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.
Tag Archives: History
1950’s Car Culture
How did cars become such a big deal in the United States? Watch this video to learn about the ways in which car culture reshaped a nation.
Mendez v. Westminster: Desegregating California’s Schools
Eight years before the Supreme Court’s landmark Brown v. Board of Education ruling, a California family fought for the rights of Latino students. Watch the video to learn more.
Three Reichs, You’re Out
At the end of World War II, American servicemen in Europe organized a “World Series” baseball game, played in Nuremberg’s Stadion der Hitlerjugend, formerly the site of Nazi Party rallies.
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.
What Was the Klondike Gold Rush?
From 1897 to 1898, tens of thousands of people traveled to Alaska in search of gold. Click the links throughout the article for more photos, maps, and information.
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.
Meeting in the Middle: Youth Activism and Formal Politics in Egypt
Written during the hopeful Arab Spring, this article analyzes how young people using social media spurred powerful political change in Egypt.
Did Stone Age cavemen talk to each other in symbols?
When we see images of magnificent cave paintings, we tend to focus on the depictions of animals. But interspersed with these figures are symbols that may reveal the beginnings of human language and writing, far earlier than researchers expected.
The Evolution of the Charity Run/Walk and the Road Ahead
Have you ever participated in a family fun run or charity walk? Today, the 5K run or walk is a pretty commonplace event around the world and all through the year. Where did the idea of running to raise funds begin and why are people drawn to this activity?
Proud to be a Mill Girl
New England industrialists hired thousands of young women from farms to work together in early textile mills—and spawned a host of unintended consequences.
How the West Was Won . . . By Waitresses
In 1878, Fred Harvey began building restaurants along the Santa Fe railway. After a fight broke out among male staff, he fired them and hired young women to take their place. These waitress jobs were a small step toward women’s independence.
Olympic Athletes Who Took a Stand
Olympic track stars Tommie Smith and John Carlos were medalists in the 1968 Olympic Games. Read about their gesture of protest and its consequences.
Legacy Of Forced March Still Haunts Navajo Nation
In 1864, thousands of Navajo and Apache were forced to walk from their lands to a reservation about 400 miles away. In this recording, descendants of Native Americans on the Long Walk share their experiences and memories.
Illegal Immigration Solutions – Pros and Cons: Historical Timeline
This timeline is organized into six time periods, each of which has excerpts and images from primary and secondary sources. Scan the entire timeline or choose to focus on one or two time periods for a more in-depth look at the history of immigration in the U.S.
The Fight for Women’s Suffrage
The fight for women’s suffrage did not begin or end when the Civil War was over. Explore the complete history of the fight for women’s right to vote, and browse photo galleries and videos about the soldiers in the fight.
Philippe Petit
Meet Philippe Petit, a man who said, “To me, it’s so simple that life should be lived on the edge of life.” Read his biography to learn about the risks this man is renowned for taking.
Final Confederate statue coming down in New Orleans
In May 2017, New Orleans took down a statue of General Robert E. Lee that had stood for 133 years. Read to learn more about the city government’s reasons for removing the statue and the public disagreement about the decision.