By Scott Vierick, Historian This is the first of a three-part blog series in honor of the 161st anniversary of John Brown’s raid. Check back in next week for the second and third installments of this remarkable and fateful story. …
From Whistle Stops to Television Spots: A Brief History of Presidential Campaigns
By Margaret Long, Archivist Since the founding of the nation, this United States has had a president in office. This fact has not changed over the years, but the campaign leading up to the election has. In the country’s formative …
Pan American Unity: Diego Rivera’s Influence on the Cultural Landscape of the United States
By Megan Anderson, Manager of Exhibits & Interpretive Planning National Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated from September 15 to October 15, gives us a chance to reflect on and celebrate the social and cultural contributions of Americans with ancestral roots in …
Carrier of News and Knowledge: A Brief History of the United States Postal Service, Part 2
By Scott Vierick, Historian This is the second part of our exploration of the history of the United States Postal Service. You can read part one, which looks at the Postal Service’s early years, here. The Great Depression and World …
Carrier of News and Knowledge: A Brief History of the United States Postal Service, Part 1
By Scott Vierick, Historian Barely three weeks after the battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775, the fledgling Continental Congress began the process of creating a postal system to unify and connect the 13 colonies. No longer willing to trust …
Eating Out, Eating In: A Brief History of Takeout in America
By Colleen Kim, Historian Originally posted on May 14, 2020 Over the past weeks, takeout has been the only way most Americans can enjoy restaurant food and support businesses hit hard by shutdowns. But even before the coronavirus outbreak, food …
Anarchy in the USA: Fear and Loathing in the Early 20th Century
By Justin Broubalow, Research Historian On September 6, 1901, Leon Czolgosz—an unemployed factory worker, American-born son of Polish immigrants, and self-proclaimed anarchist—walked up to President William McKinley at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, and shot him. Czolgosz believed …
Is 2020 the Worst Year Ever?
By Colleen Kim, Historian When 2016 came to a close, many on the internet dubbed it “the worst year ever.” The trend continued, and commentators declared the following years to be the worst ever as well, touting each as “the …
Labor’s Holiday: A Look Back on the History of Labor Day
By Jen Giambrone, Historian Happy Labor Day! While the holiday has become an opportunity to enjoy a long weekend, revel in the final days of summer, and prepare for the start of the school year (whatever that looks like this …
Near Beer and Wine Bricks: Loopholes and Innovation During Prohibition
By Jen Giambrone, Historian One hundred years ago, the United States was months into a “noble experiment”—Prohibition. Officially in effect as of January 17, 1920, the nationwide prohibition on the manufacture, sale, and transportation of “intoxicating liquors” conjures up images …
Straddling the Color Line: The Leland Giants and the Negro Leagues at 100
By Justin Broubalow, Research Historian Major League Baseball has finally returned after the COVID-19-induced shutdown that began in March. Aside from the impact of the global pandemic, this season is particularly noteworthy because MLB, along with players past and present, …
“In the Eye of a Hurricane”: Taking a Stand at the 1968 Olympics
By Mimi Eisen, Historian If not for the coronavirus pandemic, we would currently be in the midst of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, watching awestruck as Simone Biles flew and twisted in midair and no doubt enjoying the …