| By J. Robert Parks | Television commercials that have resonated with the U.S. public have historically relied on jingles, catchphrases, or quirky humor. Yet one of the most famous ads in television history had none of those. Instead, it featured a dystopic vision based on George Orwell’s book 1984 and didn’t even show the … Read more
| By J. Robert Parks | The place of women in society—and especially women in sports—has changed so much in the last 50 years that most students today couldn’t imagine what passed for normal in 1973. Today, women athletes have fought for the right to be paid the same as male athletes; many female athletes … Read more
| By J. Robert Parks | Phillis Wheatley was born in West Africa in the mid-eighteenth century and sold into slavery when she was a young girl. She was enslaved by the Wheatley family. John Wheatley was a wealthy Boston merchant, and his wife, Susanna, exchanged money for the young girl, who was named after … Read more
| By J. Robert Parks | It may strike readers of a certain age as almost impossible that we could be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip-hop music this month. “It hasn’t been around that long, has it?” is not too far off from the reflection “I’m not that old, am I?” … Read more
| By J. Robert Parks | Susan B. Anthony, a familiar name to most history educators, was one of the leading figures in the women’s rights movement in the nineteenth century―especially in the push for women’s suffrage. What many people may not know is that one of her early actions in that movement was voting … Read more
| By J. Robert Parks | The Watergate affair that brought down Richard Nixon’s presidency began in June 1972 with a poorly executed crime, a “third-rate burglary attempt” as the White House called it. That incident and the cover-up that followed compelled Nixon to resign two years later. There were many factors that led to … Read more
| By J. Robert Parks | “One if by land, and two if by sea.” That line from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s 1861 poem “Paul Revere’s Ride” is so iconic that many people who have not thought about the Revolutionary War since high school can still recite the line that follows: “And I on the opposite … Read more
| By Kris Krapp | From abolitionists and authors to entertainers and world leaders, there are countless women worth celebrating during Women’s History Month. Need inspiration for women to highlight in your school or library? Explore ideas to help students learn about women’s history using Gale In Context resources. Start Women’s History Month with Gale’s … Read more
| By Tara Atterberry | With the increased availability of electronically accessible genealogy content, researching family history has become a commonplace hobby for millions of Americans. For persons of African descent, however, inequities are often found in the existence and accessibility of genealogy and historical documents. “The legacy of slavery, prejudice and institutional racism means … Read more
| By J. Robert Parks | The relationship between the federal government and the First Nations in the Dakotas has been one of broken treaties, neglect, and systematic oppression. One of the most infamous events was the Massacre at Wounded Knee in 1890. Fifty years ago this week (on February 27), another confrontation began at … Read more