Integrating Botany into an Exhibit to Enhance STEM Engagement: A Case Study on Lucinda Phillips and the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Wyoming

The purpose of this case study was to explore how integrating botanical science into a public exhibition can promote STEM engagement while simultaneously illuminating African American religious history in Wyoming. The original full exhibit, Tracks of Frontier Faith, supported by Wyoming Humanities, was hosted at the Wyoming State Museum from January through April 2025. An abridged, IRB-approved version was subsequently displayed during Black History Month in 2026 at the Coe Library at the University of Wyoming. Both installations highlighted the history of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in the region and centered the contributions of Lucinda Phillips, a formerly enslaved woman whose leadership helped establish the AME Church in Cheyenne. The study employed a qualitative case study design. Participants included university library visitors and community stakeholders who interacted with the exhibit. Data collection tools consisted of observational notes, informal visitor feedback, and engagement metrics gathered during exhibit activities. Data analysis involved thematic coding to identify patterns in visitor engagement and learning outcomes. Hands-on botanical activities, such as wood specimen analysis and soap-making demonstrations, effectively connected visitors to 19th-century laundering practices and highlighted the entrepreneurial ingenuity of African American women on the frontier. The integration of womanist theology and cultural heritage narratives provided a multidimensional perspective on African American religious life in the West. Findings suggest that informal learning environments can successfully foster STEM literacy, historical awareness, and cultural appreciation through interdisciplinary approaches.