Jacob Riis brought the darkness of New York City’s tenement housing into light with his photos. This forced America to confront the brutal conditions that impoverished people faced.
Tag Archives: History
The Statue of Liberty Has Long Been a Magnet for Protest
A symbol for American values and freedom, the Statue of Liberty has been used as a tool to promote the goals of protestors throughout history.
Are Dictators on the Way Out or the Way Up?
Have elections, uprisings, and political protests across the globe led to a decline in authoritarian goverments in recent years? This article takes a look at worldwide trends and examines what happens when dictators are removed from power.
Powell Calls His U.N. Speech a Lasting Blot on His Record
Despite his many accomplishments, Colin Powell may be best known for a decision that helped spur U.S. military involvement in Iraq. Read about how he evaluated that choice at the time and what he has learned from it.
‘All humanity was taken away from us’: Anne Frank’s stepsister recalls Holocaust, her time at Auschwitz
Anne Frank’s childhood friend—whose mother married Anne Frank’s father after the war—discusses her experiences during the Holocaust and their lifelong effects.
One of the Worst Man-Made Disasters in History
Man-made disasters are entirely preventable. Watch this video to find out why the warning signs of a deadly chain of events in 20th-century Italy were ignored.
What the Emancipation Proclamation Didn’t Do
In this interview, a historian sets the record straight about Abraham Lincoln’s bold move.
Coatlicue
Learn about an Aztec legend by getting an up-close look at a terrifying statue.
‘The Blood of Lynching Victims Is in This Soil.’
The Emancipation Proclamation may have freed slaves, but many former slaves and their descendants still faced hatred and brutality in the form of lynching. Read how one museum aims to preserve the memory of these victims.
The Real Birth of American Democracy
When American democracy was still in its infancy, it was put to the test when George Washington stepped down as president. Read about how this ultimately strengthened the nation.
How to make it as a female war correspondent
Journalists in war zones have one of the most dangerous—and compelling—of jobs. Learn about a pioneering woman who worked as a war correspondent from the dawn of World War II.
What a Novel Can Say About the Egyptian Revolution
Find out why fiction works well as a way to explore the still-uncertain outcomes of the 2011 Arab Spring movement.
Fortified but Still in Peril, New Orleans Braces for Its Future
In the years since Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans has rebuilt and improved its system for protecting against flooding. Will the city’s defenses hold up in the event of another powerful storm?
The real-life diseases that spread the vampire myth
Vampire stories began way before Dracula. Find out about the real-life afflictions that made people believe frightening tales.
The Many Faces of Alexander Hamilton, Just in Time for the Fourth
Alexander Hamilton was a man of many talents, abilities, and flaws. Read the article for a deeper look into this complicated founding father.
The Defiant Ones
Imagine if simply going to school was an act of defiance. For the women in the article, it was. Read the article to learn more about the battles fought for desegregation.
Roanoke Wasn’t America’s Only Lost Colony
The fate of the lost colony of Roanoke has become the stuff of legend. However, many lesser-known colonies also struggled and failed. Explore the interactive map to learn more.
Documentary explores US exclusion of Chinese in the 1800s
American immigration policy has always been a contentious issue. Read this article, which details a history of exclusionary actions against Chinese immigrants, to gain a better understanding of America’s tumultuous past.
A Time of Reckoning
What happened after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued? Learn about the various organizations formed and laws passed to help transition African Americans out of slavery, and consider how successful those efforts were.
Last Men of the Revolution
During the Civil War, when photography was a new medium, a minister and amateur historian raced to capture images of the last surviving veterans of the American Revolution.