The Pandemic That Killed James K. Polk
Today is the anniversary of the day in 1849 that President James K. Polk died just months after leaving office. He was the shortest-lived ex-president of all. And it was a pandemic that killed him.
Now That’s A Deep Cut: Music Scholars Bring Back “Lost” Songs From 1,000 Years Ago
Music scholars at Cambridge University studied musical manuscripts without modern notation and after years of detective work, reconstructed what they would have sounded like.
Jimmy Carter Vs. The Swamp Rabbit
It’s a very odd anniversary in the history of the U.S. presidency. Today in 1979, President Jimmy Carter got into a fight with a rabbit.
When Abe Lincoln Said Thanks But No Thanks To A Herd Of Elephants
On this day in 1862, President Abraham Lincoln wrote to the king of Siam, now Thailand, to say thanks, but no thanks, to the king's offer of a herd of elephants.
Elizabeth Freeman Makes Herself A Free Woman
An enslaved woman in 18th century Massachusetts overheard all the talk about freedom and equality and decided it should be put to the test.
Riding a Horse Down Fillmore Street For Juneteenth
Juneteenth is the annual celebration of the end of the institution of slavery. Today we give some props to the African-Americans who have built the holiday over the year, including the Texan-turned-San Franciscan who used to don his ten-gallon hat and ride his horse through town as part of the festivities.
The Many One True Birthplaces Of Memorial Day
Officially, the community that started Memorial Day is Waterloo, New York. But Waterloo is definitely not the only place with a Memorial Day origin story.
The Hall of Presidents Before Washington, Annapolis, Maryland
Americans place a lot of importance on the presidents and the presidency... but not all presidents.
This guy saw Abe Lincoln get shot
This genuinely mind-bending video shows a guy who says he was at Ford's Theater on April 14, 1865.