Today in History–June 10–the Library of Congress features Mrs. Abby Fisher, who went from being an enslaved plantation cook to an upscale caterer and cookbook author after migrating West to San Francisco, California. On this day in 2003, The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation opened a lunch-style restaurant, Mrs. Fisher’s Southern Cooking, in Dearborn, Michigan. Discover more tantalizing…
Today in History–April 5–the Library of Congress features Robert Smalls, a Civil War hero, civil rights activist, and five-term U.S. Congressman who was born into slavery on this date in 1839. Conscripted to the Confederate Army, Smalls captained a small Black crew to hijack an ammunition transport and deliver it to the Union Army in 1862. Learn…
Use the Library of Congress primary source analysis tool to analyze the image. What do you notice? What do you find surprising? What can you learn from the bibliographic record? Why do you suppose the men in the image were referred to as radical members? What questions do you have? Next, analyze the two sources below…
Wilmington, North Carolina 1898 New York City 1900 Atlanta, Georgia 1906 Springfield, Illinois 1908 East St. Louis, Illinois 1917 Chicago 1919 U.S. 1919 Ocoee, Florida 1920 Tulsa, Oklahoma 1921 Rosewood, Florida 1923 Harlem, New York 1935 & 1943 & 1964 Mississippi 1962 Watts, Los Angeles 1965 Detroit, Michigan 1967 Washington D.C. 1968 Los Angeles -Rodney…
South Carolina stories from America’s Library South Carolina primary source set with teacher’s guide South Carolina resource guide Featured Source: Destruction of the Snake of South Carolina South Carolina maps South Carolina books & articles South Carolina historical newspapers South Carolina sheet music South Carolina oral histories, songs & dialect recordings South Carolina WPA life histories South Carolina images South Carolina legislation South…
Today in History–January 13–the Library of Congress features the Nullification Crisis. On this date in 1833, President Andrew Jackson wrote his new president Vice President Martin Van Buren affirming his commitment to preventing South Carolina’s defiance of federal authority by nullifying national tariff laws. The Nullification Crisis began in November, 1832 when South Carolina nullified a federal tariff. On December 10, 1832…
Today in History–September 2–the Library of Congress features George Gershwin, who completed the orchestral score of the opera—Porgy and Bess—based on the DuBose Heyward novel on this date in 1935. The opera, like the novel, depicted the African-American Gullah culture of South Carolina. Learn more about this remarkable man and his collaborators on the internationally known opera by visiting the Today in History section and clicking…
Today in History–May 2–the Library of Congress features politician James F. Byrnes, born on this date in 1882. Byrnes represented South Carolina in the House (1911-25) and Senate (1931-41) and was only defeated once, in 1924, for refusing endorsement by the Ku Klux Klan. Byrnes also served as a Supreme Court justice, U.S. secretary of state and Governor of South…
![[Cut of broom] To sweep the Augean Stable](https://primarysourcenexus.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/johncalhoun.jpg)
Today in History–March 18–the Library of Congress features politician John C. Calhoun, born on this date in 1782. Calhoun served as a congressman, senator, secretary of war, secretary of state, and vice president of the United States but may be best known for his defense of slavery, particularly in relation to the Nullification Proclamation and the Compromise of 1850. Learn…
Today in History–February 18–the Library of Congress features Charleston, South Carolina, which surrendered control to Union forces on this date in 1865. Learn more about this southern city that played a leading role in the events leading up to the Civil War by visiting the Today in History section, then follow the links below to numerous related primary sources. Charleston maps Charleston images Charleston…
Access a larger image of this political cartoon. Do you think this cartoon supports or opposes abolition? Explain your reasoning, pointing to specific details in the source that support your view. Now review the bibliographic record and closely read the summary. Do you think this cartoon supports or opposes abolition? Explain your reasoning, pointing to specific details in…