Ray and Faye Graves, Photos From the Rubble
Rediscovered vintage photographic glass plates from the early 1900's provide a glimpse into the past.
Olga Leake: Historical Reenacting is Living Life in a Different Time Period
Olga Leake is an American Revolution Continental Soldier reenactor from Pennsylvania.
Fisher Girls – the Edwardian ideal of feminine beauty
First, Charles Dana Gibson brought us the Gibson Girl. Then, after Gibson's retirement from illustrating, Harrison Fisher arrived on the scene. His Fisher Girl “redefined the American ideal of feminine beauty” during the first quarter of the 20th century. Who was Harrison Fisher? Harrison Fisher was born to be an artist. His father, Hugo Antoine [...]
Clara Schumann in a World of Sound
Clara Schumann's early life Clara Schumann (born Wieck) was born on September 13, 1819 in Leipzig, Germany. Her father, Friedrich, was a musician. He taught piano, started a lending library, and opened a shop where he sold musical instruments. Friedrich Wieck was a well-respected music teacher. His students included his future wife and mother of [...]
Sarah Biffin: Small Artist Makes a Big Impact
Sarah Biffin, 1784-1850, was not born with a silver spoon in her mouth, but she learned how to make her mouth her most valuable asset. She was born with phocomelia, which affects the development of limb and bone in utero.
Susan La Flesche Picotte: First Native American Female Physician
Early Life Susan La Flesche Picotte was the first Native American female physician. She is remembered for breaking racial and gender barriers. Susan was born in 1865 in the Omaha Indian Reservation, daughter to Chief Joseph (called “Iron Eyes”) and Mary Gale (called “One Woman”). Both parents were of mixed race. The chief knew his tribe [...]
Veterans Day: Recognizing American Women in WWI
While this week we celebrate Veterans Day to honor all who have fought in our country’s wars, it was originally established as Armistice Day in 1919 to recognize and honor those who had recently served in World War One. What was a bit overlooked then, and still sometimes now, was the widespread contributions of women [...]
150 Years of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women
It’s been 150 years since Louisa May Alcott introduced us to the March family in Little Women and we can’t seem to get enough of the story and the characters who inhabit it. Is it because of the diverse personalities of the March siblings? Our readers have strong opinions on who is their favorite and how the [...]
Labor Day in the USA – the workers’ holiday
The Industrial Revolution brought many and lasting changes to the labor force. We moved from a mostly agricultural society to one dominated by mechanization. Men, women, and children as young as five worked long hours in often dangerous conditions. It wasn’t unusual for people to work 12 hours a day, seven days a week for [...]