A slave ship’s logbook was recently found and sent to Georgetown University for preservation. Its record of enslaved lives lost during the ship’s voyage is both tragic and telling.
Author Archives: Jessica Volkening-Hayes
All the Records the 2020 Hurricane Season Has Broken So Far
Hurricanes, cyclones, and storms—oh, my! Read about all of the records being broken this hurricane season.
The Real Story of Hua Mulan Is More Impressive Than Any Disney Version
The recently released Mulan movie is actually based on an ancient ballad. Many debate whether this ballad is fact or fiction…
Online chess is thriving, a calming constant in a chaotic year
While COVID-19 continues to challenge us physically and emotionally, online chess is here to challenge us mentally. With limitations on what we can do in-person, more and more people are flocking to join the online chess community.
Olympian Wyomia Tyus sprinted to gold and spoke out in Mexico City. America forgot her.
Read about often forgotten icon Wyomia Tyus and her quest for Olympic gold.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Fast Facts
Want to know more about the extraordinary Ruth Bader Ginsburg? Read through this list of fast facts revealing some of the important work she accomplished during her career.
No Trick Or Treat: Americans Get Creative To Celebrate Halloween Safely
What will Halloween look like this year with the looming threat of COVID-19? Parents fear for their children’s safety.
Afghan women negotiating with the Taliban say they feel ‘heavy responsibility’
LISTEN: Afghan women fear what will happen to the rights they have fought for over the past two decades if the Taliban resumes power.
Dogs Detecting Disease: Meet America’s Cancer-Sniffing Canines
Did you know dogs are being trained to smell cancer? Turns out their noses can detect more complex things than you might think!
High school students are demanding schools teach more Black history, include more Black authors
Students across the country are making their voices heard: they want more diversity and thoughtful planning around anti-racism in their schools.
Vacaville inmates train shelter dogs to become service dogs in new program
Watch the video to learn more about how dogs are used in a prison training program as a way to rehabilitate inmates.
Japan university awards first-ever ninja studies degree
Think ninjas are just made-up characters who only live in stories? Think again! Genichi Mitsuhashi is the first students to graduate from a Japanese university with a master’s degree in ninja studies.
Animal Cam Education
Did you know you can tap into the webcams at The Smithsonian National Zoo? See how animals—large and small—typically spend their days.
This Shook Lebanon Like Nothing Before
The recent explosion in Beirut is just another disaster the Lebanese people are having to deal with this year. Watch the videos to learn more.
‘I Was a Little Scared’: Inside America’s Reopening Schools
Several students share their concerns after returning to school during the pandemic. Scroll and choose 2 or 3 stories to read.
America’s digital divide: Why Internet access should be a basic human right
The pandemic has forced us to view our everyday lives in a new light, including our access to an internet connection. With virtual learning becoming a necessity rather than a luxury, should internet access be a basic human right?
What really happened during the Salem Witch Trials
Watch: The Salem Witch Trials emanated from falsities, but the destruction they caused were all too real.
A new way to “grow” islands and coastlines
Watch: What if we could harness the power generated by waves to restore eroding shorelines? Designer Skylar Tibbits and his team are testing the theory.
Fires, orchestras, parachutes. Some other ways to describe coronavirus — besides war.
Listen: Metaphors used to describe the pandemic are so powerful, they can increase our fear and frustration.
Washington’s NFL team drops ‘Redskins’ name after 87 years
Washington’s NFL team retires “Redskins” name after decades of criticisms in the wake of recent racial injustices.