MEET WALLACE THURMAN
Wallace Thurman was a queer Black man in Salt Lake City at the turn of the previous century. He attended West High School, the University of Utah, and Calvary Baptist Church.
He was also the heart of the Harlem Renaissance.
And he has been erased from Utah history.
In 2010, we at Plan-B Theatre premiered FIRE! by Jenifer Nii to (re)introduce Utahns to one of their own. The play was revived in 2023 and filmed specifically to share with Utah students in grades 11-12.
The 46-minute video and the study guide below provide thoughtful and Core Standards-based classroom activities in History and Social Studies.
FOR YOUR CLASSROOM
It is essential that you read this study guide prior sharing FIRE! with your students.
The Wallace Thurman image embedded in Aaron Asano Swenson's show art is Trent Call's portrait of Wallace Thurman from the 2010 exhibit "Uconclcasts" by Trent Call and Ken Sanders. Copyright 2010-2023 by the artists. All rights reserved.
The one and only issue of Wallace Thurman's magazine FIRE!!
CORE STANDARDS: SOCIAL STUDIES
UTAH STUDIES
- Standard 3.3: Students will describe the effects of events, movements, and innovations on Utah's economic development, such as the organized labor movement, farming and industrial improvements, the World Wars, and the Great Depression. (economics)
- Standard 3.4: Students will identify the causes and effects of the Progressive movement using examples from community or state history, such as the organized labor movement, tax reform, the Scofield mine disaster, and education and child labor reforms. (civics)
CORE STANDARDS: SOCIAL STUDIES
WORLD GEOGRAPHY
- Standard 3.1: Students will identify and describe the essential defining characteristics and functions of culture.
- Standard 3.3: Students will identify how culture influences sense of place, point of view and perspective, and the relative value placed upon people and places.
- Students will demonstrate an understanding of their own culture's connection to geography.
CORE STANDARDS: SOCIAL STUDIES
UNITED STATES HISTORY II
- Standard 2.3: Students will evaluate the methods reformers used to bring about change, such as imagery, unions, associations, writings, ballot initiatives, recalls, and referendums.
- Standard 2.4: Students will evaluate the short- and long-term accomplishments and effectiveness of social, economic, and political reform movements.
- Standard 4.4: Students will identify significant counter-cultural movements of the 20th century as well as the reactions and counter-arguments to those movements.
SOCIAL EMOTION LEARNING (SEL) OUTCOMES
SEL OUTCOME 3: FEEL AND SHOW EMPATHY FOR OTHERS
- FIRE! encourages students to consider another’s point of view.
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