“We hold these truths to be self-evident…” Even the least historically well-versed of American citizens might recognize these stirring words from the Declaration of Independence, issued some 244 years ago this summer. The document outlined the American colonists’ gripes against Great Britain and its king, whose “repeated injuries and usurpations” the petition’s penman, Thomas Jefferson,…

Like many institutions in New York City, the New-York Historical Society is temporarily closed to help contain the spread of COVID-19. Our exhibition Women March, which commemorates the centennial of women’s suffrage and celebrates 200 years of women’s collective action, is currently off limits. But we are committed to sharing its ideas from afar. The…

Ariana DeBose knows what it’s like to be part of a crowd. The 29-year-old dancer and actor first grabbed attention for her role as “the bullet,” a key part of the ensemble in the original cast of Hamilton. She made a huge leap forward in 2018 when she was nominated for a Tony Award for…

Americans have a long history of advocating for their rights and principles. With our Women and the American Story (WAMS) curriculum, teachers can trace this narrative of activism through the women reformers of the 1800s who worked for social change alongside and apart from men—inspiring their students, both boys and girls, to be engaged citizens and exercise…