Today in History–August 23–the Library of Congress features the capture of Fort Morgan, Alabama by the Union navy on this day in 1864. Earlier in the month (August 5), when Admiral David Farragut was warned of mines (referred to as torpedoes) in Mobile Bay, he reportedly replied, "Damn the torpedoes!" and ordered the ship to continue its course. Although the flagship Hartford scraped the mines, none exploded and the rest of the Union fleet was able to follow. The capture of Fort Morgan enabled … [Read more...]
Today in History: Vermont
July 9, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Today in History–July 9–the Library of Congress features Vermont, which revised its constitution on this day in 1793 and became the first state to prohibit slavery. Learn more about the "Green Mountain" state known for its independent-minded citizens by visiting the Today in History section, then following the links below to access more primary sources.Vermont stories from America’s LibraryVermont primary source setVermont images"Visitin' 'round at Coolidge Corners" (film from … [Read more...]
Today in History: Rock Springs Massacre
September 2, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Today in History–September 2–the Library of Congress features the Rock Springs massacre, which happened on this day in 1885 when a mob of white coal miners attacked their Chinese co-workers after they refused to participate in a strike for higher wages planned by the American miners. Find out more by visiting the Today in History section then click the links below to access more primary sources about China and people of Chinese immigrants to America.Rock Springs massacre overviewRock … [Read more...]
Boll weevil insect honored by the town of Enterprise, Alabama. Check out our 