People struggle for freedom and equal rights in many different ways. Jenny Hatch is a woman with Down syndrome who recently won the right to decide where and how she lives, after having had that right taken away from her for over a year.
Category Archives: The Struggle for Freedom
Solomon Northup
Solomon Northup was a free man living in New York. In 1841, he was lured south and kidnapped and spent more than a decade enslaved. He recorded his experiences in the book 12 Years a Slave, which has been made into an Academy-award winning film. Read this article to find out more about Northup’s struggle for freedom.
The Life and Times of Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) was a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and the first black president of South Africa. He helped bring an end to apartheid and was a global advocate for human rights. Read his biography; then, explore the site to learn more about this remarkable man.
Slavery’s Last Stronghold
The African country of Mauritania officially ended slavery in 1981; however, an estimated 10%–20% of the population is still enslaved. Read this article to find out more about the struggle to free the last slaves on earth.
Manal al-Sharif: A Saudi Woman Who Dared to Drive
Women are forbidden to drive in Saudi Arabia. Listen to the story of women’s right advocate Manal al-Sharif, who dared to challenge the system by posting a video of herself driving on YouTube.
An Oral History of the March on Washington
The March on Washington was a pivotal moment in the American Civil Rights movement. Read and listen to these first-hand accounts of people who were in the Mall on that monumental day.
How Did Ex-Slave’s Letter to Master Come to Be?
Read this article to find out more about ex-slave Jordan Anderson and his famous letter to his former master.
Text of Ex-Slave’s Letter to His Former Master
Soon after the Civil War, Confederate Colonel Patrick Henry Anderson asked one of his ex-slaves, Jordan Anderson, to return to his Tennessee plantation to work. Read Jordan Anderson’s satirical response.