CIVIL WAR

An illustration depicting fugitives along the Underground Railroad in Maryland, taken from William Still's 1872 book The Underground Railroad.

9 Unsung Heroes of the Underground Railroad

You already know Harriet Tubman—here are nine other heroes who smuggled fugitives to freedom on the Underground Railroad.

"What I want to see before I die is a monument representing the negro, not couchant on his knees like a four-footed animal, but erect on his feet like a man," Frederick Douglass wrote in response to this memorial in 1876.

Newly Discovered Letter From Frederick Douglass Discusses the Need for Better Monuments

A monument in Washington D.C. depicts Abraham Lincoln standing tall beside a crouching Black man—here’s what Frederick Douglass had to say about it.

Abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison devoted his life to opposing slavery.

The Boston Public Library Needs Help Transcribing Anti-Slavery Letters

The letters shed light on how leading abolitionists were protesting slavery during the Civil War era.

Next month, the city council will vote on the removal of this Confederate statue in Pensacola, Florida.

Confederate Monuments Are Coming Down Across the Country—And Historians Aren’t Surprised

Here’s some history to help explain why so many Confederate statues are being taken down (or toppled).

That red ribbon is the literal "red tape" that we now use as an idiom to describe bureaucratic processes.

The Arlington National Cemetery Just Opened Its Time Capsule from 1915—See What’s Inside

The items from Woodrow Wilson’s century-old time capsule are on virtual display just in time for Memorial Day.

A stretch of Old Dixie Highway in Homestead, Florida.

Miami’s Dixie Highway Will Become Harriet Tubman Highway

"Dixie"—a word associated with the Confederate States of America and slavery—will no longer be on Miami-Dade County’s road signs.

An illustration of Abraham Lincoln delivering the Gettysburg Address from 1905.

8 Momentous Facts About Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address

Much longer than four score and seven years ago, Abraham Lincoln delivered the most famous two-minute speech in history.

Cannons used in the Civil War are on display at Fort Sumter.

10 Facts About Fort Sumter

The 1861 Battle of Fort Sumter sparked the American Civil War. From the garrison's 19th-century beginnings to its current use as a National Historical Park, here are 10 fascinating facts about Fort Sumter.

Civil War-Era ‘Witch Bottle’ Used to Keep Evil Spirits at Bay Discovered in Virginia

The old bottle filled with rusted nails looks like trash, but it was actually used by a Union soldier to ward off evil spirits during the Civil War.

Dolly Parton performs on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 1991.

Tennessee Politician Wants to Replace State Capitol Statue of Confederate General With Dolly Parton

Tennessee native Dolly Parton is a universally beloved country music legend. Nathan Bedford Forrest is not.

A portrait of Harriet Tubman, the legendary Underground Railroad conductor and Civil War nurse, scout, and spy

When Harriet Tubman Helped Lead a Civil War Raid That Freed 750 People

With the Combahee River Raid of 1863, Harriet Tubman earned her nickname "Moses" all over again—and became the first woman in U.S. history to lead a military expedition.

Civil War Cannonballs Found on South Carolina Beach in Aftermath of Hurricane Dorian

Hurricane Dorian uncovered two Civil War cannonballs on South Carolina's Folly Beach—and it's not the first time cannonballs have washed up there.

Ashley Wilkes’s Mansion From Gone With the Wind Is For Sale

Bidding starts at $1 million for the newly renovated mansion, used for Ashley Wilkes’s family home in 'Gone With the Wind.'

The Reason We Celebrate Flag Day

Support for Flag Day, a sometimes-overlooked holiday, was ignited during the Civil War. But there was a commercial purpose behind it.

Mathew Brady, National Archives and Records Administration // Public Domain

14 Surprising Facts About Clara Barton

To call Clara Barton just a nurse insults her legacy, despite what your history teacher might have taught you.

Conrad Wise Chapman, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

Where Did the Ex-Confederate Leaders Go After the Confederacy Was Defeated by the Union?

Some went to prison. Others went into business.

Chemung County Historical Society, Elmira, NY

John W. Jones: The Runaway Slave Who Buried Nearly 3000 Confederate Soldiers

He saved lives on the Underground Railroad—then cared for the Confederate dead.

The Key to Robert E. Lee's Puzzling Death Might Be Hidden in a Photo of His Earlobe

The Confederate Army general's death stumped his doctors—but now we might have a clue about what happened.

Photograph of Jefferson Davis in Women’s Clothing

After the Civil War, popular prints and doctored photographs played on the idea that Confederate president Jefferson Davis had been arrested wearing women’s clothes.