Continuing its mission to make Georgia’s history accessible to all, the Georgia Historical Society (GHS) has announced the release of the Decoding Histories digital kit, a new online learning resource that combines cursive handwriting practice with hands-on history. Developed through the GHS Community Archives Initiative, this interactive kit helps K–12 educators, students, and lifelong learners explore Georgia’s past by engaging directly with original handwritten documents.

The Decoding Histories digital kit engages learners in uncovering the stories hidden within handwritten documents, emphasizing the importance of reading and writing in cursive to connect with Georgia’s documentary history. Each kit includes a teacher guide, primary source investigations, cursive practice worksheets, and curated collections drawn from historical materials within the GHS archival collection. These components align with the Georgia's K-12 English Language Arts Standards and Georgia Social Studies Standards of Excellence, offering educators ready-to-use materials that make history both accessible and engaging in the classroom. The Decoding Histories digital kit was made possible with support from Georgia-Pacific.

“When you read old handwriting, history feels personal,” said LaPortia Mosley, Community Engagement Officer at the Georgia Historical Society. “The Decoding Histories Inquiry Kit gives teachers and students a fun, hands-on way to explore cursive, work with primary sources, and connect with the past.”

Developed as part of the Georgia Historical Society’s broader Community Archives Initiative, supported by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), the Decoding Histories digital kit reflects GHS’s ongoing work to expand access to historical resources and encourage public engagement in preserving and interpreting the state’s shared past. Through this initiative, GHS collaborates with schools, organizations, and community members across Georgia to digitize materials, share collections, and ensure that a diversity of voices and experiences are represented in the archival record.

The Decoding Histories digital kit is available now for free download through the Georgia Historical Society website. Discover how these new resources bring Georgia’s history to life by visiting www.georgiahistory.com/resource/decoding-histories-inquiry-kit/.

For additional details about the Georgia Historical Society, please contact Keith Strigaro, Director of Public Relations and Communications, at 912.651.2125, ext. 153, or by email at [email protected].