A democracy deficit plagues the US and the European Union
Source: Aeon
Philosopher David V. Johnson argues that increasing the number of House representatives would strengthen the connection to constituents and improve favorability ratings.
History
Otto Frank talks about Anne’s diary
Source: The Anne Frank House
Watch this short video to hear Otto Frank’s thoughts on what he learned from reading his daughter’s diary after learning of her death.
White clergymen urge local Negroes to withdraw from demonstrations
Source: Birmingham Public Library
Read the newspaper commentary to which Martin Luther King Jr. responded in his powerful “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”
Bob Gilruth, the Quiet Force Behind Apollo
Source: Smithsonian Air & Space
Learn about “the father of manned spaceflight,” a modest and unassuming stickler for detail.
America’s War on Language
Source: Web of Language
As the United States entered World War I, fear of the enemy sparked suppression of the German language, resulting in effects that linger a century later.
Hernán Cortés Biography
Source: Biography
This biography and video provide information about explorer and conqueror Hernán Cortés, who overthrew the Aztec empire in the sixteenth century.
Is The Declaration Of Independence Based On A Lie?
Source: Forbes
Former political science professor and writer Tom Lindsay argues that the Declaration of Independence’s claim that “all men are created equal” wasn’t meant to reflect society at the time, but what it could be.
At American Art: A New Look on How Artists Recorded the Civil War
Source: Smithsonian
This article analyzes an art exhibition that featured paintings and photographs created during the Civil War. It examines the metaphorical landscapes and realistic depictions of everyday life.
Artwork of Erie Canal from its 1825 opening found
Source: The Columbus Dispatch
Read about a Vermont historian’s journey to inform others of the impact of the Erie Canal and to distribute the artwork of an Episcopalian minister who recorded what it looked like when first built. Be sure to click through the slideshow of images at the top.
Richard and Mildred Loving Interview
Source: History vs Hollywood
Like Romeo and Juliet, Richard and Mildred Loving married despite overwhelming opposition to their relationship. But this mild-mannered Virginia couple’s love changed the law of the land. Watch an interview from the time of their Supreme Court victory.