The Washerwoman Who Changed American Lives
Although she never earned more than $10 per bundle, Oseola McCarty managed to save almost $300,000. She donated half of it to the University of Southern Mississippi to help students in need.
The Americanist
The Americanist is a newsletter about contemporary North American history, with a particular interest in niche and less-explored facets of U.S. history.
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The German Texan Massacre Hidden in Civil War History
On August 10, 1862, thirty-seven Unionist Texan Germans lost their lives in a battle against Confederate soldiers. What started as a military clash soon turned into a full-blown massacre.
The Overlooked Battle That Cost the U.S. Detroit
On August 5, 1812, the U.S. Military suffered a major blow when 25 warriors of Tecumseh's Confederacy defeated an army eight times bigger than themselves, ultimately leading to the Siege of Detroit.
The Day New York Fell Silent
On July 28, 1917, thousands of Black Americans transformed one of the world's loudest cities into a silent reminder of the grisly racial violence and injustice they endured.
America's Forgotten War of the Napoleonic Age
Between early July 1798 and late September 1800, the U.S. fought an undeclared war against France, with the conflict briefly continuing under Napoleon's rule.
The Night Los Angeles Went to War With the Sky
Between February 24 and 25, 1942, mysterious lights appeared over the skies of L.A. What later became a UFO legend was, actually, a grim reminder of the effectiveness of wartime paranoia.
The Aviator America Didn't Want
A woman with big dreams and courage many would envy, Bessie Coleman overcame racial and sexist barriers by becoming the first Black woman to earn an international pilot's licence in 1921.
America's First Photograph of the Impossible
For thousands of years, lightning was instant, mysterious and a source of fascination. Until an American captured it on camera for the very first time.
The Forgotten Pirate War That Shaped America as a Global Power
Between May 1801 and June 1805, the U.S. Navy fought the Barbary states of North Africa. An intervention against pirate raids in the Mediterranean turned into a war that shaped America's future.
The Time America Had an Emperor
In September 1859, a bankrupt businessman with no formal political power proclaimed himself "Norton I, Emperor of the United States." He remains a legend in San Francisco.