Two historians claim quilts may have contained encoded messages for enslaved people looking to escape through the Underground Railroad. Though others disagree, it is an intriguing idea.
Tag Archives: History
21 Things You May Not Know About the U.S. Constitution
Read this list to learn facts and quirks about our nation’s most famous document and the people who wrote it.
A Lost Work by Langston Hughes Examines the Harsh Life on the Chain Gang
Though slavery was outlawed in the late 1800s, forced labor remained legal in the United States if someone was convicted of a crime. Langston Hughes wrote about such a loophole in his powerful essay examining the harshness of chain gangs.
From pacifist to spy: WWII’s surprising secret agent
Noor Inayat Khan turned spy to help the Allied forces fighting the Nazis during WWII.
Calling People Names: An Expression of Colonial Power
Historically, colonizers gave names to the indigenous people of North America instead of using the names already in place. This continued imposition is inaccurate and at times insulting. Read the article to learn more about this problem.
20 Historic Moments in the Fight for LGBTQ Rights
Read about some famous historical moments and their impact on policies today regarding the struggle for LGBTQ rights.
A Brief History of Women’s Fight to Wear Pants
Throughout history, women have asserted their right to wear pants for many practical reasons. This article shares some of their stories.
Instagram Story Aims to Engage New Generation With Holocaust
An Instagram account was produced almost like a short film and intends to bring awareness and remembrance of the experience of Jews in the Holocaust to a younger generation.
St. Landry Parish Catholic School Reflecting on Role in Slavery
A Catholic school acknowledges its role in the slave trade and pays tribute to the slaves who worked on its property and their ancestors to bring recognition, respect, and a sense of closure to the pain caused by slavery.
Hong Kong’s huge protests, explained
Watch this video to understand where the tensions between Hong Kong and mainland China stem from and why people continue to protest.
Asia’s Five Worst Dictators
See the top five dictators who have ruled different parts of Asia over the past two decades.
Apollo 11 tribute features stunning projections onto Washington Monument
Watch a video of a tribute celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. The Washington Monument transforms into a movie screen depicting various stages of the mission.
At Gilded Age “Poverty Parties,” the Rich Felt Free
At “Poverty Parties” during the Gilded Age, the rich would transform from riches to rags to “free” themselves from the constraints of society. Read more about the insensitive parties that took place at a time of significant income disparity.
The First Pride Marches, In Photos
The struggle for Gay rights took many forms in the late 1900s, though their goals were the same: equality and acceptance. Look at photos of some of the first Pride parades and learn the history of how modern Pride celebrations came to be.
Saving a Lost Language
Western Carolina University is preserving the Cherokee language, which will help preserve the culture. Learn why this decision matters so much to the Cherokee people.
10 Facts about the Emancipation Proclamation
Read ten facts about the 1863 Proclamation, one of the most important documents in the history of the United States.
See Jewish Life Before the Holocaust Through a Newly Released Digital Archive
Russian-born Jew Roman Vishniac’s prints and negatives depicting Jewish life before the Holocaust are published for the first time in an online photo database. The hope is to gather information from the public, such as dates, locations, and identification of people from that time.
Global Impact of the American Revolution
The American Revolution has served as a model of how colonized citizens can gain their independence. Watch this short video to learn more about the influence the American Revolution has had on the rest of the world.
Descendants of Chinese Laborers Reclaim Railroad’s History
The first transcontinental railroad transformed America and came to symbolize a new spirit of unity and cooperation. Yet for decades after its completion, the Chinese workers who made the railroad’s construction possible were overlooked. Recently, steps have been taken to remedy this historical injustice.
Children of the Fifty-Sixers: Growing up in Hungarian Chicago
Author Rebecca Makkai reflects on how her father’s escape from Communist-controlled Hungary in 1956 still echoes in her life in the United States.