We tend to talk about the American Revolution in terms of two sides: the colonists and the British. But for enslaved people living in the colonies, the issue was far more complicated, especially after the Dunmore Proclamation was issued in 1775. Read this summary of the proclamation, the issues it raised, and its consequences.
The arrival of the horse in North America changed life for many American Indian groups. Learn about the amazing relationship between Native peoples and horses, and examine artifacts from throughout their history.
An earthquake and tsunami in 2011 caused heavy damage to the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan. Three reactors melted down, and radiation escaped into the air and water. Watch a report about how workers are still trying to contain the damage.
Georgia Douglas Johnson wrote a poem about taking a risk and soaring into the sky. Learn about the life of this important writer of poems, plays, and stories.
Though the contributions of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony were invaluable in the fight for women’s rights, letters between the two reveal that each was aware of the long road toward equality that would have to be traveled by future generations.
This year, Anne Frank would have been 85 years old. Though her short life still reverberates through the world, it’s hard not to wonder what it would have been like if she had lived longer. This article looks at some of the ways Anne Frank affected the world around her, and offers some ideas about the woman she may have become.
Nina Simone was a popular pianist and jazz singer with an unmistakable voice. Some of her later songs are considered by many to be anthems of the civil rights movement. Read this brief introduction to Simone and listen to the two clips of her work.
Learn about the life of author Henry David Thoreau, the author who lived at Walden Pond, and whose writings on civil disobedience have inspired protesters for more than 100 years.
What determines a person’s cultural identity? For many people, it’s made up of a combination of factors such as language, loyalty, and heritage. For those from the former Soviet Union, the question is even more complicated. Read and listen to Ukrainian-born Alina Simone discuss her path to defining her cultural identity.
You may be familiar with each of the 10 historic tragedies in this list, but chances are you don’t know that for each one, there’s a celebrity or public figure who narrowly avoided being part of it.
