Historian Alfred Young, author of Masquerade, and Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich examine Americans' public memory of Deborah Sampson (a woman who fought in the American Revolution disguised as a man) and other Revolutionary-era women. Performer and storyteller Joan Gatturna also brings Deborah Sampson to life in a dramatic first-person performance.
Historian Robert Allison details the life of Stephen Decatur (1779-1820), the young U.S. Navy captain who became a hero of the War of 1812 and the Barbary Wars.
Audio and video options are available.
Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Charles Fuller discusses his life and motivations as an African-American author. The presentation also includes discussions and performances which bring the testimonies of slaves, soldiers, reporters, and activists from the Civil War to life, focusing on African-American history during the Civil War and African-American memory of the war.
World War II U.S. Navy veteran Francis Murphy talks about his experiences during the war, in the Atlantic theater.
Audio and video options are available.
World War II U.S. Navy veteran Gerald Halderman talks about his experiences during the war, in the Pacific theatre.
The audio of this clip is available as a downloadable MP3 file.
World War II welder and wife of a veteran Margaret Spalluzzi talks about working as a welder during the war, life as a civilian during the war, and communicating with her husband overseas.
The audio portion of this oral history is available independently as a MP3 file.
World War II veteran Theodore Akimoto shares his personal memories of the war.
The audio from this clip is available independently as a MP3 file.
Landon Y. Jones, vice president of the National Council for the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial, covers the life history of William Clark, including his life after the expedition, when he took part in the seizing of the West from Native Americans.
Three scholars present papers on the history of Native American and African slavery and the slave trade in New England. The papers are "Another Face of Slavery: Indentured Servitude of Native Americans in Southern New England," "Freedom and Conflicts over Class, Gender, and Identity: The Evolving Relationship between Indians and Blacks in Southern New England, 17501870," and "Enslavement and Indians in Southern New England: Unraveling a Hidden History."
World War II veteran Susumu Ito talks about his memories of serving in the all-Japanese-American 442nd Regimental Combat Team during the war and the internment of his parents in an American internment camp. The presentation includes film footage, images, and subtitles.