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History Now Essay

The Escape of Black Women during the American Revolution

Karen Cook Bell

In 1961, Morgan State University historian Dr. Benjamin Quarles published the now classic study The Negro in the American Revolution , which became the definitive account of the role African Americans played in the War for...

Appears in:

63 | The Declaration of Independence and the Long Struggle for Equality in America Summer 2022

History Now Essay

A Second Declaration of Independence: The 1848 Declaration of Sentiments

Sally G. McMillen

“We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal. [1] Upon casual reading, this phrase should sound familiar. Yet unlike what appeared in our nation’s 1776 Declaration of Independence, the 1848...

Appears in:

63 | The Declaration of Independence and the Long Struggle for Equality in America Summer 2022

History Now Essay

From the Editor

Carol Berkin

The Declaration of Independence was written to explain the just causes for the Americans’ break with their mother country. In it, Thomas Jefferson carefully listed the American grievances against the king, creating a catalogue of...

Appears in:

63 | The Declaration of Independence and the Long Struggle for Equality in America Summer 2022

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2022 George Washington Prize Awarded to Bruce A. Ragsdale for “Washington at the Plow”

May 26, 2022, MOUNT VERNON, VA — Bruce A. Ragsdale has been awarded the 2022 George Washington Prize for his work Washington at the Plow: The Founding Farmer and the Question of Slavery . The annual award recognizes the past year’s...

History Now Essay

Polish Political Exiles and the Legacy of the American Revolution in the Antebellum US

Derek Kane O'Leary

World History

In the second of the Cabinet rap battles in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton (2015), Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton wage a fiery debate in 1796 about whether the US should honor its old treaty obligations to a newly...

Appears in:

63 | The Declaration of Independence and the Long Struggle for Equality in America Summer 2022

Essay

An Introduction to Juneteenth

Graham Hodges

Juneteenth is the most widely recognized, long-lived Black commemoration of slavery’s demise. Juneteenth marks June 19, 1865, when federal troops commanded by General George Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, to proclaim freedom to...

News

2022 George Washington Prize Awarded to Bruce A. Ragsdale for “Washington at the Plow”

Bruce A. Ragsdale has been awarded the 2022 George Washington Prize for his work Washington at the Plow: The Founding Farmer and the Question of Slavery . The annual award recognizes the past year’s best works on the nation’s founding...

News

Announcing the Gilder Lehrman College Fellows in American History for 2022

The Gilder Lehrman Institute is pleased to announce the selection of ten Gilder Lehrman College Fellows in American History for 2022. Through its newly launched College Fellowship Program in American History, the Gilder Lehrman...

News

Announcing the Summer 2022 Issue of HISTORY NOW: The Declaration of Independence and the Long Struggle for Equality in America

The Summer 2022 issue of History Now , " The Declaration of Independence and the Long Struggle for Equality in America ," illustrates the ways in which the centuries-long struggle of African Americans, women, and others to achieve...

Video: Book Breaks

Megan Kate Nelson - "Saving Yellowstone: Exploration and Preservation in Reconstruction America"

Economics

Megan Kate Nelson is a writer and historian who has written about the Civil War, US western history, and American culture for the New York Times , the Washington Post , The Atlantic , Time , and Smithsonian Magazine . Order Saving...

Video: Book Breaks

Ricardo A. Herrera - "Feeding Washington's Army: Surviving the Valley Forge Winter of 1778"

Government and Civics

Ricardo A. Herrera is a professor of military history in the School of Advanced Military Studies at the US Army Command and General Staff College. Order Feeding Washington’s Army at the Gilder Lehrman Book Shop We receive an...

News

Cold War Video Series from Gilder Lehrman History School Wins Telly Award

The Gilder Lehrman Institute is proud to announce that the Cold War series created by Retro Report for the 2021 History School course led by 2018 National History Teacher of the Year Joe Welch is a Silver Winner in the Education &...

News

Four Book Breaks from the Archives for Juneteenth

Every week, the Gilder Lehrman Institute interviews award-winning historians about important topics in American history on Book Breaks . Our growing archive of past episodes serves as a diverse and abundant resource for students,...

Video: Book Breaks

C. Patrick Burrowes - "Liberia & the Quest for Freedom"

World History

Carl Patrick Burrows is a leading Liberian historian. He has served as vice president for academic affairs at Cuttington University and the Carter G. Woodson Distinguished Professor at Marshall University. Order Liberia & the...

Lesson Plan

Juneteenth and Emancipation

9, 10, 11, 12

Click to download this four-lesson unit.

News

Mix and Match Your Teacher Seminars: Examples from Real Teachers

Gilder Lehrman Institute Teacher Seminars —part of our 2022 Summer PD programming –are being held online this summer, which means teachers can participate from anywhere, even on vacation. But the quality is still top-notch, providing...

Program/Event

Celebrating American Historical Holidays

News

A New Resource Collection for Celebrating American Historical Holidays

Recognizing and celebrating historical holidays—from memorializations of monumental American figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. to remembrances of events like Juneteenth—offer entry points for a deeper exploration of the pivotal...

Video: Book Breaks

Jeanne Theoharis - "A More Beautiful and Terrible History: The Uses and Misuses of Civil Rights History"

Government and Civics, Literature

Jeanne Theoharis is a Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Brooklyn College. Order A More Beautiful and Terrible History at the Gilder Lehrman Book Shop We receive an affiliate commission from every purchase through the...

News

Celebrate the Fourth of July with Gilder Lehrman Resources and Book Breaks

Fourth of July Resources The Gilder Lehrman Institute invites everyone—students, teachers, and history enthusiasts—to visit our new Fourth of July resource page and explore materials related to American independence. Expect to find:...

Lesson Plan

What Does Liberty Look Like?

Government and Civics

" We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness ." Declaration of...

Video: Book Breaks

Elliott West - "The Essential West: Collected Essays"

Geography

Elliot West is an Alumni Distinguished Professor of History at the University of Arkansas Order The Essential West: Collected Essays at the Gilder Lehrman Book Shop We receive an affiliate commission from every purchase through the...

Video: Inside The Vault

Inside the Vault: Thomas Paine's "Common Sense"

Government and Civics, Literature

On July 7, 2022, our curators discussed Thomas Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense . They were joined by Eric Slauter, Associate Professor of English at the University of Chicago, who provided an overview of the pamphlet’s publication...

News

History U Offers New Course on the American Revolution for High School Students

The Gilder Lehrman Institute’s History U offers free, graduate-level American history courses with top scholars for high school students. NEW COURSE! The American Revolution with Professor Carol Berkin This course focuses on the story...

Video: Book Breaks

Denver Brunsman - "The Evil Necessity: British Naval Impressment in the Eighteenth-Century Atlantic World"

Government and Civics, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, World History

Denver Brunsman is an associate professor of history at The George Washington University. Order The Evil Necessity at the Gilder Lehrman Book Shop We receive an affiliate commission from every purchase through the link provided....

News

Announcing Our 50th Self-Paced Course: American Colonies, led by Alan Taylor

Gilder Lehrman Self-Paced Courses offer graduate-level instruction in American history led by the nation’s top historians. We are pleased to announce that the addition of Alan Taylor’s American Colonies course now brings us to 50 Self...

Video: Book Breaks

David Hackett Fischer - "African Founders: How Enslaved People Expanded American Ideals"

Art, Economics, Foreign Languages, Geography, Government and Civics, Literature, Religion and Philosophy

David Hackett Fischer is University Professor and Earl Warren Professor of History, Emeritus at Brandeis University. Order African Founders at the Gilder Lehrman Book Shop We receive an affiliate commission from every purchase...

News

Spotlight on the MA: The Revolutionary Lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.

Registration is now open for fall courses in the new Gettysburg College–Gilder Lehrman MA in American History —an affordable, fully online master’s degree program, led by renowned, award-winning historians, that brings together the...

Video: Book Breaks

Susan Schulten - "A History of America in 100 Maps"

Geography

Susan Schulten is a professor of history at the University of Denver. Order A History of America in 100 Maps at the Gilder Lehrman Book Shop We receive an affiliate commission from every purchase through the link provided. Thank you...

Video: Book Breaks

Dorothy Wickenden - "The Agitators: Three Friends Who Fought for Abolition and Women's Rights"

Government and Civics

Dorothy Wickenden is the executive editor of The New Yorker . Order The Agitators at the Gilder Lehrman Book Shop We receive an affiliate commission from every purchase through the link provided. Thank you for supporting our programs...

News

Announcing the 2022 Frederick Douglass Book Prize Finalists

We are pleased to announce the finalists for the twenty-fourth annual Frederick Douglass Book Prize, one of the most coveted awards for the study of the African American experience. Jointly sponsored by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of...

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Announcing the 2022 Frederick Douglass Book Prize Finalists

New Haven, CT, July 26, 2022 — Yale University’s Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition today has announced the finalists for the twenty-fourth annual Frederick Douglass Book Prize, one of the most...

Lesson Plan

World War I, African American Soldiers, and America’s War for Democracy

7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Click to download this lesson plan.

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Our Partners

Established in 1892, the American Jewish History Society provides access to more than thirty million documents and 50,000 books, photographs, art, and artifacts that reflect the history of the Jewish presence in the United States from...

News

Inside the Vault on Thursday, August 4: The New Deal and Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Second Presidential Campaign

Inside the Vault: Highlights from the Gilder Lehrman Collection is an online program that explores unique primary sources from the Gilder Lehrman Collection. From iconic historical treasures, such as the Declaration of Independence,...

News

History U Offers New Course on Frederick Douglass for High School Students

The Gilder Lehrman Institute’s History U offers free, graduate-level American history courses with top scholars for high school students. NEW COURSE! The Life and Writings of Frederick Douglass with Professor David Blight In this...

Video: Book Breaks

Eric Rauchway - "Why the New Deal Matters"

Economics

Eric Rauchway is a professor of history at the University of California, Davis. Order Why the New Deal Matters at the Gilder Lehrman Book Shop We receive an affiliate commission from every purchase through the link provided. Thank...

News

2022 State History Teachers of the Year Announced

The Gilder Lehrman Institute is proud to announce the 2022 State History Teachers of the Year. Since 2004, 960 exemplary American history teachers from elementary, middle, and high schools in all fifty states, Department of Defense...

News

2022 History Teachers of the Year in the News

NBC First Coast News local affiliate features a lively segment on 2022 Florida History Teacher of the Year Daniel Flint. The Courtland Voice acknowledges Caitlin Goodwin as 2022 New York History Teacher of the Year and National...

Video: Inside The Vault

Inside the Vault: The New Deal & FDR's Presidential Campaigns

On August 4, 2022, our curators discussed materials from Franklin D. Roosevelt’s second and third presidential campaigns. They were joined by Barbara Perry, the Gerald L. Baliles Professor and director of Presidential Studies at the...

Video: Book Breaks

Fay Yarbrough - "Choctaw Confederates: The American Civil War in Indian Country"

Economics

Fay Yarbrough is a professor of history at Rice University. Order Choctaw Confederates at the Gilder Lehrman Book Shop We receive an affiliate commission from every purchase through the link provided. Thank you for supporting our...

News

Remembering David McCullough (1933-2022)

The Gilder Lehrman Institute, along with millions of readers, educators, and history enthusiasts around the world, mourns the passing of David McCullough. David McCullough was widely acclaimed as a “master of the art of narrative...

News

Fall MA Course Spotlight: The History of Medicine and Public Health in the U.S.

News

Hamilton Education Program Online Launches Third Year for Grades 6-12

The Hamilton Education Program Online (EduHam Online) returns to all schools with students in grades 6–12 for the 2022–2023 school year. Completely adaptable for remote or hybrid learning, the program encourages students to use their...

Video: Book Breaks

Peter Cozzens - "Tecumseh and the Prophet: The Shawnee Brothers Who Defied a Nation"

Geography

Peter Cozzens is a retired US foreign service officer and winner of the 2017 Gilder Lehrman Prize in Military History. Order Tecumseh and the Prophet at the Gilder Lehrman Book Shop We receive an affiliate commission from every...

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NEH Awards Gilder Lehrman Institute a Summer Institutes for Educators Grant

Building on the Success of the 2021 “Making of America” program, the Institute Will Offer American History PD for K–8 Teachers August 16, 2022, NEW YORK CITY – The National Endowment for the Humanities has awarded the Gilder Lehrman...

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2022 FALL NEWSLETTER

As we head back to school, we celebrate America’s history teachers and their dedication to primary source learning. We must also pause to mourn the passing of David McCullough, a “master of the art of narrative history” and “a...

News

NEH Awards Gilder Lehrman Institute a Summer Institutes for Educators Grant

The National Endowment for the Humanities has awarded the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History a Summer Institutes for K–12 Educators Grant for an innovative two-week residential program on American history from the late...

News

Fall 2022 Newsletter

The Gilder Lehrman Institute welcomes you to fall and the start of the school year with recent news about summer happenings, exciting introductions to programs and resources for students and teachers, and a reminder of the centrality...

News

Hamilton Education Program Online August Newsletter: Back in the Game for 2023-2024

Welcome to the official newsletter for the Hamilton Education Program Online , the program whose goal is to help students in grades 6–12 see the relevance of the Founding Era by using primary sources to create a performance piece (e.g...

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