As he did most days of his adult life, President-elect James A. Garfield sat down to write in his diary on the evening of December 2, 1880.
December, 2014
The True Story of Cuban-American Diplomatic Relations
When President Obama announced this week that he was normalizing diplomatic relations with Cuba, pundits agreed that U.S. and Cuban leaders had finally marked the end of the Cold War.
The Largest Mass Execution in American History
December 26 is the anniversary of the largest mass execution in American history.
Christmas on a Slave Plantation
Ironically, occasionally affording slaves rest and freedom helped slave owners to maintain power.
December Drama for Democrats (or Stephen Douglas versus The Grinch)
December 2014 has been a particularly challenging month for Democrats.
Fashion Statement as Political Statement: The Antislavery Movement and “I Can’t Breathe”
Amidst the protest movement that has taken shape in the weeks since grand juries in Missouri and New York determined not to indict police officers involved in the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, few elements have been more visible than the wearing of black t-shirts emblazoned with the words that have emerged as the movement’s slogan and rallying cry.
Peril Of Pirate Captives In Colonial America
While pirate life is often depicted as free spirited and easy going, the reality aboard a pirate ship was terrifying for many in the early 18th century: pirate captives.
American Popular Culture Embraces the Ku Klux Klan, 1877-1939
In the seven decades after the 1871-1872 trials of Ku Klux Klan leaders, mainstream American popular culture would reflect, extend, and greatly amplify sympathy for the Ku Klux Klan as a series of southern artists created successful works that featured increasingly idealized depictions of heroic Klan members and their actions.
The Original Tea Party
On the evening of December 16th, 1773, a party of up to 130 men emerged from the Old South Meeting House on Milk St in Boston and made for the city’s harbor.
Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel and Financing the Flamingo Hotel, 1946-1947
Las Vegas has become a favorite destination for American tourists, many of whom are attracted by the city’s connection to organized crime figures.