The Hamburg Massacre took place in South Carolina in July of 1876. It was another of the low-water marks of the era of American history we call Reconstruction, the twelve years following the end of the Civil War. Hamburg was a small town in South Carolina, just across the Savannah River that forms the state’s […]
Category: United States History
Who is John Newton and Why Does His Life Matter?
John Newton is an interesting figure from British history. You’re familiar with his work, I bet, even if you don’t realize that you are. He led an amazing life. Probably the most similar figure I’ve blogged about before would be Bartolome de las Casas. (Read about de las Casas with this link.) Both de las […]
The Clinton Massacre of 1875 – A Bloody Key to American History
A few events in history are so emblematic of their times that we rightly call them keys to understanding something larger. The Clinton Massacre of 1875 is one such event. Clinton was a small town in Mississippi in 1875. In September of that year, Republican supporters organized a large rally in support of their candidates […]
Marian Anderson at the Lincoln Memorial – History’s Most Famous Concert?
Truly, history’s most famous concert is a matter for debate. But the performance of Marian Anderson at the Lincoln Memorial on April 9 of 1939 was memorable for a host of reasons. Anderson, a world-famous contralto, sang before an audience estimated at 75,000 on Easter Sunday that year. It’s a performance still remembered today. What […]
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire – Why Does This Tragedy Matter?
Take a look at the following photographs. They come from the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire of 1911. The first looks unexceptional, perhaps. A building is on fire. But the second show the rest of the story—the bodies you see are young women who had to jump from the building to escape the flames. This is […]
Review of The Battle of Ole Miss by Frank Lambert
The book The Battle of Ole Miss is a nonfiction history published in 2010. Author Frank Lambert was a college professor (Purdue University) at the time of publication. The Battle of Ole Miss is an important historical event that took place in 1962. Ole Miss, of course, refers to the University of Mississippi. The battle […]