Although she died in a concentration camp when she was 15, Anne Frank’s thoughts and feelings are alive and influence many writers today. Learn about the contemporary play and the novels that are part of Anne’s legacy.
Where did Shakespeare get his ideas? This essay by Amanda Mabillard analyzes the sources and motivations underlying Shakespeare’s writing of The Tragedy of Macbeth.
Most people think of armies of men fighting each other during the Civil War, but women also served in various ways. Read about six female spies who worked for the Union or Confederacy.
Jefferson Davis never asked for a pardon for leading the government of the Confederacy in its rebellion against the United States. Statues of the Confederate president have become increasingly controversial in recent years, including one that was removed from the campus of the University of Texas in 2015.
James Madison played many important roles in the founding of the nation. Explore this site to learn more about his contributions.
This segment discusses the work Jacob Riis did, the tactics he used to communicate his message, and the books others have written about him. View the images Riis took and choose a book excerpt to read.
Edgar Allan Poe’s legacy continues to pervade American culture to this day. His work and ideas not only helped to create an entire genre of literature but also changed the way many Americans thought and spoke about the human psyche. Watch this short biography of one of America’s most influential Dark Romantics.
After over 300 copies of Anne Frank’s diary and related books were vandalized in Japan, Israel and the Japanese Jewish community reached out to replace the books.
“One sometimes finds what one is not looking for,” said Alexander Fleming, whose chance observation of a contaminated experiment led to the the world’s first antibiotic. This Smithsonian article discusses inventions and discoveries that centered on a flash of insight in a mind prepared to see what it wasn’t looking for.
Phillis Wheatley was the first African American to publish a book of poetry in the United States, and the third woman to do so, regardless of race. Learn more about the life of this native of Senegal who was captured and enslaved at the age of eight.
