is not included in the narrative of U.S. democracy?” we will examine themes of identity, visibility, and democratic values. Join us in learning more about the historical relationship between American Indian nations and the U.S. government and interrogating how our democracy is shaped by the stories we tell (or don’t tell).

• The second case study looks at the AIDS epidemic during the 1980s and features a panel from the AIDS Memorial Quilt. Using the guiding question, "How do understandings of democracy change when other perspectives are added?" we will examine the stigma, loss, and community action of that decade. Join us in learning more about the devastation of the AIDS epidemic and interrogating how our democracy has been shaped by those at the margins of society demanding more from their government.
• The third case study focuses on the civil liberties legacy of Japanese American incarceration during World War II. Using the guiding question, "What tools are available to shift, expand, or reimagine the story of democracy in the United States?" we will explore the strategies Japanese Americans employed to tell their stories and seek justice. Join us in learning more about how telling the stories of our past can help protect the rights of all.

From November 2022 through April 2023, teenagers in classrooms and in museums nationwide will participate in discussions about the same questions. You are invited to share your findings and reflections using the National Youth Summit Padlet.

The stories of the United States are complex, diverse, and vast. Join us in the important task of evaluating the different perspectives of our past and imagining the possibilities of a more inclusive future!