The Claims of the Negro

Timely Connections: Frederick Douglass & Scientific Racism

In an opinion piece for the New York Times, Eric Herschthal, a fellow at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture at the New York Public Library, suggests that we remember Frederick Douglass “as someone whose insights about scientific theories of race are every bit as relevant in our era as they were when he wrote…

Forfeited guns

Primary Source Spotlight: Second Amendment & Gun Control

Bill of Rights Political cartoons Solution to Nothing Herb Block March 2, 1954 Sportsmen! Kids! Maniacs! Herb Block November 27, 1963 (source record) You Don’t Even Need to Limit Yourself to a Few People Herb Block December 29, 1964 (source record) Don’t Point That Thing at Me! Herb Block March 10, 1965 (source record) It’s like the gun lobby guys…

Vices of the Political System of the U. States

Timely Connections: James Madison & Slavery

In an opinion piece for the New York Times, Noah Feldman, a Harvard law professor and the author of the book The Three Lives of James Madison: Genius, Partisan, President, discusses the dichotomies between Madison’s moral views of slavery and his actions. Delving into the past, he contends, can provide us with lessons in racism for…

Primary Source Spotlight: Gordon Parks

Primary Source Spotlight: Gordon Parks

Gordon Parks was born on Nov. 30, 1912 and died on March 7, 2006. A highly influential photographer, he contributed to the Farm Security Administration, Life Magazine, and Vogue, and also wrote books and poetry, composed music, and directed movies. Gordon Parks photographs History & Heritage, Joy & Humanity select photographs by Gordon Parks Trumpet…

Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Rush

Timely Connections: Foundational Lessons in Democracy & Civil Discourse

“Conspiracy theories run amok. Fear of spies and meddling in American politics at the highest levels by foreign powers. A bipartisan divide so bitter that the federal government moves to muzzle what many politicians believe to be a biased, out-of-control news media.” Current events? Actually, the excerpt paints a picture of the political climate during…

Primary Source Spotlight: James Reese Europe

Primary Source Spotlight: James Reese Europe

James Reese Europe song recordings James Reese Europe sheet music Ragtime Dance: Castle Walk film Ragtime Dance: One Step Variation film James Reese Europe images Memoirs of Jim Europe James Reese Europe: timeline & select newspaper articles More James Reese Europe historic newspaper coverage Clef Club historical newspaper coverage 369th Infantry historic newspaper coverage Jazz Master James Reese…

Primary Source Learning: Black American History & Heritage

Primary Source Learning: Black American History & Heritage

Primary Source sets with teacher guides Guided primary source analysis activities Lesson plans Collection Connections: primary source activity ideas Timely Connections: ideas for linking past to present Teaching with the Library: Primary Sources & Ideas for Educators More teaching resources Primary Source Spotlight: Black American History & Heritage

Snow maiden

Primary Source Spotlight: Snow

Snow images Snowflake images Most Beautiful of All Snow Mountains New-York Tribune December 23, 1917 Snow-related films Snow-related song recordings Snow sheet music Snowflake sheet music Picnic in the Snow lyrics Snow, by David Berman Poem 039, Poetry 180 A Christmas snowflake; a rhyme for children Snow-related books Classic books online Snowflakes research guide Is it true that no…

The Gambia

World Spotlight: Gambia

Gambia primary source set World Digital Library The Gambia map Reports & other texts about Gambia Webcasts related to Gambia Oral histories mentioning Gambia from the Foreign Affairs Oral History Collection of the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training U.S. historical newspaper coverage of Gambia U.S. legislation related to Gambia Guide to Law Online: Gambia Gambia country profile BBC…

Integrating Tech: Primary Source Analysis using Google Forms

Integrating Tech: Primary Source Analysis using Google Forms

This is a guest post from Kelly Grotrian, an American History teacher at East Brunswick High School in East Brunswick, New Jersey. Far and away my favorite Google App for Education is Google Forms. Forms allows you to present a variety of primary sources to students in an organized fashion and to collect data on…