Can you imagine a riot breaking out in response to a disagreement about which actor did a better job in the role of Macbeth? That’s what happened in 1849 in New York. Click to learn more.
Tag Archives: History
What Is Critical Race Theory, and Why Is It Under Attack?
Learn why an academic approach toward examining lingering effects of slavery has turned into a hot-button topic.
Remembering History: Ruby Bridges
Read about how six-year-old Ruby Bridges advanced the civil rights cause when she became the first Black student to integrate a southern elementary school.
Matthew Henson, the Arctic Explorer Who Stood on Top of the World
Read about the controversy surrounding Matthew Henson’s claim as the first person to reach the North Pole.
Growing Up Colored
Henry Louis Gates describes what it was like to grow up as an African American in a West Virginia town in the 1950s.
Making Maps Under Fire During the Revolutionary War
Maps, and sometimes their inaccuracy, played an important role in the French and Indian War and in the Revolutionary War.
News for All: How the Immigrant Experience Shaped American Media
Read about how ethnic media has provided a link between immigrants’ old countries and their new homes in the United States throughout history.
Spanish American War
Read this overview of the Spanish American War and watch the related video about Theodore Roosevelt’s role in it.
Photography and the Civil War, 1861–1865
Read about the work of Civil War photographers, who mostly shot post-battle scenes and camp life, because the laborious process prohibited them from safely documenting the action of battle. Click the image at the top to view a slideshow of photos from the time.
150 Years Later, Myths Persist about the Emancipation Proclamation
What did the Emancipation Proclamation really do? Three myths about this document are addressed in this article, which was written for the 150th anniversary of its signing.
The Secret Annex Online
Go back in time to explore the hiding place of Anne Frank on this website. With background information on the people, places, and things that happened, as well as an interactive 3D model of the secret annex, this site provides a truly immersive experience.
Gilded Age Wives Set Philanthropy’s Gold Standard
The philanthropy of the wives of some of the richest men in American history supported universities, museums, and other institutions. They redefined the traditional role of wealthy women, setting a standard for today’s philanthropic community. Learn more in this short feature.
What Happened To British Loyalists After The Revolutionary War?
At the time of the American Revolution, not every colonist wanted to sever ties with the British Crown. In this short interview, a historian describes the perils of being a Loyalist during and following the Revolutionary War.
Meet Angela, The First Named African Woman in Jamestown
An Angolan woman called Angela was among the first Africans to arrive in the North American territory that would become the United States. Learn more about Angela, the Central African kingdom of Ndongo where she was born, and how she and other captives lived in Jamestown.
Why Biden’s Armenian Genocide Declaration Really Is a Big Deal
An Armenian American reflects on a recent statement condemning a genocide that inspired Hitler.
Barbara Pope was the Rosa Parks of D.C., but her story was mostly forgotten
Fifty years before the Civil Rights Movement, Barbara Pope boarded a train and challenged Virginia’s Jim Crow Law.
Demolition, disease, and death: Building the Panama Canal
Watch this short video about how the Panama Canal was not-so-easily created.
Is Bigfoot real? You likely already know the answer.
For decades, hundreds of people claimed to have seen the creature known as “bigfoot” or “sasquatch”. When examined logically, it the existence of this creature really plausible?
You Can Still Visit These Six Former National Parks
National parks are designated and protected by national governments for conservation purposes. Although the locations listed in the article are no longer national parks, their beauty and history make them worth a visit.
Victoria siblings explore chilling creatures from Indigenous stories in horror-themed podcast
A brother-and-sister team from the Whitesand First Nation, explore creatures from Indigenous oral histories in their horror-themed podcast. Read about their topics and approach.