News | HISTORY

10 Things You May Not Know About the Lincoln Memorial

Rejected designs include an Egyptian‑style pyramid. And his hand gestures have symbolic meaning.

The Harrowing Rescue Missions to Save the Donner Party Survivors

As the Donner Party fought to survive in the snowy Sierra Nevada mountains, four brave rescue missions ensured some traumatized members made it out alive.

46 Surprising Facts About 46 Presidents

From a 19th‑century president who killed a man in a duel, to a 20th‑century leader who once worked as a lifeguard, learn surprising facts about each U.S. president.

America’s First Black War Correspondent Reported from the Civil War’s Front Lines

Thomas Morris Chester, whose mother had escaped slavery, covered the final year of the war for a white‑owned newspaper.

The Hindenburg Disaster: Why the Giant Dirigible Burst Into Flames

Theories about why the giant German dirigible burst into flames range from negligence to sabotage to an ‘act of God.’

How a Female Pinkerton Detective Helped Save Abraham Lincoln’s Life

In 1861, Kate Warne kept the president‑elect safe from an assassination plot on his train journey to Washington.

How Airplanes Were Used in World War I

Even though airplanes were a relatively new invention, the race for air superiority started during World War I.

When Abraham Lincoln Tried to Resettle Free Black Americans in the Caribbean

Lincoln wanted to end slavery—but wasn’t keen on integrating African Americans into US society. His first attempt to send them offshore proved disastrous.

How Nixon’s 1972 Visit to China Changed the Balance of Cold War Power

The historic visit by President Richard Nixon to the People’s Republic of China warmed relations between the two nations and substantially altered the balance of power between the U.S., China and the Soviet Union.

8 Unusual Winter Olympics Sports

From soldiers shooting at balloons to skiers towed by horses, these strange and sometimes dangerous sports were once part of the Winter Olympics.

Female Warriors Who Led African Empires and Armies

From Queen Amanirenas to the Dahomey Amazons, women battled colonialists to maintain their power and prevent enslavement.

Abraham Lincoln’s Funeral Train: How America Mourned for Three Weeks

Millions of Americans bade farewell to the assassinated president as his body made a 1,700‑mile journey home.