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Phillis Wheatley lived an extraordinary life. Born in West Africa and sold into slavery in Boston, Massachusetts, Wheatley became the first published African-American woman and poet. In addition to being a poet, Wheatley exchanged letters with religious leaders and philanthropists. Some of her letters have survived, including one in which she reflects on the American Revolution. Listen to learn about this valuable letter, which was auctioned off in 2005.
Story Length: 2:51
© 2005 National Public Radio, Inc. Used with the permission of NPR. All rights reserved.
AIR DATE: 11/21/2005
April 30, 2015
8:57
New York City is planning to acknowledge its rarely discussed history in the slave trade with an official marker at the location that served as the city’s slave market from 1711 to 1762. From its founding as New Amsterdam, the city was shaped by slavery. Slaves physically built the infrastructure of lower Manhattan. In the city’s early days bankers and merchants grew rich from their connection to the trade of Southern sugar and cotton, which was based on slave labor. New York’s wealth was so connected to slavery the mayor of New York proposed the city side with the South and secede from the Union during the Civil War. Listen to learn more about the fascinating history of slavery in this modern day progressive city.
Read MoreDecember 20, 2014
3:54
Harriet Tubman escaped slavery in Maryland and then used her freedom and the Underground Railroad to free more than 70 slaves. Known as the “Moses of Her People,” Tubman lived a purposeful life fighting slavery. She also joined the fight for women’s suffrage after the Civil War. Congress has approved the creation of two national historic parks, one in Maryland and the other in New York, to commemorate and honor the life of this pioneering woman.
Read MoreMay 29, 2014
5:42
Maya Angelou, celebrated poet, writer of I know Why the Caged Bird Sings, and Civil Rights Activist, passed away at the age of 86. She was a celebrity and an iconic figure in the African-American community. Listen to this radio story with your students to learn the extent of her impact.
Read MoreMarch 5, 2014
5:02
During Women’s History Month, it’s good to remind students that although the Constitution granted the right to vote, American women were not given that right until the 1920s during the suffrage movement. The nineteenth amendment, which would allow women to vote, was sent to the states for ratification in 1919. The ratification vote came down to one man and his mother’s advice. Listen to the story to hear more about how U.S. women fought for an important civil right.
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