About Mark Twain
Source: PBS
Learn about Mark Twain’s life through this collection of texts, photos, illustrations, and other media.
Historic Figures
Discovery Leads Yale to Revise a Chapter of Its Black History
Source: The New York Times
Recently found letters and documents have uncovered that Richard Henry Green, an African-American man, graduated from Yale in 1857, nearly 20 years earlier than the man who was believed to be the first African-American graduate from Yale.
Molly Shannon’s Emily Dickinson Is No Reclusive Spinster
Source: WBUR
Emily Dickinson is often thought of as a solitary figure who never intended for her poetry to be published. Click this link to read about a 2018 dramatic comedy that challenges these notions.
The Speech That Brought India to the Brink of Independence
Source: Smithsonian Magazine
In August of 1942, Mohandas Gandhi gave an influential speech urging Indians to stand up for their liberty. Read to learn more about India’s struggle for independence and the historical significance of Gandhi’s speech.
Why does Amelia Earhart still fascinate us?
Source: National Geographic
Amelia Earhart was a pioneer and flying icon for her achievement both in the air and on the ground. Read more about society’s continued fascination with her.
Mary Wollstonecraft Biography
Source: Biography
Feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, who wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Woman in 1792, advocated for the education of women.
A Free Man’s Letter to A Former Slaveowner in 1865
Source: Smithsonian Magazine
In 1865, former slave Jourdon Anderson was asked to return to the farm where he had been held captive for 32 years. Read this article to learn more about Anderson’s witty, sarcastic response and to read excerpts from his letter.
Annual event pays tribute to proclamation
Source: Carteret County News-Times
In Beaufort, South Carolina, people come together every year to remember the day President Lincoln read the Emancipation Proclamation. Read this brief article to see how they celebrate.
A Poet Who Pushed (and Recycled) the Envelope
Source: The New York Times
In this article, we learn about a new book, The Gorgeous Nothings, that showcases bits of poetry written on envelopes by Emily Dickinson. Be sure to enlarge the images to take a look at Dickinson’s manuscripts.
The Poisoning of King George III
Source: Colonial Williamsburg
For years, there has been speculation that King George III suffered from some sort of mental illness. In this article, learn about the poisoning that may have caused his symptoms.