SUMMARY
In 1904, nearly 1,200 Filipinos were brought to the U.S. to take part in the World’s Fair in St. Louis. Some worked as guides, but others were put on display. More than a century later, a new exhibit explores the impact in St. Louis and beyond. Communities correspondent Gabrielle Hays reports.
View the transcript of the story.
News alternative: Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- Who was Ria Unson's great grandfather?
- When was Ramon Ochoa brought to St. Louis?
- What was the purpose of the World's Fair?
- How many visitors attended the 1904 World's Fair?
- Where was new exhibit at the Missouri History Museum built?
FOCUS QUESTIONS
Why do you think the Missouri History Museum chose to highlight the stories of people brought to the World's Fair as exhibits 120 years ago? How do you think the history of the World's Fair in Saint Louis impacts the lives of residents like Ria Unson today?
Media literacy: Do you know about the history of world's fairs in the U.S.? How could you find out more?
Alternative: See, Think, Wonder: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?
FOR MORE
What students can do:
Watch the following story about the ways racial discrimination in U.S. history impact life in the U.S. today. Then discuss — how might the ways U.S. citizens historically viewed immigrants such as the Filipinos in this story affect the lives of the descendants of those immigrants today?
This post was produced by Benjamin Thernstrom, a senior at Washington-Liberty High School in Arlington, Virginia, and intern with PBS NewsHour Classroom, and NewsHour's Vic Pasquantonio.
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