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The Dog That Played Lassie-
A Dalmatian in the Civil War
A handsome dalmatian followed Quartermaster General Rufus Ingalls wherever he went at Army headquarters at City Point, Virginia. General Ingalls (1818-1893) returned from a short trip to Washington, D.C. accompanied by what was referred to at the time as... -
Detroit’s History, Told in Vignettes
Detroit’s story is a truly American story, and it’s unique because of its prime location in the Midwest. By understanding what happened in Michigan through the years, we can more fully comprehend the story of our country, from the... -
WWII WASP Mascot Created by Roald Dahl and Disney Studios
Roald Dahl and Walt Disney Studios collaborated to create what became the mascot for the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). She was a fairy-like female gremlin known as Fifinella. -
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Inspiration for a Doghouse
Frank Lloyd Wright is among the best-known architects in the world, but few know that among his commissions was a doghouse. How It Came About After Frank Lloyd Wright designed a home for the Berger family of San Anselmo,... -
Deaf Lifeguard Saved Almost 1000 From Drowning
Leroy Colombo became deaf when he suffered spinal meningitis when he was seven years old (1912). He grew up to be a remarkably good lifeguard. Being deaf might have disqualified him for lifeguarding under certain circumstances, but Leroy’s deafness... -
Cracker Jack: Ever-Popular Baseball Snack
Cracker Jack holds the spot as “most famous of baseball snacks.” Remarkably, it has held that honor for over 100 years. The snack itself began as a simple, inexpensive confection sold by street vendors in Chicago. The story of... -
Hazel Ying Lee: First Female Chinese American Military Pilot
Hazel Ying Lee broke barriers by becoming the first female Chinese-American pilot to fly for the military during World War II. Women were not permitted by the U.S. military to fly overseas missions, but they assumed responsibility for the... -
Sybil Ludington, 16, Helped Patriots in Revolutionary War
Sybil Ludington is known for her 40-mile night ride through parts of New York and Connecticut to alert American Patriots that the British military had come ashore in Connecticut and were marching inland. The date was April 26, 1777,... -
Mary Ellen Pleasant, Entrepreneur and Abolitionist
Abolitionist and successful Gold Rush entrepreneur Mary Ellen Pleasant was a free woman of mixed-race who dedicated her life to equality for African Americans. From helping with the Underground Railroad to suing for the right to ride on segregated... -
Horace Pippin: Gifted Painter and Harlem Hellfighter
When it became clear that the U.S. would enter World War I, Horace Pippin left his job with a moving company in Paterson, New Jersey and enlisted. He was 29 and was placed in the 369th Colored Infantry Regiment... -
Martin Luther King Jr. and the Montgomery Bus Boycott
Martin Luther King, Jr. was 25 years old when he and his new wife, Coretta, moved to Montgomery, Alabama in 1954. He was to be pastor of Montgomery’s Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. Less than one year later, Rosa Parks... -
Jack Abernathy: Catching Live Wolves Bare-Handed
Jack Abernathy was a rough-and-tumble Texas cowboy who feared nothing. He achieved fame for devising a method to capture live wolves bare-handed. He then sold them to zoos and entertainment companies around the country. -
Children Teddy Roosevelt Admired
Teddy Roosevelt had his own sons and daughters whom he loved deeply, but two children, Louis (called Bud) and Temple Abernathy, became his friends while he was in the White House. Roosevelt admired Bud and Temple for living the... -
Bugle Calls and the Origin of TAPS
Communication on a military battlefield or in camp is vital, but before technological advances, spreading information and commands was challenging. Messengers were used to communicate among commanders, but the difficulty was great when informing large groups of men. -
Asian Indians Fight for U.S. in World War I
Nearly a quarter of the men who fought for America in World War I were foreign born, including many Asian Indians who arrived in the U.S. seeking education, a better life, and freedom from British domination of India. It...
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Native American HeritagePart of the inspiration for this site comes from a remark made by Nobel Peace Prize winner Jane Addams (1860-1935)
"People do not want to hear about simple things. They want to hear about great things - simply told."
"People do not want to hear about simple things. They want to hear about great things - simply told."
On
This
Day
On July 16,1945, at 5:29:45 a.m., the first atom bomb was successfully tested in Alamogordo, New Mexico. Creating this powerful weapon was a top secret undertaking known as the Manhattan Project. The effort involved bringing together the best minds in science to discover how to harness the atom’s power to try to bring the war to a decisive end. The mushroom cloud rose 40,000 feet into the air and the tower on which the bomb sat when detonated was vaporized.
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Who Thought of That?
Wheelchairs did not come into common use until the last 150 years, but various forms of them existed before the 1860s. Here's how they were invented:
Heroes & Trailblazers
Thomas Jefferson’s Dogs
Dogs were initially held in poor esteem by Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) when he was a young man. In an era when most landowners kept livestock that... continue »
The Carter Family and Amy’s Dog, Grits
Amy Carter was age 9 when the Carter family moved into the White House. The family arrived with Amy’s Siamese cat, Misty Malarkey Ying Yang. ... continue ».
What can one person do? Read some of the stories on this site; you'll see that they revolve around single individuals who worked toward change.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
Margaret Mead
Margaret Mead
