Solving puzzles didn’t just pass the time in the early 1900s, solving puzzles could sometimes even win you a prize! Puzzle contests abounded, sometimes run by the newspapers and sometimes run by local companies hoping to get readers’ business. One of the favorites for contests of the era was the rebus. What is a rebus? […]
This guest post by 2020 Junior Fellow Sophia Southard provides a history of African American newspapers with examples from our rich collections. Read more about how these black-owned businesses have provided voices for their communities from 1827 until today.
Ice cream recipes from the early 20th century courtesy of Chronicling America, and a little history sprinkled on top!
There are some cases that capture the public’s imagination and cause a media frenzy. There’s the political trials, which cover treason, spying, dissidents, and radicals. Celebrity trials that involve high-profile people, whether victims or defendants. And the “whodunit” trials that are surrounded in mystery. Whatever the case, 19th century America has its share of legendary trials that captivate the public interest and newspapers deliver all the sensational details.
On July 5, 1852, eminent African American abolitionist Frederick Douglass delivered a brilliant speech that was a powerful indictment of American slavery and racism. Read the speech as printed within days in his own newspaper.
Bored sitting at home? Let Headlines and Heroes come to your rescue with free puzzles from Chronicling America! This week we bring you an amazing assortment of mazes!
This year’s celebration of Pride Month wrapped up this week and we wanted to highlight an important figure in the history of blues music whose story has often been overlooked. Gertrude “Ma” Rainey was hailed as the “Mother of the Blues” and was a bisexual Black singer who has and continues to inspire generations of musicians. […]
In honor of Juneteenth, we highlight our Headlines and Heroes blogs focusing on African American history and culture, ranging from a look at fugitive slave ads to our acquisition of a rare comic book series, Negro Romance.
Harriet Tubman escaped slavery on Maryland’s Eastern Shore in 1849. She then returned there multiple times, risking her life to bring others to freedom as a renowned conductor on the Underground Railroad.
President Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) is a man of many “firsts.” Bold and progressive-minded, he’s always on the cutting edge and embraces technological innovations.