Academy Americana: Come Get Your Kicks!

Join an adventure through history on America’s most famous highway! Route 66 will come to life as we explore the golden age of road trips, jukeboxes, and soda fountains. From the struggles of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression to the triumphs of WWII and the Civil Rights Movement, uncover key historical moments, stories of icons like Rosie the Riveter and Will Rogers, and take “pit stops” along the way. Use hobo language to navigate the “Hooverville” you build. Create a dinner menu with your WWII rations and food in your “Victory Garden”. Learn about sundown towns along Route 66 and how a “Green Book” helped keep Black travelers safe during the era of segregation. Who were the Civil Rights leaders and feminists of the 1960s and 1970s who helped shape legislation that continues to protect citizens today? Map Route 66 from Chicago to L.A., visiting places like Cadillac Ranch in Texas, the Blue Whale of Catoosa in Oklahoma, and the Santa Monica Pier. Use inspiration from our road trip to design your own unique roadside attraction! What Route 66 relics are still standing in the St. Louis area? Let’s hit the “Mother Road” and “get your kicks” on Route 66!