Carter G. Woodson, The Father of Black History Month

The origins of Black History Month date back to 1926, when a historian named Carter G. Woodson spearheaded “Negro History Week.”
A postcard of a Duluth lynching, June 15, 1920

Lynching in America

A new report called Lynching in America: Confronting the Legacy of Racial Terror," documents 3,959 African Americans lynched between 1877 and 1950.
Social Security cards and a sheet of budget numbers

Social Security at 75

The Social Security Act was signed into law in 1935.
Ghettoized book cover

Ghettoside: Murder & Justice in South LA

Detective Wallace “Wally” Tennelle was a rarity: a cop who actually lived in the South Los Angeles neighborhood where he worked.
Chains

The Modern History of Slavery

The Walk Free Foundation recently reported that 35 million people in the world today are trapped in different forms of slavery.
Sketch of a Thanksgiving celebration in a military camp in 1861

Meat and Potatoes: The Reminiscences of Alonzo Davis

In April 1863, the men of the 4th California infantry were hungry. They were posted at Drum Barracks ...
Side-by-side black and white photographs from the mid 1800's of two ladies sitting across from each other and dabbling in divination as a specter-like presence hovers between them

Waking the Spirits: The Diaries of John A. Clark

During the fall and winter of 1861-1862, Clark and many other officials in Santa Fe attended at least eight séances.
An older black and white headshot of Nelly Bly beside the cover of Round the World with Nelly Bly

Nellie Bly, Girl Reporter

A look back on Nellie Bly and the era of "stunt-reporting."
Small mountain range in New Mexico

Searching for Emmett Mills

In spring 1920, three men disembarked from a train in a high desert town. They had come on behalf of their friend Anson Mills, who had asked them to find his brother's grave.
City Hall Station in New York with a symmetrical tiled pattern on the arches and ceiling

Rediscovering the Guastavinos

Rediscovering the Gustavinos contributions to architecture.