In the Know

Imagine going outside to put some garbage in a can—and finding a polar bear rummaging through your trash! Although encounters like this were rare in the past, they are becoming more common. What has caused … Read more

In 1963, the United States government passed a law called the Equal Pay Act. That law meant that men could not be paid more than women for doing the same job. Yet statistics from 2018 … Read more

In 1863, the United States was approaching the third year of devastating civil war, pitting the Union (northern states) against the Confederacy (the southern states). The major issue dividing the country was slavery. Abraham Lincoln … Read more

Black History Month started in 1970, proposed by African American educators and students at Kent State University. But long before the month was proposed, Dr. Carter G. Woodson founded a week to honor contributions that … Read more

January 24, 1967 was a warm day in Chicago. Weather forecasters predicted that temperatures would fall and that the city might get 4 inches of snow the next morning. But the snow that started a … Read more

January 27 is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. It’s a day to remember the tragedy of the Holocaust during the Second World War. On this day, we also think about heroes of World War II, those … Read more

December 15th is Bill of Rights Day. The Bill of Rights, the first ten Amendments to the United States Constitution, was passed into law on December 15, 1791. An amendment is an addition or a … Read more

December 18th is International Migrant Day. Migration brings challenges and opportunities for migrants and for the countries where they move. Throughout history people have come to the United States to escape such hardships as war, … Read more

Thanksgiving is on its way. You might be used to cranberries, stuffing, and sweet potatoes on Thanksgiving. In American Samoa, however, people might include breadfruit, bananas, coconuts, papaya as part of their Thanksgiving feast. Over … Read more

King Tutankhamun (King Tut) became the pharaoh of Egypt over 3,000 years ago. He was nine years old. A decade after he came to power, he died. Historians didn’t know much about King Tut until … Read more