An earthquake and tsunami in 2011 caused heavy damage to the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan. Three reactors melted down, and radiation escaped into the air and water. Watch a report about how workers are still trying to contain the damage.
Tag Archives: History
Georgia Douglas Johnson
Georgia Douglas Johnson wrote a poem about taking a risk and soaring into the sky. Learn about the life of this important writer of poems, plays, and stories.
Old Friends Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Made History Together.
Though the contributions of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony were invaluable in the fight for women’s rights, letters between the two reveal that each was aware of the long road toward equality that would have to be traveled by future generations.
Anne Frank at 85: What would she have become had she lived?
This year, Anne Frank would have been 85 years old. Though her short life still reverberates through the world, it’s hard not to wonder what it would have been like if she had lived longer. This article looks at some of the ways Anne Frank affected the world around her, and offers some ideas about the woman she may have become.
Remembering Nina Simone as a Siren and Powerful Civil Rights Activist
Nina Simone was a popular pianist and jazz singer with an unmistakable voice. Some of her later songs are considered by many to be anthems of the civil rights movement. Read this brief introduction to Simone and listen to the two clips of her work.
About Thoreau
Learn about the life of author Henry David Thoreau, the author who lived at Walden Pond, and whose writings on civil disobedience have inspired protesters for more than 100 years.
Are you Ukrainian or Russian? It’s complicated . . .
What determines a person’s cultural identity? For many people, it’s made up of a combination of factors such as language, loyalty, and heritage. For those from the former Soviet Union, the question is even more complicated. Read and listen to Ukrainian-born Alina Simone discuss her path to defining her cultural identity.
10 Lucky Celebrities Who Escaped Disaster
You may be familiar with each of the 10 historic tragedies in this list, but chances are you don’t know that for each one, there’s a celebrity or public figure who narrowly avoided being part of it.
The Revised Dred Scott Case Collection: History of Dred Scott
This page offers a brief history of Dred Scott’s fight for his family’s freedom. Read the overview of Scott’s case and then explore the rest of the collection to learn more about how and why the Dred Scott decision came to be such a landmark case in American judicial history.
The Legacy of Medgar Evers
Medgar Evers was a civil rights activist who fought racial discrimination in many forms. His murder in 1963 sparked national outrage that helped increase support for legislation that led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Listen to this short piece about the lasting impact Evers’ life and work has had on his home state of Mississippi.
Pablo Neruda
Pablo Neruda wrote poems about nature, but he his also famous for his poems about love, as well as many other subjects. Read this biography about the renowned poet’s career.
Shackleton’s Voyage of Endurance
In 1914, Ernest Shackleton led an expedition to cross Antarctica. When his ship became trapped in the ice, a new adventure began. Read the astonishing tale of survival that brought his entire crew home safely two years later.
Movie Monsters, Monster Movies And Why ‘Godzilla’ Endures
There’s no question about the appeal of a good monster movie. But what is it about certain movie monsters that makes them such enduring stars? Listen to this story about Godzilla to learn more about one of cinema’s most legendary monsters.
Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass’s contributions to the fight for freedom are beyond measure. This article and video provide a brief overview of some of the ways in which Douglass helped shape the course of our nation’s history.
A long-hidden mural is revealed, along with a piece of UCLA history
In the 1960s, a group of students at UCLA painted a mural depicting famous African Americans and celebrating the civil rights movement. That mural was recently unveiled after being hidden for many years.
Explorer says he found Columbus’ ship, the Santa Maria
Underwater archaeologist, Barry Clifford, believes his team has found Christopher Columbus’ long lost ship, the Santa Maria. Read this article to find out why he now thinks the wreck he encountered over 10 years ago is Columbus’ ship.
The Lesson of the Power Loom
In this article, technology and innovation researcher James Bessen discusses how the inventions of the Industrial Revolution may influence the innovations of today.
‘Shadow Divers’: True Story of Solving WWII Mystery
The quest undertaken by John Chatterton and Richie Kohler to identify a sunken ship they came to believe was a German U-boat from WWII was a huge risk in many ways. Listen to Robert Kurson, author of the book Shadow Divers, talk about why the two men pushed themselves beyond their limits to solve this mystery.
500-year-old mystery: Wreck off Haiti may be Columbus’ flagship Santa Maria
A shipwreck found off the coast of Haiti may be the Santa Maria, one of the three ships Christopher Columbus used to sail across the Atlantic in 1492. Learn about how the importance of the Santa Maria, and why one explorer thinks the wreck is Columbus’s long-lost ship.
Dogs at War: Smoky, a Healing Presence for Wounded WWII Soldiers
Corporal Bill Wynne had a special bond with his dog, Smoky. That bond helped Wynne recover from a serious illness during WWII. Smoky and Wynne later spent years touring hospitals together, helping other ill or wounded soldiers heal.