Author Archives: Anita Hacker

Jim Crow Stories: Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

In 1896, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of “separate but equal” laws, which weren’t struck down until almost 60 years later in Brown v. Board of Education.

Fighting…Maybe for Freedom, but probably not

During the Revolutionary War, black soldiers fought for both the Continental army and the British army. Those who fought for the British were often promised freedom, but that promise was mostly unfulfilled.

Can an iPhone App Help Save an Endangered Language?

Technology is being used to help preserve languages, such as Chickasaw, that have seen a drastic reduction in usage.

What turned the Wright brothers into pioneers of flight? Their library.

Gavin Weightman, author of Eureka: How Invention Happens, explains that like some other notable inventors, the Wright Brothers built a large library and taught themselves much of what they knew.

Making Maps Under Fire During the Revolutionary War

Maps, and sometimes their inaccuracy, played an important role in the French and Indian War and in the Revolutionary War.

Why Teens Ignore Risk For a Little Reward

Researchers study dopamine levels in adolescents to understand why they take many risks.

Spanish American War

Read this overview of the Spanish American War and watch the related video about Theodore Roosevelt’s role in it.

Photography and the Civil War, 1861–1865

Read about the work of Civil War photographers, who mostly shot post-battle scenes and camp life, because the laborious process prohibited them from safely documenting the action of battle. Click the image at the top to view a slideshow of photos from the time.

You can do it, baby!

Journalist Leslie Garrett argues that adults shouldn’t tell children, “You could be anything,” but rather, “Be what you’re capable of.”

10 Steps To Conquering Information Overload

Learn about a few ways people can de-clutter their minds at work.

“Yankee Doodle” – Traditional: History of an American folk song

British soldiers sang “Yankee Doodle” to mock the Americans, who eventually turned the song into a source of pride and anthem of their own.

Bessie Coleman

In the face of countless obstacles, Bessie Coleman was determined to become a pilot. Read about her pioneering efforts to become the first African American female pilot in American history.

Write your story, change history

People don’t need to be old to make history. In this talk, Brad Meltzer encourages young people to change the world by following three simple principles.

Remembering Earthquake Shacks, San Francisco’s Original Tiny Houses

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.

What makes a hero?

This article examines some of the traits that allow people to act heroically or prevent them from doing so.

Woman describes what it was like to be the only survivor of a flight obliterated by a thunderstorm

Juliane Koepcke recounts surviving a plane crash and eleven days alone in the Peruvian jungle decades earlier.

The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela review – one man’s otherworldly patience

To commerate Nelson Mandela’s fight against apartheid in South Africa, a collection of letters written during his imprisonment was recently published. Critic Tim Adams shares what he discovered about the already well-known leader.