Month: December 2019
Five Historians’ Joint Critique of New York Times “1619” Series on Slavery
One of the most talked about popular history initiatives of 2019 was the “1619” series on the 400th Anniversary of the arrival of the “first…
“Why Little Women Endures” The Sesquicentennial of a Best Seller of the Reconstruction Era
The first volume of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott was published in 1868 and the second came out 150 years ago in 1869. The…
Mobituary-The Black Congressmen of Reconstruction: Death of Representation
Mobituaries are popular history podcasts from Mo Rocca. This one deals with the death of African American Congressional Representation at the end of Reconstruction. It…
Miss Louisa May Alcott Publishes a Novel for Girls: Press Reacts to “Little Women” 1868 & 1869
This is the Sesquicentennial of the publication of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. This book may have been the most successful novel published during…
How German Refugee Thomas Nast Invented How Santa Claus Looks Today Back During the Civil War and Reconstruction
Thomas Nast did not invent the American Christmas, but the German immigrant did develop the iconic image of its central celebratory figure, Santa Claus. Nast’s…
Smithsonian: New “Little Women” Brings Aspects of Alcott’s Life to the Screen
Louisa May Alcott’s real life makes an appearance on the screen as it is incorporated into the new movie version of Little Women. The new…
Old “White House of the Confederacy” Hosts New Exhibit on “The Lost Cause”
The Richmond mansion that was Jefferson Davis’s residence when he was President of the Confederacy was a sacred shrine after the war to the “Lost…
When Grant Literally Decapitated Seymour (at least Cartoon Grant did)! Nov. 1868
By the evening of November 3, 1868 it was pretty clear to most informed observers that Ulysses S. Grant had been elected president. If you…
How to Conduct an Impeachment Trial in the Senate 1868 Edition
Brenda Wineapple, whose new book The Impeachers about the Andrew Johnson impeachment, has become one of the busiest people in the historical profession. She has…
After the House Voted to Impeach Johnson, It Drew Up the Articles of Impeachment
The House of Representatives voted to impeach President Andrew Johnson on February 24, 1868. Next it created a committee to draw up the Articles of…
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