Holiday GiftsFor History Lovers

GRAPHIC CONTENT

The graphic novel trilogy March ($19) details Congressman John Lewis’ personal experience of the Civil Rights movement. Detailing stories from his childhood in rural Alabama and a fateful meeting with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to receiving the Medal of Freedom from Barack Obama, the series is intended to inspire a new generation of civically engaged Americans.

Buy at amazon.com

ART OF THE (NEW) DEAL

Celebrate the enduring beauty of America’s natural landmarks with the See America series of posters (from $25). Inspired by the New Deal arts projects, each poster is designed by an independent artist. Proceeds support the National Parks Conservation Association, meaning each poster is a reminder of a commitment to preserving the nation’s natural, historical and cultural heritage.

Buy at CREATIVEACTION.COM

THE RIGHTS STUFF

Give the American history buff in your life a refresher course on liberty straight from the Founding Fathers themselves with this richly illustrated rendition of The Constitution of the United States of America ($30), inscribed and illustrated in full-color by master calligrapher Sam Fink.

Buy at amazon.com

GOLD STANDARD

For the friend who doesn’t follow trends, consider a piece of jewelry so classic it’s in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. These 18-karat gold earrings ($248) were inspired by a genuine pair in the museum’s collection, in an ornate filigree style dating to Egypt’s Fatimid period (11th century).

Buy at metmuseum.org

LET’S MAKE A DUEL

Adults and kids ages 10 and up will enjoy taking a trip back to the earliest days of America with Penguin’s Deal or Duel Hamilton Game ($23). Channel Broadway’s favorite founding father and influential figures in this struggle to collect as much colonial cash as possible.

Buy at penguinrandomhouse.com

REDACTION RESISTANCE

Give your favorite Margaret Atwood fan a gift that stands up for free speech with this cotton-and-silk scarf paying homage to banned books throughout history. The charming type on Uncommon Goods’ Banned Books Scarf ($32) belies its serious message: the design is a list of censored titles including Nineteen Eighty-Four, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, and even Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

Buy at uncommongoods.com

EXTRA! EXTRA!

Commemorate a loved one’s birthday or any special occasion with the gift of an original newspaper from that day. Choose the date and city and a variety of display options, ranging from authentic newspapers ($50) to bound books to framed posters ($40).

Buy at ANYDATE.COM

STICK IT TO ‘EM

While you can’t exactly give the gift of gab, you can now wrap up a Magnetic Personality, thanks to these charming magnetic finger puppets from the Unemployed Philosophers Guild ($7 each; $24 for four). With more than 100 four-inch-tall figures to choose from there’s someone for everyone—from the die-hard Louis Armstrong fan to the poet who just discovered Rumi.

Buy at philosophersguild.com

TRIASSIC SPARK

Forget tiny hammers, archaeologist’s brushes and even mosquitoes trapped in amber—there’s an easier way to dig in to the age of the dinosaurs. All you have to do is light the wick of the egg-shaped Hatching Dinosaur Candle ($40) from Firebox to slowly reveal a baby velociraptor, making it a great gift for the dino lover with a sense of humor.

Buy at firebox.com

TRUST ISSUES

Give the gift of a lasting legacy with a membership to the National Trust for Historic Preservation (from $20). While supporting the organization’s mission, members will also get a range of perks, including a subscription to Preservation magazine, plus discounts including reduced rates at select Historic Hotels of America and lowered admission at more than 500 landmarks around the world.

Buy at savingplaces.org

THE GAME OF LIFE

Challenge your favorite puzzler to piece together the 1,000-piece LIFE Cover Collection jigsaw puzzle ($16) from Eurographics. Along with that familiar red logo, the puzzle features more than 50 famous images from the 20th century’s most iconic magazine, including the first moon landing and V-J Day in Times Square.

Buy at seriouspuzzles.com

FAMILY BUSINESS

Make history personal by giving a gift that allows the recipient dig into their own past. With AncestryDNA test kits ($79), users can join the millions of people unraveling centuries of secrets hidden deep in their own genetic information.

Buy at ancestry.com

CONSTRUCTION ZONE

The classic building toy gets a grown-up twist with the LEGO Architecture line of brick kits (from $30). Eager urbanists can create their own architectural icons ranging from the Chicago skyline to the United States Capitol—or follow your own muse with the 1,200-piece LEGO Architecture Studio set featuring a 272-page guide filled with tips for thinking big on a small scale.

Buy at LEGO.COM

PIN ME

Let those on your list wear their historical allegiances on their sleeves with The Philosophers Guild’s line of two-part enamel pin sets ($16). Choose from designs featuring famous thinkers like Nikola Tesla (with his coil) and Margaret Sanger (and The Pill), or get space-y with Sputnik 2 and its ill-fated crewmember, Laika the dog.

Buy at philosophersguild.com

AMERICAN BEAUTY

North Dakota–based boutique Beyond Buckskin honors North America’s original artists by promoting small businesses run by Native American designers. Fashion followers will love the shop’s accessories, like Ojibwe artist Tashina Lee Emery’s handmade creations including the Sealed in Ice Blooming Quill earrings ($60) featuring an array of porcupine quills in clear acrylic.

Buy at beyondbuckskin.com

MAIL IT IN

Young historians can travel through the past with monthly deliveries from History Unboxed (from $40). Choose from three age groups (5–9, 10–15, 16+), for a series of six boxes, each featuring a worksheet, sticker and craft—and all focused on a single moment in time.

Buy at historyunboxed.com

STATE OF MIND

Let those on your list show some local pride with a State Coin Ring (from $38) from MidnightJo. Each ring is handmade-to-order from a genuine state quarter of your choosing—meaning its design is double-sided, whether you choose the antiqued or polished finish.

Buy at midnightjo.com

PHOTO CALL

When New York Times photo editor Darcy Eveleigh discovered and published a trove of unpublished images of 20th century black history, reader response was monumental. Now hundreds of images—ranging from a photograph of a young Jesse Jackson at an anti-discrimination rally to portraits of James Baldwin—are gathered in the new book Unseen: Unpublished Black History from the New York Times Photo Archives ($30).

Buy at store.nytimes.com

SPACE JAM

Know someone with dreams of world domination? With Chrononauts ($16), they can rewrite the past by changing the course at some of the biggest turning points in history.

Buy at amazon.com

THE DAILY SHOW

Make every day of 2018 a history lesson with a calendar ($12) spotlighting 365 people and events that shaped the world, or dive into women’s history with stories of pioneering figures from Joan or Arc to Malala Yousafzai. For a more immersive experience, add a gift subscription to History Vault ($25 for six months; historyvault.com), HISTORY's archive of documentaries and special videos.

Buy at AMAZON.COM