Photo: march in Spain during International Women's Day, 8 March 2019. Credit: Garabata; Wikimedia Commons.

Today Is International Women’s Day

By Tony Pettinato on March 8, 2016

Clara Zetkin (1857-1933), born in Germany, devoted her life to fighting for the rights of women, the poor, and the oppressed... (Read More)

Photo: a Jack o' Lantern. Credit: Toby Ord; Wikimedia Commons.

True Ghost Stories from America’s Most Haunted Old Cemeteries?

By Gena Philibert-Ortega on October 30, 2015

In this article, Gena Philibert-Ortega searches old newspapers to uncover eerie stories of ghostly sightings at some of America’s oldest cemeteries... (Read More)

Illustration: "Lusitania" by Norman Wilkinson, 1907. Credit: Bonhams; Wikimedia Commons.

The 100th Anniversary of the Sinking of the RMS Lusitania

By Gena Philibert-Ortega on May 7, 2015

In this article, Gena Philibert-Ortega writes about the tragic sinking of the passenger ship Lusitania in 1915 by a German submarine... (Read More)

Do You Celebrate Birthday Traditions Like Your Ancestors Did?

By Mary Harrell-Sesniak on October 20, 2014

In this article, Mary Harrell-Sesniak searches old newspapers to find stories about birthday traditions celebrated by our ancestors... (Read More)

Photo: citizens and workers of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, celebrate V-J Day on 14 August 1945. Credit: Ed Westcott, U.S. Army; Wikimedia Commons.

Commemorating V-J Day: 14 August 1945

By Scott Phillips on August 14, 2014

In this article, Scott Phillips searches old newspapers to find stories about the day Japan announced its surrender, ending World War II... (Read More)

Illustration: detail from "Village Fair," by Gillis Mostaert, 1590. Credit: Gemäldegalerie; anagoria; Wikimedia Commons.

State Fair Food Fare: Strange Eats & Award-Winning Recipes

By Gena Philibert-Ortega on August 6, 2014

In this article, Gena Philibert-Ortega talks about how important food has been in the history of state fairs – especially the food and recipe competitions... (Read More)

Photo: The Beatles with Ed Sullivan from their first appearance on Sullivan's U.S. variety television program in February 1964. From left: Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Ed Sullivan, John Lennon, Paul McCartney. Credit: CBS Television; Wikimedia Commons.

Beatlemania Comes to America! (7 February 1964)

By Tony Pettinato on February 7, 2014

An article about how Beatlemania began in American when the Beatles arrived from England on 7 February 1964... (Read More)

Photo: Harrybelle Stark. Credit: Stark family photograph.

Harrybelle (Durant) Stark: The Last Casualty of WWI

By Thomas Jay Kemp on October 24, 2013

An article about Harrybelle Stark, the last casualty of WWI – even though she didn’t die until 16 April 1937... (Read More)

How Old Newspapers Can Help You Search U.S. Census Records

By Thomas Jay Kemp on October 17, 2013

Like detectives, we approach family history by gathering all of the clues and making a case for who our relatives were: their names, when and where they were born, pushing through all of the activities of their lives until their deaths. Pulling all of the facts and clues together helps us rediscover who each... (Read More)