Barbara Johns: The US’ forgotten civil rights hero
Source: BBC
In 1951, 16-year-old Barbara Johns found herself in the middle of the fight to end segregation in American schools, an effort she compared to “reaching for the moon.”
Historic Figures
Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Lake’
Source: ThoughtCo
Many people know Edgar Allen Poe for his short stories, but did you know he was a poet, as well? Many of his poems play with the same themes as his stories, including one he dedicated to an unknown person and that scholars believe was written about a real-life haunted lake…
A century after Harriet Tubman died, scholars try to separate fact from fiction
Source: The Washington Post
Harriet Tubman has long been a legend in the fight to abolish slavery in the United States. Recently, scholars have begun to take a closer look at what we think we know about the woman behind the legend.
Jack London Biography
Source: Biography
In this biography, learn how Jack London’s adventurous life inspired his novels and stories.
The Declaration of Independence Was Also a List of Grievances
Source: History
Learn about how the grievances of King George III were used to justify the American Revolution and win French support throughout the war.
9 Virtual Tours of Shakespearean Spots
Source: Google: Arts and Culture
William Shakespeare is widely considered to be the greatest writer in the English language and now, thanks to modern technology, you can explore some of the most iconic places from the playwright’s life, and the locations said to have inspired him, from the comfort of your own home.
The (Still) Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe
Source: Smithsonian
Poe’s death is an unsolved mystery. This article present nine theories for the demise of this famous American writer.
Abigail Adams Biography
Source: Biography
Abigail Adams, wife of John Adams, served as an unofficial advisor to the second president of the United States. She also fought for the right of married women to own personal property.
Muckraking Journalist Jacob Riis and Gilded Age New York City
Source: C-SPAN
This lecture by Professor Daniel Czitrom from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts gives an overview of Jacob Riis. Watch the clips at the following marks for a look at some of Riis’s work and to get a sense of his purpose and relevance today: 20:38–25:10, 36:35–38:40, 45:02–47:35, and 50:56–52:16.
Professor Says He Has Solved a Mystery Over a Slave’s Novel
Source: The New York Times
Gregg Hecimovich, a professor of English in South Carolina, may have successfully identified the woman who wrote The Bondwoman’s Narrative. The novel is thought to be the first written by an African-American woman. Until now, no one knew the author’s true identity.