Watch a video on, and read about, the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches.
Tag Archives: History
Cesar Chavez
Labor organizer Cesar Chavez was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for working to improve working and living conditions for migrant farm workers. Learn how he found the courage to speak out, organize a farm workers’ union, and lead nonviolent marches and boycotts of California table grape growers.
Yesteryears: In Civil War illustrator Waud’s hands, pen was as mighty as the sword
At the time of the Civil War, cameras were too slow to capture scenes of the battles. Illustrator Alfred Rudolph Waud was among the artists who provide first-hand visuals at the Battle of Bull Run and other key battles.
Navajos share stories about their past, the world
In Phoenix, Arizona, a new program allows people to learn about Navajo traditions and stories. Children and their families hear traditional Navajo stories that help them learn more about their roots.
The Founding Fathers Weren’t Concerned with Inequality
Learn why our founding documents say next to nothing about the democratic principle of economic security.
How one journalist risked her life to hold murderers accountable
Journalist Ida B. Wells was as civil rights activist during the late 1800’s. Her tireless struggle for justice helped spark the movement for equal rights.
The Mexican American War
Learn about a controversial military engagement with far-reaching effects.
Before there was coronavirus, there was yellow fever. Fear of it once gripped D.C.
At the turn of the 20th century, fear of a viral epidemic gripped the nation. Learn about yellow fever and how it spread.
Cuban Missile Crisis
In October 1962, two world leaders faced a choice about whether and how to avert a nuclear war.
What Does It Mean for America to Put Harriet Tubman on the $20 Bill?
The U.S. Treasury recently decided to put Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill. Click on this link to read a discussion by several writers and editors from The Atlantic about the significance of this change to American currency.
German Parliament Votes To Recognize Mass Killing Of Armenians As Genocide
In June of 2016, Germany officially declared that the mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks a century ago was genocide. Read this article to find out more about the controversy surrounding this decision.
French Revolution
The American Revolution didn’t only bring freedom to Americans; it also helped fuel a revolution across the ocean in France. Learn about how the French people overthrew their monarchy and what the result of the revolution was.
The Story of Smallpox and Other Deadly Eurasian Germs
The European conquest of the Americas in the 1500s was brief and decisive. The established civilizations on this side of the Atlantic Ocean lacked the weaponry of the invaders. More significantly, they lacked immunity to the deadly germs that accompanied the Europeans.
Where would we be without George Washington?
George Washington retired shortly after the American Revolution and re-emerged on the political scene several years later. In this essay, historian Edward Larson emphasizes the significance of these actions and makes a connection to modern global revolutions.
Archaeologists Are Hunting for the Lost French Fleet That Nearly Conquered Spanish Florida
Archaeologists are looking for the wreckage of a fleet of French ships that was lost near present-day Florida in 1565. Why are scientists so interested in this shipwreck from long ago? The loss of the ships brought an end to French colonization in the Americas.
Discovery Leads Yale to Revise a Chapter of Its Black History
Recently found letters and documents have uncovered that Richard Henry Green, an African-American man, graduated from Yale in 1857, nearly 20 years earlier than the man who was believed to be the first African-American graduate from Yale.
The Speech That Brought India to the Brink of Independence
In August of 1942, Mohandas Gandhi gave an influential speech urging Indians to stand up for their liberty. Read to learn more about India’s struggle for independence and the historical significance of Gandhi’s speech.
Anne Frank’s Message is Still Important Today
An opinion writer ponders why Anne Frank’s words still resonate with teenagers today.
With slave ship Clotilda found, the work of healing a community begins
While the injustice of slavery can never truly be rectified, the discovery of a sunken slave ship brings hope that some form of justice can be found. Read more about how one African American community is trying to heal.
Why are U.S. Supreme Court justices appointed for life?
Should Supreme Court justices be subject to term limits or do their lifetime appointments ensure they are free from outside influences? Read the editorial to learn more about Supreme Court justices.