The Donner Party story is synonymous with the idea of the American pioneer and infamous because of the tales of cannibalism that surround the tragedy. However, Daniel James Brown’s The Indifferent Stars Above goes beyond historical stereotypes and salacious details to tell the Donner Party’s story that is truly raw and capitvating.
Read MoreThis week marks the 177th anniversary of the first ever telegraph message being sent. This message, sent between Washington D.C. and Baltimore, opened the door for the inventions of instantaneous communication we enjoy today. In order to celebrate, we dive into the history of Samuel Morse’s invention and how revolutionary it truly was.
Read MoreBefore becoming the first Black justice to sit on the Supreme Court, Thurgood Marshall stood in front of the highest court to argue against racial segregation in American schools. His involvement with this landmark legal case, Brown v. Board of Education, was critical to establishing a legal precedent against the practice of segregation.
Read MoreThis week marks the birthday of Martha Graham, the most influential American dancer of the 20th century and mother of modern dance. Graham’s pioneering career had a monumental impact on American dance and performance that is still felt today and her legacy reminds us of how critical art is to the human experience.
Read MoreOn this day forty years ago, President Ronald Reagan was shot by would be assassin John Hinkley, Jr. after delivering a routine speech. While some blamed the “20-Year Presidential Curse” for the attempt on President Reagan’s life, the real circumstances surrounding the lead up to and aftermath of the event itself are perhaps more bizarre than an alleged presidential curse.
Read MoreToday we’re excited to welcome Alex Palma to the Historic America Journal. Alex is the Assistant Director at Philadelphia’s historic Carpenters’ Hall and his article is all about this important American building and it’s wonderful history…
Read More“Tout le sang coule rouge” is not from the clever mind of some Hollywood scriptwriter. It is the actual title of an unpublished autobiography of, oddly enough, an American. The story of Eugene Bullard is one of grit and determination and should have been taught in schools.
Read MoreTucked into Philadelphia’s Old City neighborhood is a narrow street with an old-fashioned name: Elfreth’s Alley. Since at least 1713, this little street has been home, with possibly ten thousand people living here in the intervening three centuries. The homes that stand today, built between 1724 and 1836, have seen Philadelphia change from a bustling Colonial port to an industrial powerhouse and finally to a post-industrial city.
Read MoreA post on Holocaust remembrance day.
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