In March of 2017, the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center opened in Maryland. Read this article to learn more about the center, along with several other reasons Tubman has received fresh attention recently.
Tag Archives: Historic Figures
Fridtjof Nansen
Fridtjof Nansen would have been a hero in his native Norway if he had only been a brilliant scientist or an intrepid explorer or an innovative diplomat or a life-saving humanitarian. But he was all of these, and more.
Did John Deere’s Best Invention Spark a Revolution or an Environmental Disaster?
This article examines the complexities of farming technology and its environmental impact since the invention of John Deere’s steel plow in 1833.
Mind Ablaze
Critic Jayne Anne Phillips outlines Stephen Crane’s life as she reviews Stephen Crane: A Life of Fire, a 2014 biography of the American author written by Paul Sorrentino.
Gandhi: Surprising Facts on His Life and How His Legacy Lives on Today
Read this article and watch the video to learn about the life of Mohandas Gandhi, whose method of peaceful resistance continues to inspire activists today.
When Girls Studied Planets and the Skies Had No Limits
In the early 1800s, astronomy was seen as a feminine hobby. As it became professionalized, women started to become sidlined. Scientists like Maria Mitchell fought for women’s place in the field.
L.A. County formally replaces Columbus Day
Acknowledging the role European settlement in the Americas had on native people, the city of Los Angeles renamed the holiday to commemorate Christopher Columbus as “Indigenous Peoples Day.”
Anne Frank to have official comic adaption; animated film coming soon
In September 2017, a new comic book version of Anne Frank’s story hit the shelves. This version is different than other Anne Frank comic books and graphic novels because it has been officially endorsed by the Anne Frank Foundation. Read this article for more details.
English professor digitizes historic slave manuscript in Library of Congress
Read to learn about a professor who recently found one of the only manuscripts known to be written by a slave during his bondage. The professor has preserved the document by creating a digital version of the manuscript in its original form.
Mavericks and Heretics
Get an overview of ideas that were once rejected but that we now see as valid.
Dolores Huerta
Learn about the life and work of a civil rights activist who worked with Cesar Chavez.
A New Museum of the American Revolution, Warts and All
Culture reporter Jennifer Schuessler reviews the Museum of the American Revolution, which opened in Philadelphia in April.
Extracting the Woodchuck
In this biographical essay, literary critic Adam Kirsch argues that Robert Frost led a kind of double life that was necessary to create his acclaimed poetry.
‘What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July?’ Frederick Douglass, Revisited
In 1852, Frederick Douglass gave a famous speech criticizing the celebration of Independence Day in a time of slavery. This article suggests that Douglass’ speech is as relevant today as it was before slavery was abolished in the United States.
Elie Wiesel’s Only Son Steps Up to His Father’s Legacy
Elisha Wiesel, son of Elie Wiesel, has not always embraced the responsibility of carrying on his father’s legacy of speaking out for human rights. Nevertheless, he now finds himself carrying the torch.
Sherman’s March to the Sea: A military triumph left a bitter legacy
In 1864, William Tecumseh Sherman led a hard-war strategy of pillaging and destorying property in the South, leaving civilians depleted.
The Letter That Won the American Revolution
George Washington led an effort to create a network of spies to help win the American Revolution.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
In this biography, read how the events of Emerson’s life led him to be a central member of the American Transcendalist movement.
After 75 Years, Anne Frank’s Diary Still Holds Lessons for Us All
This article considers what we can learn from Anne Frank’s diary and what might have been if Anne and her sister Margot had not died in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.
Grad Student Discovers A Lost Novel Written By Walt Whitman
Click this link to find out how an unknown novel written by poet Walt Whitman was recently discovered and to read a short excerpt from the manuscript.