10 Facts about the Emancipation Proclamation
Source: Civil War Trust
Read ten facts about the 1863 Proclamation, one of the most important documents in the history of the United States.
Historic Figures
See Jewish Life Before the Holocaust Through a Newly Released Digital Archive
Source: Smithsonian
Russian-born Jew Roman Vishniac’s prints and negatives depicting Jewish life before the Holocaust are published for the first time in an online photo database. The hope is to gather information from the public, such as dates, locations, and identification of people from that time.
Susan B. Anthony and the Long Push for Women’s Suffrage
Source: History
For almost 100 years before women gained the right to vote, suffragists fought to win that right. Watch the video to learn more about Susan B. Anthony’s role at this time.
Shakespeare in Scotland: What did the author of Macbeth know and when did he know it?
Source: Shakespeare Oxford Fellowship
Some scholars have long maintained that someone other than William Shakespeare authored some of the Bard’s best-known works. This article explores the idea that a writer with a deeper knowledge of Scotland than Shakespeare could have had must have penned Macbeth.
Brother Outsider
Source: Bayard Rustin Film Project
Bayard Rustin was the mastermind behind the March on Washington. Watch the trailer for this PBS documentary and learn about the honors belatedly conferred on this little-known hero of the civil rights movement.
Jon Savage on his documentary “Teenage”
Source: The Guardian
Jon Savage’s book “Teenage: The Creation of Youth 1875-1945” was turned into a documentary film and released in the U.S. in 2014. Because the idea of teenagers didn’t always exist, “Teenage” explores the emergence of this new stage between childhood and adulthood in the early 20th century.
Nellie Cashman – Pioneering the Mining Camps
Source: Legends of America
Read about Nellie Cashman – whose bold actions led to her being a prospector in Alaska’s gold rush, a philanthropist amongst the mining community, and a legend of the old West.
The Presidential Election of 1800
Source: Legends of America
Learn why this election, which is sometimes called the “Revolution of 1800,” was a milestone in the history of American politics.
The Diary of Anne Frank Introduction
Source: Shmoop
Why is Anne Frank’s diary so popular, over 7 decades after it was written? What makes it different from other books written during or about the Holocaust? It turns out it’s a lot more than just a diary.
Robert Smalls: A Daring Escape
Source: PBS
An enslaved man named Robert Smalls went undercover for one of the most daring escapes of all time. Find out how he saved himself and saved dozens of other enslaved people as well!