Between the Bylines: Union and Independence in the Summer of 1861
It’s July 4th weekend, for many Americans a time for celebration, fireworks, and grilling. But it’s also an opportunity to think about …
Category: Women’s History
Remembering Working Women’s Associations on Labor Day
We do not often associate labor unions with the American Civil War, but the conflict catalyzed ongoing tensions between workers, employers, and …
How to Leave Town: Julia Ann Mitchell and Stepney Brown
By the time the Civil War was over, both Stepney Brown and Julia Ann Mitchell had escaped Richmond. The ways in which they …
Only the First Step Costs: The Pioneering Work of Phoebe Pember and Susie King Taylor
The American Civil War helped nursing become a profession for women in the United States. Although some training for nurses did exist …
Funds and Onions: The Relief Work and Advocacy of Mary Livermore
Last week we explored the impressive career of orator and abolitionist Anna Dickinson, who defiantly waded into the male-dominated eddies of party …
History in the Tea Leaves: Mary O'Melia and the Confederate White House
Because it has only been a few years since Downton Abbey captivated audiences, there is no doubt that when many people hear …
From the Stump and the Stage: The Idealism and Advocacy of Anna Dickinson
Anna Dickinson claims to have ridiculed Abraham Lincoln to his face. By her own account, she mocked his scruffy clothing and his …
Printing the Legend: The Unseen Courage of Harriet Tubman
Featured Image: Map of the Underground Railroad. Tubman used the route which ran from Maryland to Wilmington, Delaware, then to Albany, New …
Battling Ballots: Before the War
Step into George Caleb Bingham’s 1852 celebration of American democracy, The County Election. In the boisterous and crowded scene, we see the …
Annual Legacies: Pheobe Yates Levy Pember
Born Phoebe Yates Levy on August 18, 1823, in Charleston, South Carolina, she was the fourth of seven children in a prominent …
February 2018 Artifacts of the Month | Mardi Gras Badges
By Robert Hancock Senior Curator & Director of Collections These two Mardi Gras ducal badges were sent to Winnie on the occasion …