Today in History–July 26–the Primary Source Nexus features two presidential edicts signed by President Harry S. Truman on this date in 1948. Executive Orders 9980 and 9981 mandated, respectively, that “All personnel actions taken by Federal appointing officers shall be based solely on merit and fitness. . .” and “equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons…
Have students use the primary sources in this set to tell a story about the American Library Association and its mission to support U.S. troops during World War I. The story may be in digital or print form. It could be nonfiction, fiction, or even a song. You may also use this primary set for a found…
Make connections to women’s history by exploring this primary source set put together by TPS Teachers Network Lead Mentor and curriculum specialist Cheryl Davis. Originally created as an Apple eBook, Reminders from the Ceiling Breakers is now a shareable primary source album available from the TPS Teachers Network. The album contains 12 digital postcards created with photographs…
On June 28, 1866, the U.S. Congress passed An Act to Increase and Fix the Military Peace Establishment of the United States, which established four segregated African American infantry regiments and two cavalry regiments: the Ninth Cavalry, the Tenth Cavalry, the Thirty-eighth Infantry, the Thirty-ninth Infantry, the Fortieth Infantry, and the Forty-first Infantry. According to…
The Draft Riots of 1863 : A Historical Study Read at the Meeting of the Ohio Commandery Civil War draft riots Civil War induction officer with lottery box photograph Civil War Conscription Laws In Custodia Legis November 15, 2012 Freemen! Avoid Conscription! 1862 broadside Abraham’s draft, 600,000 more 1862 sheet music Southern “volunteers” 1862 political…
Look closely at this source and respond to the questions below. Where is your eye drawn to first? Next? After? What do you notice about the source’s design? What, in particular, stands out to you? Why do you think this source was created? How do you know? (Be sure to point to evidence from the…
From the Library of Congress Veterans History Project Research Guide: The Veterans History Project (VHP) of the Library of Congress American Folklife Center collects, preserves, and makes accessible the firsthand narratives of United States military veterans from World War I through the present. In addition to unedited audio- and video-recorded oral history interviews, VHP accepts memoirs and collections of…
Carefully study the details of the Bonus Veterans photograph above. Brainstorm a list of questions you would need answered in order to write an article about this image. Share your questions with an elbow partner, then investigate this primary source image set to see what questions you were able to answer. Write a brief summary…
Today in History–May 21–TPS-Barat features Clarissa “Clara” Barton, who founded the Red Cross on this date in 1881. A former teacher, Barton was working in the U.S. patent office at the start of the Civil War. Despite having little nursing training, Barton administered aid to soldiers at several battlefields. After the war she established the…
Online exhibition items Tuskegee Airmen Breaking Flight Barriers Tuskegee Airmen with Lena Horne The 332nd Fighter Group Tuskegee Airmen image set Tuskegee Airmen in Art Exhibit The Detroit Tribune. (Detroit, Mich.), 01 Sept. 1945 Tuskegee pilots historical newspaper coverage 332nd Fighter Group historical newspaper coverage 332nd Fighter Group veteran oral history collections WWII Reunion: Tuskegee Airmen streaming webcast…
The United States is a nation of immigrants, many of whom have served the country in times of need. Below you will find links to news articles about immigrant soldiers, historical background resources, and related primary sources and teaching resources. How does studying sources from the past inform your understanding of the contemporary debate surrounding…
Take a close look at the collection of images above (.pdf). What common theme can you identify? Note similarities and differences between the images. Now take a look at the bibliographic records of each image by clicking the links below. What is the function of the main object in each image? Choose one of these and investigate…