• Sought fame and fortune by taking a plunge over Niagara Falls • First person ever to successfully go over the Falls in a barrel • Used scientific calculations to […]
Annie Edson Taylor (1838-1921): American Daredevil Read More »
Detroit is an American city that deserves far more respect than it’s getting right now.
Detroit People–Past and Present–Who Made a Difference Read More »
Prior to the publication of his first almanac, Benjamin Banneker decided to send a pre-publication manuscript to Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, along with a cover letter. He felt if Jefferson were to see the fine work accomplished by a black man, it might lead to Jefferson re-visiting his personal stance on slavery.
For two weeks, Banneker labored over the letter, and on August 19, 1791 he read his handwritten letter for the last time and sealed it into a package with the manuscript, directing to Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State.
Benjamin Banneker’s Letter to Thomas Jefferson, 1791 Read More »
One of the first African American frontiersmen Prominent figure of the American West First “mountain man” to document his story in a book (1856) James Pierson Beckwourth was born in
James Pierson Beckwourth (1798-1866): Explorer and Frontiersman Read More »
In what can only be described as a miracle of Internet connectivity, I have heard from a person whom I mentioned in a blog post I wrote last autumn about how and when the tradition of presidential debates began. In the post, I noted that debates are a relatively recent phenomenon, originally suggested in 1956 by a University of Maryland student by the name of Fred A. Kahn, who was credited with the idea in newspapers of the day.
The Man Who Pressed for Presidential Debates to Happen Read More »
In the early twentieth century, those without sight were marginalized members of society. They had no job options and no mobility. They had to rely on the kindness of someone
Seeing Eye Dogs Brought to America in 1928 Read More »
