Libraries Welcome John Hope Franklin Young Scholars

By Lynn Eades September 14, 2016

The University Libraries welcomed a group of young scholars eager to learn more about the history of medicine, with a special focus on medical history in North Carolina. The John Hope Franklin Young Scholars Program, a collaboration between Duke University and students from Durham Public Schools, sent 24 6th – 9th graders to Wilson Library on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to interact with unique, rare materials covering the history of medicine and to learn from Carolina librarians.

Dawne Lucas with John Hope Franklin Scholars.JPG

The Young Scholars were shown books, journals, broadsides, photographs, and other manuscript materials from both Wilson Library and the Health Sciences Library (HSL). They received special instructions on how to use and handle these materials from Dawne Lucas, HSL Special Collections Library, and Sarah Carrier, North Carolina Research and Instruction Librarian at Wilson. The materials covered hookworm, pellagra, and the Good Health Campaign that occurred in North Carolina following World War II. Hookworm and pellagra are two of the 15 topics the Young Scholars program will teach to 5th graders throughout the state this year using the School of Science and Math’s distance learning network. The students also visited the North Carolina Collection Gallery and the “Corruption of the Innocents” exhibit in Wilson Library. The exhibit, which showcases controversial British and American children’s literature and highlights the research of 22 UNC undergraduates, is on display in the Melba Remig Saltarelli Exhibit Room through August 7.

The Young Scholars program was started in 2009 and seeks to give young teens first-hand experience exploring history. Each year the students choose a different focus, and in 2014 the students wrote the book Running for Hope about the life of John Hope Franklin.

Photos of the event, including the group’s mascot, can be found here.

Last modified: 06/01/20