Category Archives: An Age of Realism

Dispatches from the Jungle: The Writers Who Reformed America

Learn about five muckracking journalists who affected social change around the turn of the twentieth century.

Plessy and Ferguson: Descendants of a divisive Supreme Court decision unite

Read about the historic Plessy v. Ferguson court decision and about how the two namesakes’ ancestors have joined together to form a foundation that seeks to educate the public about the importance of the case.

Refugee shacks – survivors of 1906 quake and fire

After the 1906 earthquake and fire that destroyed a large portion of San Francisco, refugee camps of very small houses were built. They were later moved to different parts of the city and some still exist today. Click through the photos at the top of the article to see some of them.

What America’s Gilded Age tells us about the Trump era

Annabelle Quince, a broadcaster with a background in law, psychology, and history, draws parallels between American robber barons of the past and today’s political and business leaders.

Humans of New York and the Cavalier Consumption of Others

In this column, writer and critic Vinson Cunningham compares the work of Humans of New York photographer Brandon Stanton to earlier documentarians such as Jacob Riis.

The Women ‘Computers’ Who Revolutionized Astronomy

In the late 19th century, a group of women were instrumental to the success of the Harvard College Observatory and the discoveries made there.

The Curious, and Continuing, Appeal of Mark Twain in China

In most Chinese classrooms, students learned about Mark Twain, a famously American author. Twain’s satirical short story, “Running for Governor,” was used to reinforce anti-Western, anti-capitalist views. As you read this article, be sure to take a look at the short story referenced.

Louis Pasteur: The man who led the fight against germs

Follow this timeline to learn about Louis Pasteur, who developed the process of pasteurization and several early vaccines. His “germ theory” led other scientists to discoveries in sanitation and sterilization.

Edith Wharton: Why the Age of Innocence author is vanishing from New York City

Read this article to learn about what New York City streets looked like in the time of author Edith Wharton.

Inside McDonald’s Bold Decision to Go Cage Free

Read about the complexities the large fast-food chain and its suppliers face in switching from caged to cage-free chickens.

Driehaus exhibit flips through pages of satirical magazine Puck

A Chicago museum exhibits the lifestyle and political cartoons from Puck magazine, a source for satirical commentary during the Gilded Age.

Why Russians flock to Jack London’s California ranch 100 years after his death

Read why Russians connect with one of America’s most respected writer’s work.

Pioneering Social Reformer Jacob Riis Revealed “How The Other Half Lives” in America

Read how journalist Jacob Riis exposed the living conditions of lower-class people in New York City in the late 1800s. View the slide show to examine his photography.

Reform the Nation’s Food System

Celebrity chef Tom Colicchio argues for farming and food reform and outlines steps government officials can take to ensure food quality and healthiness.

Robber barons and silicon sultans

This article compares the entrepreneurs of Silicon Valley to the Robber Barons of the Gilded Age.

Baseball in America, Part II: Gilded Bats and Balls

In this article, sports writer Carl D. Carlucci analyzes how baseball reflected the wealth of a few and the poverty of many during the Gilded Age.

The Decades That Invented the Future, Part 1: 1900-1910

The turn of the century from the 1800s to the 1900s was a time of great innovation and growth. Read about some of the influential inventions of the twentieth century’s first decade.

Mark Twain’s Eternal Chatter

Author Ben Tarnoff analyzes the celebrity of Mark Twain and critiques the writer’s autobiography, which was published in several volumes starting in 2010.