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Walt Whitman’s O Captain! My Captain
Walt Whitman wrote the poem "O Captain! My Captain!" in 1865 in response to US President Abraham Lincoln's death. The poem was the most well-liked one written by Whitman during his lifetime and was the first to be included in an anthology after it was published. It is...
Samuel Abbott Cooley: The Civil War Photographer Who Captured History
Samuel Abbott Cooley, born on November 3, 1821, in Hartford, Connecticut, was a pioneering figure in Civil War photography. As the eldest child of Dr. Abiel Abbott Cooley and Lucretia Hurlbert Cooley, Samuel’s early life was shaped by his family’s support and the...
William Henry Johnson – Abraham Lincoln’s Valet
On November 19, 1863, President Lincoln's visit to Gettysburg was a whirlwind affair, lasting just 24 hours, yet packed with a relentless schedule. Despite retiring to bed late, Lincoln rose early on the 19th, embarking on a guided tour of the battlefield. The pivotal...
Thomas Nast’s Christmas Eve
Thomas Nast created “Christmas Eve” for Harper’s Weekly in which he portrayed a wife separated from her soldier husband on Christmas Eve 1862. The sketch shows a family split apart by the Civil War. It is also one of the earliest images of Santa, in a sleigh, being pulled by reindeer.
The Story of ‘Jingle Bells’ by Oliver Ditson
One of the cherished tunes that fills the air during the Christmas season originated not as a holiday anthem but as a humorous ditty performed in minstrel shows in the 1850s. “Jingle Bells” is among the most popular American songs of all time. Although it is strongly...
Thanksgiving in 1865
The following woodcut by Winslow Homer depicts the inaugural celebration of Thanksgiving as an official national holiday in the aftermath of the Civil War. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving as a nationally recognized holiday, marking this...
The History of Thanksgiving in the United States
The History of Thanksgiving in the United States In the early days of the United States, Thanksgiving was declared by Presidents George Washington, John Adams, and James Madison, but it was primarily observed on a state or territory level in the following years....
Laura Keene
Laura Keene, a renowned British-American stage actress, is celebrated for her pivotal role as the first influential female theater manager, instrumental in establishing New York City as the premier theatrical hub in the United States. Her legacy is forever intertwined...