The Surprising Origins of 7 Classic ToysSome toys sprang from failed scientific experiments. Other were inspired by parents’ jobs.Read more
How the First Thanksgiving College Football Game Kicked Off a Holiday TraditionIn 1876, Yale beat Princeton before a sparse crowd. By the mid-1880s, their annual contest was a major social event that attracted thousands of fans in New York.Read more
Why the Wampanoag Signed a Peace Treaty with the Mayflower PilgrimsThe treaty that made the first Thanksgiving possible has a dark backstory.Read more
The Native American Origins of LacrosseThe sport, which dates to 1100 A.D., was a social event and sometimes played to settle disputes.Read more
How the Industrial Revolution Fueled the Growth of CitiesThe rise of mills and factories drew an influx of people to cities—and placed new demand on urban infrastructures.Read more
NFL’s Greatest Play: The Immaculate ReceptionIn 1972, Pittsburgh Steelers’ rookie Franco Harris—backed by an ‘army’ that included Frank Sinatra—made a miraculous touchdown catch that jump-started a dynasty.Read more
The Black Trailblazer Who’s the Only Member of the Baseball and Basketball Halls of FameCumberland Posey was a dominant figure in Negro League baseball and the first African American athlete at two universities.Read more
How Jim Thorpe Became America’s First Multi-Sport StarThe Native American was an Olympic medalist, NFL standout and a MLB player — he even won a ballroom dancing championship.Read more
The Inuit Woman Who Survived Alone on an Arctic Island After a Disastrous ExpeditionIn the early 1920s, 25-year-old Ada Blackjack survived two years on the frigid Wrangel Island after a failed expedition to claim the island for Canada.Read more
How Black Women Fought for Civil War Pensions and BenefitsIn a time when military pensions were a large part of the federal budget, Black women faced unique challenges in securing compensation.Read more
8 College Basketball Coaches Who Changed the GameGeorgetown’s John Thompson was a champion for African American players, and Tennessee’s Pat Summitt became a fierce advocate for the women’s game.Read more
How MLB’s First Japanese Player Made it to Big LeaguesIn 1964, Masanori ‘Mashi’ Murakami debuted with the San Francisco Giants. But two years later, the pipeline of big-league talent from his country was closed.Read more