The Emancipation Proclamation: Annotated
Abraham Lincoln proclaimed freedom for enslaved people in America on January 1, 1863. Today, we've annotated the Emancipation Proclamation for readers.
The Declaration of Independence: Annotated
Related links to free scholarly context on JSTOR for the foundational document in American government.
Plant of the Month: Venus Flytrap
The carnivorous plant, native to the Carolinas, has beguiled botanists and members of the public alike since the eighteenth century.
The Fight to Integrate Philadelphia’s Department Stores
Black women shopped at department store counters, but they weren't welcome to work where they spent their money.
Nurses Have Always Been Heroes
Nothing drives that home more than this amazing photo collection from the Philadelphia General Hospital School of Nursing.
Anti-Asian Racism in the 1817 Cholera Pandemic
We should learn from, instead of repeating, the racist assignations of the past.
Why Were There Still Stories of Blackface in 2019?
One of the minor themes of 2019 was the revelation that various prominent white politicians had once worn blackface. The question is: why?
When and Where Did Abraham Lincoln Write the Gettysburg Address?
Theories abound. Historian William H. Lambert considers the origin of the address and the mythology surrounding its composition.
When Death Was Women’s Business
In the 19th century, women called "watchers" tended to the dying and the dead.
Jarena Lee, The First Woman African American Autobiographer
Jarena Lee was the first female preacher in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1836, she published her autobiography.