Tag Archives: Historic Figures

An Act of Courage

Learn about the simple decision made by Rosa Parks in 1955 that helped inspire the Civil Rights movement. Scroll down to view the handwritten police report and other records from this event.

Anne Frank was captured 70 years ago today. But what if she had escaped the Nazis?

Although she died in a concentration camp when she was 15, Anne Frank’s thoughts and feelings are alive and influence many writers today. Learn about the contemporary play and the novels that are part of Anne’s legacy.

Shakespeare’s Sources for Macbeth

Where did Shakespeare get his ideas? This essay by Amanda Mabillard analyzes the sources and motivations underlying Shakespeare’s writing of The Tragedy of Macbeth.

Women Spies of the Civil War

Most people think of armies of men fighting each other during the Civil War, but women also served in various ways. Read about six female spies who worked for the Union or Confederacy.

Jefferson Davis Statue Comes Down at University of Texas

Jefferson Davis never asked for a pardon for leading the government of the Confederacy in its rebellion against the United States. Statues of the Confederate president have become increasingly controversial in recent years, including one that was removed from the campus of the University of Texas in 2015.

James Madison

James Madison played many important roles in the founding of the nation. Explore this site to learn more about his contributions.

Jacob Riis: Shedding Light On NYC’s ‘Other Half’

This segment discusses the work Jacob Riis did, the tactics he used to communicate his message, and the books others have written about him. View the images Riis took and choose a book excerpt to read.

Edgar Allan Poe – Mini Biography

Edgar Allan Poe’s legacy continues to pervade American culture to this day. His work and ideas not only helped to create an entire genre of literature but also changed the way many Americans thought and spoke about the human psyche. Watch this short biography of one of America’s most influential Dark Romantics.

Israel donates hundreds of Anne Frank books to Tokyo libraries after vandalism

After over 300 copies of Anne Frank’s diary and related books were vandalized in Japan, Israel and the Japanese Jewish community reached out to replace the books.

Eureka!

“One sometimes finds what one is not looking for,” said Alexander Fleming, whose chance observation of a contaminated experiment led to the the world’s first antibiotic. This Smithsonian article discusses inventions and discoveries that centered on a flash of insight in a mind prepared to see what it wasn’t looking for.

Phillis Wheatley

Phillis Wheatley was the first African American to publish a book of poetry in the United States, and the third woman to do so, regardless of race. Learn more about the life of this native of Senegal who was captured and enslaved at the age of eight.

“Space Dive” Success: Baumgartner Breaks Skydive Record, Sound Barrier

Read about, and watch a video of, Felix Baumgartner’s world record-breaking skydive in October 2012, when he broke the sound barrier by jumping to Earth from a helium balloon in the stratosphere.

5 Things You May Not Know About the Men Who Built America

Check out this list to learn some interesting facts about Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford, J.P. Morgan, John D. Rockefeller and Cornelius Vanderbilt.

The Root: How Racism Tainted Women’s Suffrage

Read about Ida B. Wells’ fight to end the lynching of black people, a cause that stood in contrast to other suffrage leaders’ beliefs.

Anne Frank: 10 beautiful quotes from The Diary of a Young Girl

This article appeared in January on Holocaust Memorial Day 2015, whose theme was “keep the memory alive.” Every time someone reads Anne Frank’s diary, that is what happens. What is your favorite quote from Anne Frank’s diary?

Benjamin Franklin: Founding Father … and Fireman

Firefighting may not exist as we know it without Benjamin Franklin. Watch the video to learn how we have some of our most famous founding fathers to thank for our fire safety standards.

Rare Aztec Map Reveals a Glimpse of Life in 1500s Mexico

Few maps detail the early interactions of the indigenous people of Mexico and early Spanish colonists as much as the Codex Quetzalecatzin. Made using traditional Aztec methods and showing Spanish influences, this map shows the effect of two cultures colliding.

The Holocaust Memorial Museum Digitizes Over 200 Diaries

The Holocaust Memorial Museum seeks to digitize over 200 diaries from victims of the Holocaust to help fight growing Holocaust denial and to shed light on firsthand accounts.