American Heritage
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Ebook
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Out in Evansville
An LGBTQ+ History of River City
by Kelley M. Coures
Part of the American Heritage series
From arrests and ostracization to public festivals and drag shows, the LGBTQ+ people of Evansville have walked a twisting path to their current existence. In the early days of the city, local newspapers harassed and bullied members of this group, even going so far as to encourage them to commit suicide. A series of murders in the 1950s and 1960s left Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender population of Evansville without justice and validation. The AIDS epidemic of the 1980s did the same. Happily, things have changed. Today, the city's LGBTQ community is out and proud, and thousands attend the annual Pride parade down Main Street. Looking back on more than a century of uneven progress, Kelley Coures unfolds this often tragic yet at times hopeful story.
Ebook
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Remarkable Women of Old Saybrook
by Tedd Levy
Part of the American Heritage series
Situated at the mouth of the Connecticut River, Old Saybrook has been home to generations of remarkable women. The women of this quintessentially New England town have faced and overcome overwhelming adversity to leave indelible marks on their town and its history. Katharine Houghton Hepburn, mother of the legendary actress Katharine Hepburn, organized the Hartford Political Equality League to battle for women's right to vote. Anna Louise James fought to become the first black female pharmacist in Connecticut, and she took care of her community, serving them medicine as well as ice cream sodas at James Pharmacy. There is also local restaurateur Steffie Walters, who after emigrating from Austria remained at the helm of the much-loved shore eatery Dock and Dine for eleven years. Historian Tedd Levy chronicles the achievements of these extraordinary women who broke barriers, changed their communities and expanded opportunities for future generations.
Ebook
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A History Of The New Hampshire Abenaki
by Dr. Bruce D. Heald, Ph. D.
Part of the American Heritage series
The native Penacook, Winnipesaukee, Pigwacket, Sokoki, Cowasuck and Ossipee tribes, collectively known as the Abenaki, once thrived along the Granite State's great rivers. Influences of these "men of the east" abound today, from the boiling of sap for maple syrup to the game of lacrosse and traditional corn-and-bean succotash. Historian Bruce Heald has mined, curated and saved the real story of this land's first people. Learn the unwritten laws of hospitality, respect for the aged, honesty, independence, and courtesy. Discover celebrations and innovations in the good times, later European disease epidemics and hostilities, and a culture's enduring legacy.
Ebook
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California's Pioneering Punjabis
An American Story
by Lea Terhune
Part of the American Heritage series
At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, adventurous travelers left the Punjab in India to seek their fortune in California and beyond. Laboring in farms, fields and orchards for low wages while enduring racial discrimination, they strove to put down roots in their new home. Bhagat Singh Thind, an immigrant who served in the United States Army, had his citizenship granted and revoked twice before a 1936 law expanded naturalization to all World War I veterans, regardless of race. Dalip Singh Saund obtained a master's degree and doctorate in mathematics from UC Berkeley only to return to farming when no one would hire him. In 1956, Saund went on to become the first Asian elected to the U.S. Congress. Ethnic South Asians are now found in every trade and profession in the United States, including the Office of the Vice President. Descendants of the first Punjabi immigrants from Yuba City to the Imperial Valley still farm, adding to the rich tapestry of the Central Valley.
Author Lea Terhune recounts the risks, setbacks and persistence of the people who achieved their American dreams.
Ebook
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Long Island Italian Americans
History, Heritage and Tradition
by Salvatore J. LaGumina
Part of the American Heritage series
For Italian immigrants and their descendants, moving from "the city" out to Long Island was more than a change of address. It signaled that the family had achieved the American dream, and in turn, elements of Italian values and culture are visible all over the island. Italians helped to build Long Island, whether as laborers or as contractors, such as the Castagnas. They brought their culinary traditions and opened markets, such as the still family-owned Iavarone Brothers Foods and restaurants, including New Hyde Park's Umberto's. Italians' industrialism helped them thrive in fields as diverse as medicine, politics, acting and winemaking and importing (including the nationally recognized Banfi label). Join author Salvatore J. LaGumina to discover the remarkable contributions and vibrant culture of Italians and Italian-Americans on Long Island.
Ebook
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Shaw, LeDroit Park & Bloomingdale in Washington, D.C.
An Oral History
by Shilpi Malinowski
Part of the American Heritage series
Let residents tell you what it's been like to live in D.C.'s most gentrified neighborhood. When Gretchen Wharton came to Shaw in 1946, the houses were full of families that looked like hers: lower-income, African American, two parents with kids. The sidewalks were full of children playing. When Leroy Thorpe moved in in the 1980s, the same streets were dense with drug markets. When John Lucier found a deal on a house in Shaw in 2002, he found himself moving into one of four occupied homes on his block. Every morning, he waited by himself on the empty platform of the newly opened metro station. When Preetha Iyengar became pregnant with her first child in 2016, she jumped into a seller's market to buy a rowhouse in the area. Journalist and Shaw resident Shilpi Malinowski explores the complexities of the many stories of belonging in the District's most dynamic neighborhood.
Ebook
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Southwest Virginia Civil Rights Leader Nannie Berger Hairston
An Oral History
by Sheree Scarborough
Part of the American Heritage series
Nannie Berger Hairston was a crusader for justice in twentieth-century Virginia.
Nannie Berger Hairston was born in West Virginia in 1921, half a century after the end of the Civil War. She attended segregated schools, graduated, married and started a family. When Nannie's husband, John, lost his job in the coal mine, the Hairstons moved to Southwest Virginia. It was the height of Jim Crow, and yet, against great odds, she and John became leaders in the community, advocating for civil rights and social justice. Nannie Hairston's advice was sought by the powerless as well as the powerful. At the time of her death in 2017, she had taken her place as an icon for truth, justice and love.
Local author Sheree Scarborough uses Nannie Hairston's own words to tell her story.
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Catawba Nation
Treasures in History
by Thomas J. Blumer
Part of the American Heritage series
The story of one of the few original Native American communities of the Carolinas, whose rich and fascinating history can be dated back to 2400 BC.
While the Catawba once inhabited a large swath of land that covered parts of North and South Carolina, and managed to remain in the Carolinas during the notorious Trail of Tears, most Catawba now live on a reservation in York County, South Carolina. In Catawba Nation, longtime tribal historian Thomas J. Blumer seeks to preserve and present the history of this resilient people.
Blumer chronicles Catawba history, such as Hernando de Soto's meeting with the Lady of Cofitachique, the leadership of Chief James Harris, and the fame of potter Georgia Harris, who won the National Heritage Award for her art. Using an engaging mix of folklore, oral history, and historical records, Blumer weaves an accessible history of the tribe, preserving their story of suffering and survival for future generations.
Ebook
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Barry Farm-Hillsdale in Anacostia
A Historic African American Community
by Alcione M. Amos
Part of the American Heritage series
Barry Farm-Hillsdale was created under the auspices of the Freedmen's Bureau in 1867 in what was then the outskirts of the nation's capital. Residents built churches and schools, and the community became successful. In the 1940s, youth from the community courageously desegregated the Anacostia Pool, and Barry Farm Dwellings was built to house war workers. In the 1950s, community parents joined the fight to desegregate schools in Washington, D.C., as local leaders fought off plans to redevelop the area. Both the women and the youth of Barry Farm Dwellings, then public housing, were at the forefront of the fight to improve their lives and those of their neighbors in the 1960s, but community identity was being subsumed into the larger Anacostia neighborhood. Curator and historian Alcione M. Amos tells these little-remembered stories.
Ebook
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Office Upstairs
A Doctor's Journey
by Charles H. Banov, M. D.
Part of the American Heritage series
Charles H. Banov, gifted storyteller and physician, shares tales from over fifty years of his love affair with medicine and looks back with honesty and humor at growing up Jewish in the South and opening the first doctor's office in a tiny Texas town. His journey, from anxious medical student to respected physician and president of a major international medical association, is filled with triumphs and setbacks, humor and sadness. They include the challenge of raising a special-needs daughter, the random stroll with a woman who turned out to be Oprah Winfrey and saving lives in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Dr. Banov shares these moments and more in his absorbing, often hilarious and always uplifting memoir. Banov's intimate portraits of the teachers, fellow students and, above all, the patients who framed his career are recounted with warmth and insight, and provide a rare inside view into the making of a doctor. The drama, humor and humanity of Dr. Banov's many years as a practicing physician will enrich and inspire medical students, health care professionals and people everywhere who want to make a difference in their communities.
Ebook
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Jewish Philadelphia
A Guide To Its Sights & Stories
by Linda Nesvisky
Part of the American Heritage series
Experience Philadelphia's Jewish history with a nine-site walking tour through the city's oldest streets. Discover the treasures of the Rosenbach Museum and Library and stories of the immigrant experience at the new National Museum of American Jewish History. Find out how the Liberty Bell became inscribed with a passage from the Torah and where to find some of the best Reubens in the city. Encouraged by Penn's charter of religious tolerance, Jewish people have flocked to Philadelphia since before the Revolutionary War, and in turn they have made remarkable contributions to the City of Brotherly Love. With a walking tour and a series of intriguing vignettes, tour guide Linda Nesvisky leads readers down colonial streets to discover the surprising history of the Jewish community in Philadelphia into the twenty-first century.
Ebook
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African Americans of Durham & Orange Counties
An Oral History
by Jean Bolduc
Part of the American Heritage series
Durham and Orange Counties have vibrant and active African American communities. Throughout the region's unjust past, generations have shown extraordinary strength and resolve. Floyd McKissick became the first African American student at the University of North Carolina School of Law after Thurgood Marshall argued for his admittance in court. The struggle for civil rights in Durham shaped the poetry of Jaki Shelton Green, one of the state's most esteemed wordsmiths. More recently, local leaders such as Michelle Johnson find the work of equality is far from over. Journalist and writer Jean Bolduc reveals the voices of Durham and Orange County African Americans in a series of inspirational oral histories.
Ebook
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Slave Labor on Virginia's Blue Ridge Railroad
by Mary E. Lyons
Part of the American Heritage series
Between 1849 and 1859, Virginia raced to pierce the Blue Ridge Mountains by rail and reach the Ohio River. At least 300 enslaved people labored involuntarily toward that goal, along with 1,500 Irish immigrants. The state leased the labor of enslaved Virginians from local slaveholders, including four connected with nearby University of Virginia. Blue Ridge Tunnel and Blue Ridge Railroad historian Mary E. Lyons explored hundreds of primary documents to write the first nonfiction book about slave labor on a specific antebellum railroad. She shares hundreds of enslaved people's names, traces where they toiled along the line and describes their backbreaking--and sometimes fatal--tasks.
Ebook
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Woodland Mounds in West Virginia
by Darla Spencer
Part of the American Heritage series
The first Europeans to arrive in the Ohio Valley were intrigued and puzzled by the many conical earthen mounds they encountered there. They created wild theories about who the mysterious "Moundbuilders" might be. It was not until the 1880s that Smithsonian Institution investigations revealed that the Moundbuilders were the ancestors of living Native Americans. More than four hundred mounds have been recorded in West Virginia, including the Grave Creek Mound in Marshall County, the largest conical mound in North America. Join archaeologist Darla Spencer and learn about the Grave Creek Mound and fifteen additional Adena mounds from the fascinating Woodland period in West Virginia.
Ebook
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Harriet Jacobs in New Bedford
by Peggi Medeiros
Part of the American Heritage series
In 1861, Harriet Ann Jacobs published a masterpiece, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. Her book is the first and only narrative to give voice to a woman who escaped slavery. Cornelia Grinnell Willis not only purchased Harriet's freedom, but she also developed a bond with Harriet and her daughter, Louisa, that lasted a lifetime. Both women suffered trauma as children and miraculously survived. They also had close ties to New Bedford that have not been examined previously. Cornelia married Nathaniel Parker Willis, considered an American Dickens during his lifetime though largely forgotten today. Join author and local historian Peggi Medeiros as she traces the fascinating lives of the Jacobs, Grinnell and Willis families in and out of New Bedford.
Ebook
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Indian Americans of Massachusetts
by Meenal Atul Pandya
Part of the American Heritage series
Indians are the most recent immigrants in Massachusetts. Though a tiny minority, their contributions are numerous and far-reaching. Swami Vivekananda arrived in Boston in 1893 and left a lasting legacy of Hindu philosophy. Sushil Tuli opened a unique community bank, Leader Bank, as the first and only minority-owned bank in the state of Massachusetts. The Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation at MIT, created with the grant of $20 million by Desh and Jaishree Deshpande, empowers MIT's researchers to make a difference in the world by developing innovative technologies. Author Meenal Atul Pandya details the influence of Indians on Massachusetts history.
Ebook
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Native Americans of East-Central Indiana
by Chris Flook
Part of the American Heritage series
Native Americans lived, hunted and farmed in east-central Indiana for two thousand years before the area became a part of the Hoosier State. Mounds and enclosures built by Adena and Hopewell peoples still stand near the White River and reflect their vibrant and mysterious cultures. The Lenape tribes moved to east-central Indiana many years later after the Northwest Indian War. Led by the great chiefs Buckhongehelas and Kikthawenund, the White River Lenape attempted to forge an identity after being forced from their homeland on the Atlantic coast. Place names like Delaware County, Muncie, Yorktown and Anderson demonstrate the importance of the tribe in local history. Author Chris Flook explores the unique yet often untold history of the Native experience in east-central Indiana.
Ebook
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A History of Jewish Youngstown and the Steel Valley
by Thomas Welsh
Part of the American Heritage series
Founded in the Mahoning Valley during 1837, a tiny settlement of secular German immigrants grew into one of the most influential centers of Jewish life in the Midwest. Home to nationally renowned rabbis and Zionist firebrands alike, the community produced an astonishing array of leaders in an impressive range of fields throughout the twentieth century. This notable legacy ranges from the entertainment juggernaut of Warner Brothers to the Arby's fast-food empire and the prominent Youngstown Sheet & Tube, among many others. Authors Thomas Welsh, Joshua Foster and Gordon F. Morgan trace the unique history of one of Ohio's oldest Jewish communities from its humble beginnings into the challenging climate of the new millennium.
Ebook
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The Jefferson Highway In Oklahoma
The Historic Osage Trace
by Jonita Mullins
Part of the American Heritage series
Oklahoma's central location makes it a natural crossroads, and the trails of yesterday became the superhighways of today. Perhaps the best example is Route 69, also known as the Jefferson Highway. The paved highway was begun in 1915, but its course was heavily traveled for centuries before that. Engineers could map no better path than the generations who cut it through the wilderness out of necessity. Author Jonita Mullins leads a journey along this ancient way that recalls some of Oklahoma's most important history and celebrates some of its most fascinating characters.
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Slavery in Wilkes County, North Carolina
by Larry J. Griffin
Part of the American Heritage series
Slavery is a tragic chapter in the history of Wilkes County with a lasting legacy. Prominent businessmen and celebrated civic leaders, like General William Lenoir and William Pitt Waugh, were among the county's largest slaveholders. Judith Williams Barber endured forty-five years of slavery and garnered respect from both white and black residents. Her story is linked to free person of color and noted landowner Henderson Waugh, whose illustrious, slaveholding white father connected the two families-one slave and the other free. Author Larry Griffin takes readers on an emotional journey to separate fact from myth as he chronicles the history of slavery in Wilkes County.
Ebook
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African American Railroad Workers of Roanoke
Oral Histories of the Norfolk & Western
by Sheree Scarborough
Part of the American Heritage series
Roanoke, Virginia, is one of America's great historic railroad centers. The Norfolk & Western Railway Company, now the Norfolk Southern Corporation, has been in Roanoke for over a century. Since the company has employed many of the city's African Americans, the two histories are intertwined. The lives of Roanoke's black railroad workers span the generations from Jim Crow segregation to the civil rights era to today's diverse corporate workforce. Older generations toiled through labor-intensive jobs such as janitors and track laborers, paving the way for younger African Americans to become engineers, conductors and executives. Join author Sheree Scarborough as she interviews Roanoke's African American railroad workers and chronicles stories that are a powerful testament of personal adversity, struggle and triumph on the rail.
Ebook
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Swedish Heritage of Greater Worcester
by Eric J. Salomonsson
Part of the American Heritage series
By 1900, Worcester was home to the largest Swedish population in the eastern United States. These new residents brought an innovative and unique spirit to the community. Industrialist John Jeppson invented an artificial emery stone, and his experiments in the abrasives field became the foundation of the Norton Company. Worcester welcomed Swedish immigrants who preserved traditions through various lodges, church congregations, and Swedish-owned businesses like Holstrom's Market, Lundborg's, and Crown Bakery. Fairlawn Hospital and the Lutheran Home were other mainstays that marked the Swedes' local presence. Author Eric J. Salomonsson explores how Worcester's Swedish immigrants became Swedish-Americans while making vital and vibrant contributions to their adopted city.
Ebook
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Waterbury Irish
From the Emerald Isle to the Brass City
by Janet Maher
Part of the American Heritage series
The hard work of nineteenth-century Irish immigrants in Waterbury helped place the city on the map as the Brass Capital of the World. In the early years of immigration, Irish Catholics held Mass in secret, but eventually beautiful churches were built, attracting the most revered clergy in Connecticut. Soon Irish and Irish Americans established themselves as city leaders and professionals in the community. Dr. Charles A. Monagan was a founding member of St. Mary's Hospital, while his son John later became mayor. Some achieved fame through their excellence in sports, such as Roger Connor, who held a long-standing record for career home runs until it was broken by Babe Ruth. Detailed research and oral histories from living descendants bring to light the remarkable Waterbury Irish legacy.
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Happy Canyon
A History of the World's Most Unique Indian Pageant & Wild West Show
by Rebeca Fletcher Waggoner
Part of the American Heritage series
For over a century, the Happy Canyon show has brought together families, friends and strangers to witness a joyous celebration of local history. Originally staged in 1914 by Roy Raley, the all-volunteer show presents a live retelling of Pendleton's founding that honors both the beauty of tribal life and the spirit of the Old West. Today, the show is truly a family affair, and many performers and organizers are descendants of those early actors and crew. Author Becky Fletcher Waggoner delivers a detailed, loving view of the show's history, illustrated with beautiful photography and fascinating archival photos that join past and present.
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Better Homes of South Bend
An American Story of Courage
by Gabrielle Robinson
Part of the American Heritage series
In 1950, a group of African American workers at the Studebaker factory in South Bend met in secret. Their mission was to build homes away from the factories and slums where they were forced to live. They came from the South to make a better life for themselves and their children, but they found Jim Crow in the North as well. The meeting gave birth to Better Homes of South Bend, and a triumph against the entrenched racism of the times took all their courage, intelligence and perseverance. Author Gabrielle Robinson tells the story of their struggle and provides an intimate glimpse into a part of history that all too often is forgotten.
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African American Bryan, Texas
Celebrating The Past
by Oswell Person Ph. D.
Part of the American Heritage series
Bryan was incorporated in 1872, but it would take more than ten years before its African American population was offered schooling. Nothing would come easy for them, but they persevered through hard work, ingenuity and family support. The success of today's generation is a direct result of determined, hardworking pioneers like Dr. Samuel J. Sealey Sr., Bryan's "baby doctor" in the 1930s and '40s, and Dr. William A. Hammond Sr., who opened Bryan's first black hospital and employed many blacks through his business ventures. Learn about the inspiration and guidance provided by the likes of Oliver Wayne Sadberry, an outstanding community leader and principal of Fairview and Washington Elementary. Dr. Oswell Person shares the story of this community's achievements, successes and contributions in the face of incredible odds.
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Black Civil War Veterans in Washington State
by Cynthia A. Wilson
Part of the American Heritage series
Men of ValorIn the late 1800s, the new state of Washington promised peace and prosperity to new settlers. At least thirty-three African American men who had served during the Civil War answered the call. Paul Barrows, a former legislator from Mississippi, established the Calvary Baptist Church of Spokane. Gideon H. Stump Bailey became the first African American Justice of the Peace in Franklin. Allin Alfred Hawkins, born into slavery, became one of the wealthiest African American farmers in the Yakima Valley.Author Cynthia A. Wilson uncovers the stories of these courageous men.
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Influential Women of Spokane
Building a Fair City
by Nancy Driscol Engle
Part of the American Heritage series
While known as the home of Father's Day, Spokane benefited from its share of trailblazing women. In 1886, Mother Joseph, a pioneering architect, constructed the first Sacred Heart Hospital. After fire destroyed thirty-six blocks in 1889, Anna Stratton Browne and her friends raised $10, 000 to build a home for needy children that operated for six decades. And in early 1908, May Hutton became president of the Spokane Equal Suffrage League, persevering until 1910, when Washington voters gave women the vote. Historian Nancy Driscol Engle commemorates the unforgettable contributions of Spokane's women.
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Texas Women First
Leading Ladies of Lone Star History
by Sherrie S. McLeRoy
Part of the American Heritage series
American history is teeming with unconventional, trailblazing Lone Star women with big, unprecedented achievements--outstanding, outrageous, outré women who know all about being "Texas Big" and being first. Texas's own Bessie Coleman was the first black person in the world to earn a pilot's license. Students and typists the world over breathed a sigh of relief when San Antonio-born Bette Nesmith Graham released Mistake Out, now known as Liquid Paper®. Way ahead of the curve, University of Texas graduate Aida Nydia Barrera saw the need for bilingual educational programming and in 1970 started Carrascolendas, the first television show of its kind in the country. In 1981, El Paso's Sandra Day O'Connor became the first female justice of the United States Supreme Court. Join author Sherrie McLeRoy for an introduction to the exceptional women of Lone Star history.
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The Jewish Hospital & Cincinnati Jews in Medicine
by Frederic Krome
Part of the American Heritage series
Cincinnati Jewish Hospital has remained a beacon of service to the city for more than a century and a half. Although it always accepted patients regardless of their heritage or faith, the institution maintains its Jewish identity. Founded in 1850, the Hospital weathered depressions and wars while reflecting changes that occurred within the Jewish community and the city. Cincinnati's Jewish health professionals pioneered medical education, new treatments for polio and the introduction of new psychological treatments for children. Author Frederic Krome explores the fascinating history of the Cincinnati Jewish Hospital and the many contributions Cincinnati Jews made to the field of medicine.
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Vermont Women, Native Americans & African Americans
Out of the Shadows of History
by Cynthia D. Bittinger
Part of the American Heritage series
Vermont's constitution, drafted in 1777, was one of the most enlightened documents of its time, but in contrast, the history of Vermont has largely been told through the stories of influential white men. This book takes a fresh look at Vermont's history, uncovering hidden stories, from the earliest inhabitants to present-day citizens striving to overcome adversity and be advocates for change. Native Americans struggled to maintain an identity in the state while their land and rights were disappearing. Lucy Terry Prince was the first female African American poet who rose above racism to argue her case before Vermont's governor and won. Educator and historian Cynthia Bittinger unearths these and other inspirational stories of the contributions of women, Native Americans and African Americans to Vermont's history.
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Dorothy Porter Wesley At Howard University
Building a Legacy of Black History
by Dr. Janet Sims-Woods
Part of the American Heritage series
When Dorothy Burnett joined the library staff at Howard University in 1928, she was given a mandate to administer a library of Negro life and history. The school purchased the Arthur B. Spingarn Collection in 1946, along with other collections, and Burnett, who would later become Dorothy Porter Wesley, helped create a world-class archive known as the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center and cemented her place as an immensely important figure in the preservation of African American history. Wesley's zeal for unearthing materials related to African American history earned her the name of "Shopping Bag Lady." Join author, historian and former Howard University librarian Janet Sims-Wood as she charts the award-winning and distinguished career of an iconic archivist.
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Slovenians in Cleveland
A History
by Alan F. Dutka
Part of the American Heritage series
The Newburgh, St. Clair and Collinwood neighborhoods formed the core of Greater Cleveland's enormous Slovenian population, still the largest in America. The city's Slovenian heritage is replete with gripping tales of World War II prison camp escapes and bizarre bank robbers who threatened the St. Clair Savings institution. The catastrophic East Ohio Gas explosion and tragic Collinwood school fire are etched into local consciousness. The rise of neighborhood residents to professional sports stardom and national political prominence contribute to a proud legacy. And the century-old "Cleveland style" Slovenian polka remains an important cultural expression. Author Alan Dutka offers the first comprehensive history of the struggles and triumphs of Cleveland's Slovenians.
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God's Children
by Archibald Rutledge
Part of the American Heritage series
This 1940s memoir provides a glimpse into the life and thoughts of a South Carolina plantation owner in the post-Civil War, pre-Civil Rights era.
In 1937, after decades in the North, Archibald Rutledge returned to what he described as the "hyacinth days and camellia nights" of his native Carolina Lowcountry to restore his ancestral home, Hampton Plantation, which had been in his family since 1730.
Originally published in 1947, these pages describe, in intimate and fascinating detail, the plantation life he found upon his return. In the simple, lyrical language of the first poet laureate of South Carolina, Rutledge portrays the black men and women, descendants of slaves, who labored alongside him in the marshes of the Santee, the stories they shared, and his interactions with them. God's Children serves as a vivid snapshot of day-to-day activity on a plantation in the American South in the first half of the twentieth century, and of a lifestyle that was ever so slowly disappearing.
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A History of Nebraska Agriculture
A Life Worth Living
by Jody L. Lamp
Part of the American Heritage series
Once known as the "Great American Desert," Nebraska's plains and native grasslands today make it a domestic leader in producing food, feed and fuel. From Omaha to Ogallala, Nebraska's founding farmers, ranchers and agribusiness leaders endured hardships while fostering kinships that have lasted generations. While many continued on the trails leading west, others from around the world stayed, seeking a home and land to cultivate. American Doorstop Project co-founders and authors Jody L. Lamp and Melody Dobson celebrate the state's forgotten and untold agricultural history, highlighting more than a century and a half of agriculture industry, inventions and innovations in the Cornhusker State.
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The 1895 Segregation Fight in South Carolina
by Damon L. Fordham
Part of the American Heritage series
Six Against the State
In 1895, Senator Benjamin Tillman of South Carolina attempted to solidify his political power. He proposed to rewrite the South Carolina Constitution to deny African Americans their constitutional rights and make racial segregation the law of the state. Six Black leaders-Robert Anderson, Isaiah Reed, Robert Smalls, William J. Whipper, James Wigg and Thomas E. Miller-went to the state capitol in the face of insult and ridicule to make an eloquent stand against these developments. The erudite and forceful addresses of these men drew worldwide headlines but are largely forgotten today. Author Damon L. Fordham attempts to rectify that omission and inspire generations to come.
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Desegregation in Northern Virginia Libraries
by Chris Barbuschak
Part of the American Heritage series
A Hidden History of Unequal Access
During the Jim Crow era, many public libraries were segregated. The public library plays a fundamental role in communities by providing free educational resources, boosting literacy and knowledge, and serving as a place of refuge. Despite this, many were inaccessible to Black residents and continued to resist integration even after the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education. Discover the truth about the barriers imposed on the Black community and learn about the citizens-turned-activists who used protests and lawsuits to achieve more equitable library services. Their legacy resonates today as libraries continue to evolve and embrace more inclusive practices.
Join Fairfax County librarians Chris Barbuschak and Suzanne LaPierre as they investigate the overlooked and little-known history of segregated library services in Northern Virginia.
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Virginia's Civil Rights Hero Curtis W. Harris Sr.
by William Paul Lazarus
Part of the American Heritage series
In 1924, the Virginia State Legislature passed the Racial Integrity Act.
The act banned interracial marriage down to "a single drop" of African blood. Just three months later, Curtis W. Harris was born in Dendron, Virginia. Harris was the sixth child of impoverished sharecroppers, living in a desolate outpost of the Commonwealth, but in time he would lead the fight against the Racial Integrity Act and many other racially restrictive laws. Despite being arrested multiple times and beaten, Rev. Harris would help reverse centuries of racial discrimination that began when slaves first arrived in Virginia in 1619.
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African Americans of St. Lawrence County
North Country Pioneers
by Bryan S. Thompson
Part of the American Heritage series
Discover the Black pioneers who shaped St. Lawrence County through grit and determination.
From its origins as part of New France through the Civil War and eventual industrialization of the region, St. Lawrence County has been shapped by all too often overlooked Black families and individuals. Author Bryan S. Thompson reveals the history of the African American community in New York's North Country.
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Abolition & the Underground Railroad in Chester County, Pennsylvania
by Mark Lanyon
Part of the American Heritage series
Chester County was home to a diverse patchwork of religious communities, antislavery activists and free Black populations, all working to end the blight of slavery during the Civil War era. Kennett Square was known as the "hotbed of abolitionism," with more Underground Railroad stations than anywhere else in the nation. Reverend John Miller Dickey and the Hinsonville community under the leadership of James Ralston Amos and Thomas Henry Amos founded the Ashmun Institute, later renamed Lincoln University, the nation's oldest degree-granting Historically Black College and University. The county's myriad Quaker communities fostered strong abolitionist sentiment and a robust pool of activists aiding runaway slaves on their road to emancipation. Author Mark Lanyon captures the rich history of antislavery activity that transformed Chester County into a vital region in the nation's fight for freedom.
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The Life & Legacy of Enslaved Virginian Emily Winfree
by Dr. Jan Meck
Part of the American Heritage series
Left destitute after the Civil War by the death of David Winfree, her former master and the father of her children, Emily Winfree underwent unimaginable hardships to keep her family together. Living with them in the tiny cottage he had given her, she worked menial jobs to make ends meet until the children were old enough to contribute. Her sacrifices enabled the successes of many of her descendants. Authors Jan Meck and Virginia Refo tell the true story of this remarkable African American woman, who lived through enslavement, war, Reconstruction and Jim Crow in Central Virginia.
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Black Communities of Fairfax
A History
by Etta Willson
Part of the American Heritage series
The story of Black Fairfax has long been untold. The free Black population of Fairfax Court House dates to at least the 1820s. After the Civil War, newly freed Black citizens expanded the hamlet of Jermantown dramatically. Additional segregated neighborhoods, including School Street, which overlapped today's George Mason University, and Ilda, off Guinea Road, grew and thrived. In the second half of the nineteenth century residents built schools, churches, and a cemetery. These families persevered under Jim Crow in the early twentieth century. After incorporation, the City of Fairfax annexed these historically Black localities, and their separate character began to disappear. This group of authors with deep roots in Fairfax tells the stories of their communities.
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Virginia's Civil Rights Hero Curtis W. Harris Sr.
by William Lazarus
Part of the American Heritage series
In 1924, the Virginia State Legislature passed the Racial Integrity Act. The act banned interracial marriage down to "a single drop" of African blood. Just three months later, Curtis W. Harris was born in Dendron, Virginia. Harris was the sixth child of impoverished sharecroppers, living in a desolate outpost of the Commonwealth, but in time he would lead the fight against the Racial Integrity Act and many other racially restrictive laws. Despite being arrested multiple times and beaten, Rev. Harris would help reverse centuries of racial discrimination that began when slaves first arrived in Virginia in 1619. Author William Paul Lazarus tells the story of Harris' determination in the face of intense hostility, which took him to the forefront of America's Civil Rights Movement, arm-in-arm with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
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South Carolina's Matilda Evans
A Medical Pioneer
by Walter B. Curry Jr., EdD
Part of the American Heritage series
The Life of a Trailblazer
Matilda Arabella Evans was born four years after the abolition of slavery and raised on a family farm in eastern Aiken County. She was the first African American woman in South Carolina to obtain a medical license and fervently championed better healthcare for African Americans, with a particular focus on children. Her early life experiences, academic accomplishments, strong religious beliefs and innovative medical approaches made her a crucial figure in enhancing healthcare accessibility for families in South Carolina, especially during the difficult era of racial segregation, when she also served as a civic advocate to uplift her local community. Authors Dr. Walter B. Curry, Beverly Aiken Muhammad and Anusha Ghosh reveal the inspirational story of Dr. Evans and her remarkable journey throughout her career.
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Enslavement and the Underground Railroad in Missouri and Illinois
by Julie Nicolai
Part of the American Heritage series
People enslaved here experienced the same horrors as those held captive in other states, and their stories of courage and perseverance are amazing. Priscilla Baltimore purchased her own emancipation and founded a freedom village. Caroline Quarlls escaped to Canada. Many who fled for their lives spent time bunkered in the basement of Hanson House. The region's Congregationalists brought a fiery. brand of abolitionism. And Prairie Park still holds the faded "haint" blue paint traditionally used on slave dwellings. Author Julia Nicolai details these and other adjective stories.
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Pittsburgh and the Great Migration
by Arcadia Publishing
Part of the American Heritage series
During the Great Migration of 1916-1940 over two million African Americans left the American South seeking a greater quality of life, with the Steel City a major destination. Men and women packed up what they could fit in a suitcase or the trunk of a car and left behind their homes and families in search of better opportunities in the budding industries of the North and Midwest. They were escaping discriminatory laws and racial violence. Purchasing a car was one of the first things African Americans did as they moved into the middle class, providing a sense of freedom and automony unexerienced before. This mobility and the freedom to come and go as one pleases revolutionized the Black middle class in Pittsburgh and played a pivitol role in the Great Migration's effects upon the region. The Frick Pittsburgh's Car and Carriage Museum presents the harrowing history of Pittsburgh in the Great Migration and the role the car played in the growth of Black mobility and automony.
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The Underground Railroad on Long Island
Friends In Freedom
by Kathleen G. Velsor
Part of the American Heritage series
Discover Long Island's pivotal role in the Underground Railroad and the legacy that lives on today in this fascinating history and visitor's guide.
From the arrival of the Quakers in the seventeenth century to the enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation, Long Island played an important role in the Underground Railroad's work to help enslaved people escape to freedom. Many of the safe houses are still standing today, and this informative volume provides all the information you need to see and explore this little-known chapter in Long Island history.
In Old Westbury, the members of the Westbury Meeting established a major stop on the freedom trail. In Jericho, families helped escaping slaves to freedom from the present-day Maine Maid Inn. Elias Hicks helped free 191 slaves himself and worked to create Underground Railroad safe houses in many northeastern cities. Some formerly enslaved people even established permanent communities across the island
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Parallel Communities
The Underground Railroad in South Jersey
by Dennis C. Rizzo
Part of the American Heritage series
The true story of the small African American communities that formed in southern New Jersey during the era of slavery.
For slaves escaping on the Underground Railroad, names like Springtown and Snow Hill promised sanctuary and salvation. Under the pressures of racial prejudice, many free blacks, runaway slaves, and even Native Americans formed island communities on the periphery of South Jersey towns. While Lawnside and others continue to thrive today, others, like Marshalltown and Timbuctoo, now exist only in memory.
In this discussion of these primarily African American communities, Dennis Rizzo validates their role in the preservation of tradition, definition of extended family, and creation of a social bond between diverse peoples; together they formed parallel communities based on, but independent of, the larger towns and villages familiar to residents of the Garden State.