President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is one of the most influential speeches in our nation’s history. It’s hard to believe, but when it was first delivered in 1863, one newspaper wrote that the speech was nothing more than “silly remarks.” Now, more than 150 years later, the paper has apologized for its dismissive words.
England’s peppered moths provide a classic example of how a species adapts to changing environmental conditions. In this journal article, scientist Jim Mallet discusses not only changes in the moths themselves, but also changes in how their story has been interpreted.
The legend of the lost island city of Atlantis is thousands of years old. But is it true? This article explains some of the theories behind Atlantis, and what the story of the city may really mean.
Alice Herz-Sommer was the oldest known Holocaust survivor until her death at the age of 110. She was also much more: a talented pianist, a friend of famous literary figures, a subject of biographies and documentary films, and an unrelenting optimist.
Langston Hughes made his voice heard by writing poetry about the African American experience. One of those poems has become the core of a multimedia jazz performance, helping young people hear Hughes’s voice in a new way. Read about the performance, watch a video clip, and see pictures from a rehearsal.
Americans known as abolitionists played a crucial part in the fight to end slavery in the United States. This site offers a wealth of information about abolitionists and their cause as well as art and personal narratives from former slaves.
In this opinion piece, Hugh Harris, former director of the NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center Public Affairs Office, shares his experiences and thoughts on the United States Space Program.
Eva Schloss, Anne Frank’s stepsister, recounts her time at Auschwitz and the importance of learning from history.
During World War II, Corrie ten Boom and her family hid hundreds of Jews from the Nazis. After they were betrayed by a fellow Dutch citizen, the entire family was imprisoned. Corrie survived and later told her story in the book The Hiding Place. Read this article to find out more about this courageous woman.
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is an acclaimed author and scholar. In this PBS series, he explores the family histories of twelve prominent Americans to answer these questions: What made America? What makes us? Explore the site to discover more.
