Showing titles in Historical

Samuel Clemens grew up in a child's paradise--Hannibal, Missouri. There, mischief added humor to everyday events as Sam encountered the folks who would one day reappear as Huck Finn, Aunt Polly, and Becky Thatcher in his books, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. At eighteen, Sam left Hannibal to seek his fortune. He became a newspaperman and story writer.

When nine-year-old Booker T. Washington was finally freed from slavery, he soon discovered that freedom had a price, and that he had to work, and work hard, to make his way in the world. After years of study and struggle, Washington became a teacher at what would become the famed Tuskegee Institute. Built from the ground up by Washington, his students, and his staff, Tuskegee became one of the finest schools for black students in the nation. More than one hundred years later, it still is.

An inspiring account of an event that shaped American history She had not sought this moment but she was ready for it. When the policeman bent down to ask "Auntie, are you going to move?" all the strength of all the people through all those many years joined in her. She said, "No." Fifty years...

In 1791 plans for the new capital city, Washington, D.C., were in the works, but someone was needed to help with the surveying. Thomas Jefferson recommended Benjamin Banneker for the job. Banneker was a free black man who lived at a time when black Americans had few, if any, rights. Yet he was an accomplished farmer, mathematician, astronomer, and surveyor. What Are You Figuring Now? is the story of a man who was never afraid to try something new, no matter how difficult.

There wasn't anything that George Washington Carver couldn't grow. He took the common goober—today's peanut—and created hundreds of useful products from it, turning goobers into a very profitable staple for the South. At the same time, this very special man passed on to everyone who knew him the importance of following one's own dreams.

For the first twenty-eight years of her life. Harriet Tubman lived as a slave on a southern plantation. Finally, with the help of a Quaker woman, she was able to escape to Philadelphia by way of the Underground Railroad. After her escape, Harriet began her quest to help free other slaves. Over a ten-year period she led more than three hundred people through the Underground Railroad. In Go Free or Die, young listeners will learn about this courageous woman who refused to be a slave and who fought for freedom for everyone.

Walking many miles to school in the dusty road, young Coretta knew, too well, the unfairness of life in the segregated south. A yearning for equality began to grow. Together with Martin Luther King, Jr., she gave birth to a vision and a journey - with dreams of freedom for all. This extraordinary union of poetic text by Ntozake Shange and monumental artwork by Kadir Nelson captures the movement for civil rights in the United States and honors its most elegant inspiration, Coretta Scott.

Sojourner Truth was born into slavery in New York in 1797 or 1798. She never knew for sure which year she was born or even whether it was summer or winter. By the time she was a young woman, Sojourner knew she could no longer live as a slave, and with the help of Quakers, she escaped to freedom. She then began her long struggle to reunite her family and to free other slaves.

Inspire and educate your little one with a Little Golden Book biography about Harriet Tubman! It's the perfect introduction to nonfiction for young readers—as well as fans of all ages! This Little Golden Book about Harriet Tubman--a true hero who helped to free enslaved Black people as a...

Help kids ages 6 to 9 discover the life of Amelia Earhart—a story about daring to be different Amelia Earhart became the first woman pilot to fly alone across the Atlantic Ocean in an airplane—and she broke many other flight records before her mysterious disappearance. Before she made...

Did you know that the first published poet in America was a woman? As an American colonist, Anne Bradstreet’s poems give us a unique window into early colonial life. In this Christian Biography for Young Readers, Simonetta Carr shows us how Bradstreet overcame opposition from those who thought only men should write to produce beautiful poetry that encourages the church today.

Everyone knows Benjamin Franklin as part of American history. As one of the founding fathers, he is a fundamental part of our history—but he was once a kid, just like you! Learn what he was like as a child and how his childhood included hard work, listening to others, writing and reading—all helped him become one of the most influential men we learn about in school.

Have you ever heard of the newsboys? They were the young boys who sold newspapers on the streets during the 19th century. Every day, they stand on the streets shouting out headlines so they could sell their newspapers. Learn about their history and how they striked against newspaper moguls to improve their job conditions.

Do you know who Caesar Rodney is? Learn about the man who travelled an 80-mile journey on horseback in one night from Dover, Delaware to Pennsylvania, Philadelphia to deliver an important letter to the Continental Congress. His ride leads to the the life or death decision in our country's history—whether the colonies should fight for independence from Great Britain.

Lucy Stone grew up in a world where men’s voices rang out, but women swallowed their words. When her church’s minister railed against women speaking in public, Lucy made up her mind that when she grew up, “if she had anything to say, she would say it!”

The Revolutionary War was over, but Washington’s officers had not received their wages from the Continental Congress in years. Afraid they would never get their money, the officers planned to storm Congress and demand it right away. Luckily, George Washington found out about the plot just in time. He delivered a passionate speech to his men, but they were unaffected. It was only when he struggled to read aloud a letter from Congress and had to put on his glasses, that they realized how much he had sacrificed for their country along with them.

Although her name and story might be familiar, much of what we know about Cleopatra is shrouded in mystery. Her life was one of politics, murder, war, marriage and passion – but it was also one of pride, bravery, love and strength. Cleopatra may have lived as a goddess, but, beneath her magnificent exterior, she was just a woman who fought tirelessly for what she felt was rightfully hers. With a gripping, expertly researched and fact-checked text, this is the story of the woman behind the stories.

Jim Weiss guides listeners on a journey to encounter the fascinating people, high ideals, and bloody battles of the French Revolution and Napoleon's empire. Enter the whirlwind of the French Revolution and follow Napoleon's relentless march of conquest. From the burning desert sands of Egypt and the frozen plains of Russia to the lush jungles of Haiti and the sweeping prairies of North America, Jim Weiss guides listeners through the story of a tumultuous worldwide struggle for liberty.

Langston Hughes, whose belief in possibilities drove him to overcome racism and write immortal poetry. Charles Steinmetz, the scientific genius with a giant heart lodged in a body four feed tall. Harry Truman, whose boyhood readings in history later guided his own history-making decisions as President of the United States. These stories will have you shaking your head in wonder at the vast (and vastly entertaining) variety of ways in which humans can strive for greatness.

Meet unforgettable people and animals in the What a Character! Notable Lives from History series as you enjoy 10 real stories within each book!