Nelson Mandela, the Father
Source: The New Yorker
Journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault reflects on the character and achievements of South Africa’s first black president.
History
Hemingway on War and Its Aftermath
Source: National Archives
Although best know for his fiction, Ernest Hemingway was also a war correspondent and a Red Cross ambulance driver. Read this article from the National Archives to find out how Hemingway’s wartime experiences influenced his writing.
After Chernobyl, They Refused to Leave
Source: CNN
The 1986 Chernobyl disaster was the world’s worst nuclear accident. Thousands of people were relocated to other cities. But 1,200 people, mostly older women, came back to live in the toxic Exclusion Zone, unwilling to be displaced from their homes. Read the article and view the video to find out what bonds these women to their homeland.
The Life and Times of Nelson Mandela
Source: Nelson Mandela Foundation
Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) was a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and the first black president of South Africa. He helped bring an end to apartheid and was a global advocate for human rights. Read his biography; then, explore the site to learn more about this remarkable man.
Slavery’s Last Stronghold
Source: CNN
The African country of Mauritania officially ended slavery in 1981; however, an estimated 10%–20% of the population is still enslaved. Read this article to find out more about the struggle to free the last slaves on earth.
Trojan War
Source: History
The tale of the Trojan War has fascinated people for centuries. Why? Check out this site to learn the story of the war, the epics that mention it, and what archaeologists have discovered over the years. While you’re there, be sure to click links to related topics, such as “Greek Mythology” and “Ancient Greece.” There’s a lot to learn.
A New House in the Old Country
Source: Tablet
Sometimes events fit together as neatly as a five-foot-wide house in an alleyway. In this essay, author Etgar Keret relates how he came to inhabit the world’s narrowest house—one perfectly meshing with his minimalist writing style—located in a place deeply significant to his family.
The War Over King’s Legacy
Source: Newsweek
Martin Luther King Jr.’s life ended before his work was complete, leaving others to interpret his intentions and delineate his legacy. Vern E. Smith and Jon Meacham discuss the history and the ongoing disagreements over who King was and what his work means today.
From Divided States, A ‘United’ Nation—Thanks To These Men
Source: NPR
In this interview, we hear from Simon Winchester, author of The Men Who United The States: America’s Explorers, Inventors, Eccentrics, and Mavericks, and the Creation of One Nation, Indivisible, about the people who made the United States such a great nation.
Anne Frank’s Amsterdam
Source: Anne Frank House
A new digital scrapbook combines images from World War II Amsterdam with images of modern-day Amsterdam to give viewers a unique perspective into the world of Anne Frank.