Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Historical Insights”
By Scott Vierick, Historian In April 1865, African American and white United States soldiers marched through the streets of the former Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia. After four years of brutal fighting, the city had finally fallen, forcing the Confederate …
By Scott Vierick, Historian This Father’s Day, we’re honoring Frederick Douglass. Although he became a prominent national figure, the threat of slavery, racism, and white supremacy loomed large for Douglass and his family. Together, he and his wife, Anna Murray …
By James D. McDonald, Research Historian The sheer volume of information generated during the COVID-19 pandemic is stunning. A jumble of facts, fictions, half-truths, rumors, and conspiracy theories parade before us each day on news outlets, cable television, talk radio, …
By Emily Sullivan, Historian This Memorial Day, we’re taking time to reflect on the history of this national holiday. Unlike other countries, whose national days of remembrance for military causalities commemorate a specific battle or the formal end of a …
By Scott Vierick, Historian From 1861 to 1865, Union and Confederate armies battled for control of the town of Harpers Ferry in present-day West Virginia. Although best known as the site of John Brown’s attempted war against slavery, the town’s …
By Mimi Eisen, Historian In 1931, veterinarians reported a new respiratory infection with a particularly high mortality rate—40 to 90 percent—in domesticated chickens in North Dakota. Diseases caused by similar pathogens would be documented in mice and pigs in the …
By Emily Sullivan, Historian Have you been trying to tackle spring cleaning while staying home? Maybe you’ve uncovered some forgotten treasures in the attic and basement and are wondering “Hey, are my old Star Wars toys worth anything?” The answer …
By Scott Vierick, Historian In 1776, General George Washington and the Continental Army faced a threat even greater than the British Army: a continent-wide smallpox epidemic. From 1775 to 1782, a major outbreak of the disease ravaged North America, causing …
By Katie McCarthy, American University Public History Fellow Today is the 40th anniversary of the founding of the National Council of Public History (NCPH). HAI is just a year younger—we will turn 40 in 2021. In honor of this milestone, …
The History and Use of the Defense Production Act: Part 2 Part 1 of this blog explores the historical context of the passage of the Defense Production Act. Read it here. President Harry S. Truman signed the Defense Production Act …
By Jen Giambrone, Historian The COVID-19 pandemic has me thinking—like a lot of people—about 1918. The influenza pandemic that swept the globe that year struck at a particularly vulnerable moment. Soldiers from all corners of the globe crammed into filthy …
By Justin Broubalow, Research Historian Orders to “quarantine,” “stay at home,” or “shelter in place” issued on a state-by-state basis in the past few weeks feel unprecedented. It is difficult to recall a time of such restriction on personal movement. …
