John Lewis, lion of civil rights and Congress, dies at 80
Source: AP News
Recently deceased, Congressman John Lewis was a true American hero. We remember his sacrifices and accomplishments as a civil rights activist.
Historic Figures
The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela review – one man’s otherworldly patience
Source: The Guardian
To commerate Nelson Mandela’s fight against apartheid in South Africa, a collection of letters written during his imprisonment was recently published. Critic Tim Adams shares what he discovered about the already well-known leader.
A Photographer Follows in Gandhi’s Footsteps
Source: National Geographic
See photos retracing the route of Gandhi’s famous Salt March and learn about the photographer’s experience in this interview.
Adults are remembering Elie Wiesel. But his testimony mattered most for youths.
Source: The Washington Post
Elie Wiesel, author of Night and human rights advocate, died in July of 2016. The author of this opinion post suggests that Wiesel’s work has a particularly strong impact on young people.
Before Rosa Parks, A Teenager Defied Segregation On An Alabama Bus
Source: NPR
Meet Claudette Colvin, the teenager who inspired Rosa Parks.
America’s First Me Generation
Source: Salon
In this book review, Laura Miller draws connections between the Transcendentalists of the 19th century and individualist movements of the 1960s and 1970s.
Abigail Adams, Founding Mother
Source: The New York Times
In this review of Woody Holton’s book Abigail Adams, we learn more about the First Lady who often reminded her husband to “remember the ladies.” Although the changes of her time had yet to extend to women, Abigail Adams was standing up for her own and other women’s rights.
Edith Wharton’s World
Source: Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery
In this brief biography, guest curators Eleanor Dwight and
Viola Hopkins Winner share details of the life of Edith Wharton.
Frederick Douglass On How Slave Owners Used Food As A Weapon Of Control
Source: NPR
This article examines some of Frederick Douglass’s writings in which he describes how slave owners made use of food (and hunger) as a way of manipulating their slaves.
Anne Frank Who? Museums Combat Ignorance About the Holocaust
Source: The New York Times
Will Anne Frank ever be forgotten? As the Holocaust fades further into history, some historians are working to make sure that future generations don’t get the facts wrong or lose sight of its importance.