The First Woman African American Pilot – Bessie Coleman By Emily Thompson Bessie Coleman became the first African American woman to hold a pilot license, which she achieved in 1921. She died at just 34-years-old when her faulty plane took a nosedive at 2,000 feet, sending her crashing to the ground, Jan 1, 2020 • 3 min read
Nittany Nightmare: The Sex Murders of 1938-1940 and the Panic at Penn State By Derek J. Sherwood As the Great Depression hit, Penn State College was cash-strapped and dilapidated. In 1937, underfunded state police fighting a losing battle against striking miners and steel workers in Johnstown called in the National Guard. There were not enough police to cover the state, and it showed. Then someone started killing young women in the area. Dec 21, 2019 • 4 min read
“Let’s Roll!” – Todd Beamer & The Final Call of United 93 By Emily Thompson The world watched on in horror as the September 11 attacks unfolded. United Airlines Flight 93 was the only hijacked airplane not to hit its target, all thanks to a group of everyday heroes on-board, one of whom was Todd Beamer. "You ready? Okay, let's roll" were his last words caught during an on-board telephone… Dec 14, 2019 • 4 min read
The Lynching of Laura & L.D. Nelson By Emily Thompson At one point in American history, there was nothing quite as entertaining as a lynching. During the late 19th and early 20th century, lynchings were common practice. The “Lynching Era” is one of the darkest chapters in American history. Disturbingly, it was big business to create postcards of these so-called events. Oct 19, 2019 • 3 min read
The Only White Woman to be Killed in the Fight for Civil Rights – Viola Liuzzo By Emily Thompson In 1965, Viola Liuzzo – a mother of five – paid the ultimate price to march in support of civil rights: her life. She was the only white woman to be murdered during the civil rights movement. Oct 10, 2019 • 4 min read
The Mother of Judo – Rena Kanokogi By Emily Thompson Rena Kanokogi posted as a man to enter the New York State YMCA judo championships. She won a medal but had to return it upon discovery that she was a woman. She inspired the sports world to think differently about the notion of women in competitive sports. Sep 21, 2019 • 3 min read
The Crimes of Burke and Hare By Douglas MacGowan Ironically, the duo known as the foremost of the 19th century’s Scottish grave-robbers were neither. William Burke and William Hare were natives of Ireland, and there is no evidence that any of the bodies they sold to an Edinburgh medical school were taken from cemeteries - but both eventually confessed to obtaining bodies by a… Sep 11, 2019 • 4 min read
Eyam – The Plague Village By Patricia Thompson Eyam is a small village in England which lies within the Peak District National Park. It is well known as ‘the plague village' due to the collective act of self-sacrifice the villagers made during an outbreak of the bubonic plague in 1665/1666, when they chose to isolate themselves to prevent the infection spreading to neighbouring… Sep 4, 2019 • 6 min read
The Teen Who Sailed Across The World – Robin Lee Graham By Emily Thompson In 1965, 16-year-old Robin Lee Graham set out to sail from California. At the time, he said he just wanted “to be on my own and explore.” But he returned five years and 30,000 miles later, as the youngest person to ever sail around the world solo. His only companion was an ever-changing crew of… Jul 11, 2019 • 4 min read
The Witchfinder – Matthew Hopkins By Douglas MacGowan Between 1644 and 1647, Matthew Hopkins traveled throughout England, examining suspected witches and various witnesses. He was successful in his own mind, finding more than 300 women guilty of associating with the devil and seeing them hanged because of it. Jun 20, 2019 • 4 min read
