The Unfinished Sentences Testimony Archive Teaching the Salvadoran Civil War Using Oral Histories The Unfinished Sentences Testimony Archive Teaching the Salvadoran Civil War using oral histories http://unfinishedsentences.org/archive/ The Unfinished Sentences Testimony Archive is a public online library of oral histories by survivors of El Salvador’s armed conflict (1980-1992). Developed through a partnership between the University of Washington Center for Human Rights and the Human Rights Institute of the Universidad Centroamericana (IDHUCA) in El Salvador, the Testimony Archive presents ​ more than 7 hours of interviews with 48 residents of the community of Arcatao, Chalatenango, along with a growing collection of supplementary information including historical context and resources for students and educators. The mountainous countryside around Arcatao, in the north-central department of Chalatenango, was a flashpoint of organizing for workers’ rights and, eventually, revolutionary change in El Salvador. Brutal repression by government forces escalated into a U.S.-backed counterinsurgency campaign against guerrilla groups during the 1980s. Residents of Arcatao, and communities like it across the country, were subjected to indiscriminate violence during military operations targeting unarmed civilians and insurgents alike. In the Unfinished Sentences Testimony Archive, survivors relate eyewitness accounts of these atrocities, as well as their experiences of daily life before, during, and after the war. They also offer invaluable insights into the history of El Salvador, dynamics of social change and political struggle, and ongoing movements for justice. The Testimony Archive at a glance: ● 172 oral history videos (most under 3 minutes duration) ● Organized in 8 thematic chapters ● Spanish audio, English subtitles; full Spanish & English transcriptions ● Fully searchable & tagged by topic, location ● Growing library of supplementary material including lesson plans ● Available via http://unfinishedsentences.org/archive/ and YouTube ​ ​ A project of the UW Center for Human Rights & Unfinished Sentences With support from the Center for Global Studies, UW Jackson School of International Studies The Unfinished Sentences Testimony Archive Teaching the Salvadoran Civil War using oral histories UW Center for Human Rights ● Founded in 2009 by decree of WA State Legislature ● Mission: “...interdisciplinary excellence in the education of undergraduate and graduate students in the field of human rights; promoting human rights as a core area of faculty and graduate research; and engaging productively with local, regional, national, and international organizations and policymakers to advance respect for human rights.” Unfinished Sentences ● UWCHR project supporting human rights organizations in El Salvador ● Research, education, advocacy El Salvador A “case study” of Cold War conflicts and US foreign policy in Central America ● Civil War: 1980 - 1992 ● 75,000 killed; 10,000 forcibly disappeared ● 85% of human rights violations by state forces ● $5 billion in U.S. military aid ● Advocacy by global solidarity & human rights movements ● Post-war legacies of impunity, violence Video: “Unfinished Sentences: Justice” https://youtu.be/vpeGdYRvR1g Unfinished Sentences ● Human rights reports & videos documenting historic crimes against humanity ● Analysis of declassified U.S. government documents released via the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) ● Public advocacy with national & international partners ● Fully bilingual in English, Spanish http://unfinishedsentences.org Testimony Archive ● Collaboration with Historical Memory Committee of Arcatao, Chalatenango & Human Rights Institute of the Universidad Centroamericana ● 48 individuals ● 172 excerpts, 7+ hours ● Spanish audio, English subtitles; fully transcribed ● Lesson plans & other supplementary materials ● Free & public online at http://archive.unfinishedsentences.org Testimony Oral histories by survivors cover themes of: Archive ● Grassroots narratives of conflict & social change ● Workers’ rights & political organizing Themes ● Origins of war & violence ● Refugee experiences ● Survival, resilience, healing ● Historical memory ● Human rights & justice Testimony Archive “trailer”: https://youtu.be/pgTr5JEDMXg Supplementary Materials ● Lesson plans ● Maps ● Glossary ● Reading list ● Related documents & photos ● Reports and news updates at unfinishedsentences.org Declassified U.S. government document related to Testimony Archive topics Curriculum ● WA State Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs): Standards ○ Dig Deep: Analyzing Sources ○ Causes of Conflict ○ 11-12th grade US Foreign Policy, CWP, Civic involvement ● AP/IB: ○ Document-based questions (DBQs) ○ Compare / Contrast ○ Continuity & Change Common Core ● CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7 Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts. ● CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.6 Compare the point of view of two or more authors for how they treat the same or similar topics, including which details they include and emphasize in their respective accounts. ● CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.9 Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies among sources. Lesson Plans ● High School Social Studies ● College English & Humanities ● AP World History DBQ ● Sound Art Available at http://unfinishedsentences.org/archive/lessonplans Contribute to the Lesson plans wanted! Testimony Archive ● Spanish (AP) ● U.S. and World History (AP) ● English/Humanities ● Arts ● ...and other subjects! A limited number of stipends are available for completed submissions. Contact Us: With Support From: UW Center for Human Rights http://humanrights.washington.edu/ Box 353650, Seattle, WA 98195 Phone: (206) 685-3435 Email: [email protected] Unfinished Sentences http://unfinishedsentences.org/ Phil Neff, Project Coordinator Phone: (206) 221-2031 Email: [email protected] University of Washington Center for Human Rights http://humanrights.washington.edu/ ​ ​ Unfinished Sentences Testimony Archive http://unfinishedsentences.org/archive/ ​ ​ with support from the Center for Global Studies, UW Jackson School of International Studies Testimony Archive Activity Prompts: ● Write and perform a short first-person monologue based on a composite of individuals featured in the Testimony Archive. ● Read the 1980 novel One Day of Life by Manilo Argueta (or an excerpt), about the ​ ​ experience of a campesino family in Chalatenango, and compare it with the content of ​ ​ the Testimony Archive. ● Create or fill in a map of El Salvador (or Chalatenango department) with places mentioned in the Testimony Archive. ● Create a YouTube playlist including videos from the Testimony Archive to illustrate a particular theme or argument. ● Compare and contrast videos in the Testimony Archive with an historical account about El Salvador. What information in the historical account is also mentioned by individuals in the Testimony Archive? What information from the Testimony Archive is not included in the historical account? ● Write and publish a blog post about your reactions to the Testimony Archive. Embed and comment on at least 5 videos in the post. ● Ask your family and friends what they know about the civil war in El Salvador, or similar historical or contemporary conflicts. If you are able, share with them at least one video from the Testimony Archive which you found interesting. Report back to the class. ● Compare and contrast videos in the Testimony Archive with historical sources: contemporary news reports, declassified U.S. government documents, the United Nations Truth Commission Report, etc. Write an essay or discuss. More lesson plans: http://unfinishedsentences.org/archive/lessonplans AP World History Document-Based Question Please refer to AP Central for information on AP World History exam format and grading rubric: http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/teachers_corner/4484.html Question: During the 1980-1992 civil war in El Salvador, many Salvadorans lived in refugee camps in neighboring Honduras. Using the documents and your knowledge of world history, assess the treatment of Salvadoran refugees by different actors in the conflict, including the Salvadoran Armed Forces, the Salvadoran FMLN guerrillas, and the Honduran government. Document 1 Source: Oral history by Victor, former resident of Mesa Grande refugee camp in Honduras, from Unfinished Sentences Testimony Archive, published in 2016 After the invasion [by the Salvadoran Armed Forces] in May [1982], many people left for Mesa Grande. ...It was a very large invasion. It was very sad, because...we went ten days without eating and without, well I almost didn’t drink any water. We were carrying a jug of water that ran out, and we had four children with us, so we went ten days without food. Maybe we got lucky or something, I don’t know, but in May there are carao seeds and honey, and that’s what we ate. We chewed on carao seeds and ate them. That’s how we survived. Avocados, also. We found the trees and we ate avocados that had fallen, without salt or tortillas, that’s what we ate. Video: http://archive.unfinishedsentences.org/node/192 Document 2 Source: “From Madness to Hope: the 12-year war in El Salvador”, report of the UN Truth Commission in El Salvador, 1993 During [1983-1987], the military development of the war caused the armed forces to view the civilian