In our podcast series, we’ve included four stories from the book, The Life Stories of Undistinguished Americans as Told by Themsleves: Sadie Frowne, the Polish sweatshop girl profiled in episode 001 The anonymous farmers wife, profiled in episode 001 Amelia de Moulins, the French dressmaker profiled in episode 002 Ann, the Irish cook, profiled in episode…
Books: Celia, A Slave
Oftentimes when we read about big topics in history, like enslavement, it is easy to get lost in the overwhelming numbers and lose the meaningful details of the individual experience. The individual stories whose implications and shared experiences that when woven together form what we call history. I think we need both perspectives, both the…
Books: Ellis Island
Below is a list of books on Ellis Island that you might find interesting. Ellis Island was the main gateway on the East Coast of US for immigrants into the country between 1892 and 1954 and was the nation’s busiest port of entry for immigrants during that time. It is not meant to be inclusive…
Books: Slave Narratives and Women Abolitionists
Below is a list of slave narratives and books on women abolitionists that you might find interesting. It is not meant to be inclusive of every book. If you have a recommendation, please let us know and we’ll add it. When you buy using these links, you help support our site. Thank you. * *…
Books: The Underground Railroad
From the late 17th century until the American Civil War, a network of routes and safe houses was established that helped to get enslaved African Americans to free states and to Canada. This network and the people who worked to get enslaved people to freedom was generally called the Underground Railroad. Here’s Wikipedia’s description of…
Angelina Grimke: Address to the Soldiers of Our Second Revolution
In May of 1863, Angelina Grimke, abolitionist and advocate for women’s rights, spoke at a women’s national convention in support of the Northern war effort (American Civil War). She read from a paper that she had written titled, “Address to the Soldiers of our Second Revolution.” Here is the summation. “This war is not, as…
Books: The Enslavement of Native Americans
Two books were published in the last year on the enslavement of native Americans. Here’s a link to a great article on the books: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2016/11/24/indians-slaves-and-mass-murder-the-hidden-history/ The reviewer is tough on the scholarship of the writer of the first book, “The Other Slavery: The Uncovered Story of Indian Enslavement in America, but other reviews have been…
