If You Love Abbott Elementary, You’ll Love What We Found in the Archives

Quinta Brunson’s mockumentary style sitcom Abbott Elementary follows a group of dedicated teachers at a fictional public school in West Philadelphia. The work of these educators, in many ways, mirrors the mission of archives. Both play a role in supporting educational needs and safeguarding community history.

This award-winning show addresses a wide variety of themes like gardening, friendship, art, school libraries, and the importance of community building. You might be surprised to discover how many of these topics appear in our archival collections. You can explore these subjects and more on the Chicago History and Collections page.

There’s been a lot of character development in the show, especially with Janine Teagues. Her character seems to grow and mature in each episode; but one moment really stood out for me, in Season 3, when she accepted a fellowship with the school district. The show offered a fictional, but meaningful, glimpse into the work that goes into creating change. Moments like these are important to highlight because it helps us understand and appreciate the groundwork that goes into researching, planning, and collecting data used to execute a goal. Archival collections play a central role in preserving this process, so that future researchers and curious minds can have the opportunity to learn from the work and better understand the outcome.

Special Collections is not the official repository for Chicago Public Schools or schools in the Chicagoland area, however, we do have collections that support education. For example, the West Side Council of Parents and Teachers Records, opens a new window, which was established in 1923 to help support local PTA (parent teacher association) units in Chicago’s West Side elementary schools.

Another collection to consider exploring is the Faith Rich Papers, opens a new window. Faith Rich was a white community activist and educator who was involved in organizations such as the Chicago Westside NAACP, the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), and local PTAs. Her work focused on civil rights, school desegregation, educational equity, and the impact of urban renewal on communities primarily in the North Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago.

Also in Season 3, Gregory Eddie, played by Tyler James Williams, starts a small community garden club called “Gregory’s Garden Goofballs.” You might consider exploring the gardens and green spaces throughout the city via the Chicago Park District Records: Photographs, opens a new window or rediscover the work of the Chicago Outdoor Art League Collection, opens a new window that came about from a national beautification movement. Their motto, “Leave the World More Beautiful Than You Found It,” reflects their long-standing commitment to civic improvement that also promoted Arbor Day programs that brought trees to schoolyards across Chicago.

Can you think of other themes that the show discusses that could possibly be connected to an archival collection? Let us know in the comment section. If you would like to see any of the items discussed or shared in this post or learn more about the library’s special collections, feel free to make an appointment, opens a new window.