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A Series of Lessons on Wilmington, NC, WWII Heritage City

The Launching of the SS Charles Pinckney in 1942. There are dozens of people, many wearing hats, looking into the distance watching the ship launch into the ocean. — The Launching of the SS Charles Pinckney on May 10, 1942 by the North Carolina Shipbuilding Co. in Wilmington, North Carolina.
Courtesy of New Hanover County Public Library

Introduction

All three lessons, and the culminating lesson, support the development of understanding the significance of Wilmington, NC as a WWII heritage city: its contributions to home front efforts such as defense manufacturing, civilian involvement, and Armed Forces presence. The lessons highlight specific Wilmington area landmarks and contributions but connect to larger themes and understandings of the U.S. home front during wartime.

A collection of standards covered in the lesson collection is listed beneath the lesson links. Objectives for each lesson, materials, and resources are listed within the lesson. Each lesson also integrates information and encourages understanding of the impact of segregation in the South during wartime and the contribution of African Americans. Women’s home front roles are also highlighted.

The first three lessons listed can be taught individually or collectively, in any order. The final lesson supports students in combining learning across the three lessons, and/or comparison to other WWII home front cities in a culminating activity.