Teaching Now: Examining Social Justice Through Historical, Classic and Contemporary Sources

Teaching Now: Examining Social Justice Through Historical, Classic and Contemporary Sources

This is a guest post from Kasey Short, an eighth-grade English teacher at Charlotte Country Day school in North Carolina.  When I moved from 6th to 8th grade last year, one thing I thought about a lot was how I would approach teaching To Kill a Mockingbird. I knew that I wanted to provide historical…

Primary Source Spotlight: Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Primary Source Spotlight: Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Ruth Bader Ginsburg portrait More Ruth Bader Ginsburg images Ruth Bader Ginsburg Notes for oral arguments in Duren v. Missouri November 1, 1978 Hearings Before the Committee on the Judiciary United States Senate One Hundred Third Congress First Session on the Nomination of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, to Be Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of…

Guided Primary Source Analysis: When Women are Jurors

Guided Primary Source Analysis: When Women are Jurors

Zoom into a more detailed image of this illustration. Study carefully the expressions–both facial and body–of each woman in this illustration. Use one adjective and one verb to describe each woman based on your analysis of their expressions. The full title of this illustration is “Studies in expression. When women are jurors.” This 1902 illustration…

Today in History: Metropolitan Opera House

Today in History: Metropolitan Opera House

Today in History–October 22–the Library of Congress features New York’s Metropolitan Opera House, which opened its doors on this day in 1883. In addition to staging operas, the Met and other opera houses also hosted charity events, community dances, fairs, plays, vaudeville shows, and even funerals. Find out more about this prestigious cultural institution by visiting the Today in History section, then click the…

Today in History: Salmon P. Chase

Today in History: Salmon P. Chase

Today in History–December 6–the Library of Congress features Salmon P. Chase, nominated as Supreme Court Chief Justice by President Abraham Lincoln on this day in 1864. Learn more about the architect of the first two clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment who also served as Governor of Ohio, a U.S. Senator, and Lincoln’s secretary of the treasury, by…

Today in History: William Howard Taft

Today in History: William Howard Taft

Today in History–September 15–the Library of Congress features William Howard Taft, born on this day in 1857. Taft had a very active political career that included two of our country’s highest posts, President and Supreme Court Chief Justice. Find out more by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access more primary sources about William H. Taft….

Today in History: Andrew Jackson

Today in History: Andrew Jackson

Today in History–August 9–the Library of Congress features Andrew Jackson, who signed the Treaty of Fort Jackson that ended the Creek War on this day in 1814. Jackson had a successful military career, and also served as a U.S. Representative, Senator, Tennessee Supreme Court Justice, and the seventh President of the United States. Learn more about this fiery leader by visiting…