Eleanor of Aquitaine
Source: HISTORY
In a life worthy of a Shakespeare play, during the era in which Macbeth was set, Eleanor of Aquitaine was one of the most powerful and influential women in the world.
Historic Figures
Martin Luther King, Jr.: 8 peaceful protests that bolstered civil rights
Source: The Christian Science Monitor
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the famous civil rights leader, believed in nonviolent protests against racism. This article describes 8 of the peaceful protests King organized, including the march from Selma, Alabama, and the political rally at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., where he delivered his powerful “I Have a Dream” speech.
Wilma Mankiller, Cherokee Chief and First Woman to Lead Major Tribe, Is Dead at 64
Source: The New York Times
Although she died in 2010, the Cherokee Nation will long remember Wilma Mankiller for her dedication to education, health care, and housing reforms. Find out how her decision to support a protest on Alcatraz Island fostered her leadership and determination to help her community.
Words From the Past Illuminate a Station on the Way to Freedom
Source: The New York Times
A new book from Eric Foner, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, based on the discovery of journals containing interviews with fugitive slaves, sheds light on how the Underground Railroad really worked. Read about it here.
Alexander Hamilton: The nation’s founding blogger
Source: National Constitution Center
Before the signing of the Constitution, Federalists and anti-Federalists each wrote a series of essays debating its key points. As the primary author of the Federalist Papers, Alexander Hamilton’s opinions are still regarded today.
Studies in Scale: Excerpts from The Gorgeous Nothings
Source: Poetry Foundation
Jen Bervin talks about how she was inspired by the physical nature of Emily Dickinson’s poems when putting together The Gorgeous Nothings, her recent collection of work by the poet. Scroll to the bottom of the article to see examples of the poems, which were written on envelopes.
Protesters Out to Reclaim King’s Legacy, but in Era That Defies Comparison
Source: The New York Times
With social unrest over race and inequality rising, protesters attempt to mold Martin Luther King’s tactics to today’s issues and technology.
NAACP: A Century in the Fight for Freedom
Source: Library of Congress
The NAACP has worked from its founding over a hundred years ago to promote equal rights in the United States. Explore this multimedia exhibition from the Library of Congress to learn about the organization’s founders, history, and accomplishments.
Sixty Years Later, the Story of PT-109 Still Captivates
Source: National Archives
In 1943, a Japanese destroyer sank a young American naval lieutenant’s boat in the South Pacific. What followed was a tale of determination and courage, as the crew was saved by that lieutenant—who would one day become President.
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Source: NPR
In 1833, Harriet Beecher Stowe witnessed the brutality of slavery on her first trip to the South. What she saw changed her and led to her writing her famous anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin, in 1852. Listen to a discussion about her legacy here.