In the 1900s, summer camp was a quintessential part of American childhood. But not everyone had equal access to c camp. Explore the ways Black communities in the Midwest created opportunities for their children to attend residential summer camps with Dr. Sarah Eikleberry, Associate Professor and Assistant Chair in the Department of Kinesiology at St. […]
The Great Americans Medal is awarded for lifetime contributions embodying American ideas and ideals. Explore the stories of each honoree through biographies and recorded interviews with David M. Rubenstein. Their inspiring stories empower people to create a just and compassionate future by exploring, preserving, and sharing the complexity of our past. Previous honorees include Justice […]
Want to move our country towards a more perfect union? Start with engaging in conversations across differences to find common ground. This document provides several key principles and best practices that are essential to connecting across divides, including: Empathy instead of vitriol Listening for Understanding instead of hearing to overpower Humility instead of all-knowing. As […]
From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, World101 is celebrating #CivicsSeason with a TikTok trip around the world! Make your way to World101’s TikTok channel and follow us before Tuesday, June 14th when we will be wheels up on our 193-part TikTok series, exploring all the countries that comprise this interconnected world we share. It’s our way of […]
Behind every invention, there is a story. Discover those stories here. From Chinese-born scientist Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu who changed what we know about the atomic world to Garrett Morgan - known in his time as "the Black Edison" - this blog from the Lemelson Center explores how invention and innovation—past, present, and future—influence our lives.
A resource developed in partnership with the Library of Congress, asks how can citizens of a country affect change for the common good? The French commentator on American society in the 1830s, Alexis de Toqueville, observed that Americans are very quick to join together to promote whatever causes they favor, and there was certainly evidence […]
If the complex concept of race, the deep history of racism, and the importance of activism is challenging for adults to understand -- how do we share these stories and lessons with children? Use this guide to learn more about how children understand race and start conversations and activities about Martin Luther King, racism and […]
A resource developed in partnership with the Library of Congress, asks should the United States accept refugees? Since its earliest days as part of the United States, Iowa has a long history of being a destination for those from other countries to find a new home. Such newcomers are called immigrants. A special class of […]
A resource developed in partnership with the Library of Congress, asks should you fight for a country that is fighting against you? “Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain.” That is the official motto of the state of Iowa. Liberties and rights refer to our freedoms to pursue our own goals, but […]
A resource developed in partnership with the Library of Congress, asks, “how should the African-American story of the Civil War be told?” While slavery was the major issue separating the North and South, it was not slavery itself that sparked the conflict. The South wanted to secede from the Union, and the North refused. While […]
A resource developed in partnership with the Library of Congress asks, “did the Reconstruction Era following the Civil War result in freedom, equality and civil rights for African Americans?” The Reconstruction Era lasted from the end of the Civil War in 1865 to 1877. Its main focus was on bringing the southern states back into […]
A resource developed in partnership with the Library of Congress asks, “was Reconstruction a success?” The Reconstruction Era lasted from the end of the Civil War in 1865 to 1877. Its main focus was on bringing the southern states back into full political participation in the Union, guaranteeing rights to former slaves and defining new […]