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The United Colonies of America: More Diverse Than You'd Think

Despite their many differences, the North American colonies eventually came together as one country – the United States of America. It’s that acceptance of other cultures, other ideas, other people, that makes us truly American.

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CREATE Relationships | Respect Diversity

Our communities are made up of lots of different people. Understanding how we are similar and different helps us create positive relationships with others.

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In 1968, thousands of Latino students walked out of school in Los Angeles to protest against racial inequality in the classroom. Their collective action, known as the Blowouts, was a defining moment of the Chicano Movement.

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Louis Brandeis: The First Jewish Supreme Court Justice

Louis Brandeis was the first Jewish associate justice to serve on the US Supreme Court. His appointment changed the legal landscape forever.

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Anna May Wong: The First Chinese-American Hollywood Star

Anna May Wong, Hollywood’s first Chinese-American leading lady, broke through racial barriers to change the face of cinema forever.

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How Can a Government Truly Represent All of Its People?

Today, trust in democracy is at an all-time low, the promises that leaders make aren’t always fulfilled. Through growing populations, lack of representation, and ineligibility to vote, how can a democracy represent every one of its citizens, going forward?

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Frederick Douglass' Composite Nation

Abolitionist and social reformer Frederick Douglass believed that the U.S. could become the greatest nation in history – if it accepted the defining principles set out in his speech, Composite Nation.

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Not What It Seems

When we meet someone new, we form a first impression of them. But art can help us to explore what’s underneath to learn who a person really is.

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Afong Moy is believed to be the first Chinese woman to step foot on U.S. soil and her presence sparked an American fascination with Chinese culture, but her experience in the United States was far from welcoming.

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Hear Many Points of View

Cultural leadership involves listening to many points of view and understanding the role that diverse backgrounds and cultural priorities have on people. In this video the children ask, “What does arts in education mean and why is it important?” They use an open mindset to hear about different preferences and see how cultural traditions help learners connect to ideas and each other.

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Goal 5: Gender Equality

Short animation explaining UN Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality for teenage students

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Civil Rights Movement: The Fight for Equality

The fight for Civil Rights in America has been fought by many groups of diverse peoples, all striving for equality.

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Goal 5: Gender Equality

Eleven year old Farrah explains how young people are taking action on Global Goal 5: Gender Equality.

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Goal 5: Gender Equality

Fifteen year old Natasha explains how young people are taking action on Global Goal 5: Gender Equality

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Goal 5: Gender Equality

Short animation explaining UN Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality for younger students

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What Is the Difference Between Equity and Equality?

Equality is when everyone is treated the same, but not everyone is the same, which is why it's recommended we're treated equitably instead. Which seems fairer to you?

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Frances Ellen Watkins Harper's Pursuit of Absolute Equality

This film is about the most important events of Watkins Harper’s early life, highlighting her early achievements as a writer.

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Mary McLeod Bethune: Fighting for Equality in the Classroom and Beyond

Mary McLeod Bethune, an influential educator activist, recognized that going to school could be a form of activism. Her groundbreaking work helped change America for the better.

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Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities

Short animation explaining UN Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities for younger students

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Charity and Sylvia: A Federal Era Love Story

Sylvia Drake and Charity Bryant overcame many challenges to become pioneers of LGBTQ+ visibility in the United States.

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Emmeline Pankhurst

This is a timeline of Emmeline Pankhurst’s life, from her birth in 1858 to her death in 1928. A suffragette and leader of the Women's Social and Political Union, she fought tirelessly for women's right to vote, leaving a lasting impact on the pursuit of gender equality.

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Victoria Woodhull: The First Woman To Run for President

Victoria Woodhull ran for President of the United States before most American women were even allowed to vote.

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New Jersey: The Birthplace of Women's Suffrage?

When women finally won the right to vote in 1920, it wasn’t the first time in the nation’s history that they’d been able to cast ballots - for a period after the revolution, women in New Jersey could, and did, vote.

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Patsy Mink: Changing the Rules

The first Asian American woman ever to be elected to Congress, Patsy Mink dedicated her life to participating in the democratic process and improving the lives of others.

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When the Youth of Birmingham Changed History

In 1963, school children from Birmingham, Alabama skipped class to demonstrate for racial equality. Met with police violence, they helped to bring about significant change. The Birmingham Children's Crusade, as it was known, has gone down in history as a turning point in the fight for Civil Rights.

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Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities

Short animation explaining UN Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities for teenage students

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Stonewall Uprising: The Fight Against Oppression

The LGBTQ+ community took a stand in 1960s America. Discriminated against because of their sexuality and gender identity, they campaigned for a fairer, freer society in a time of social and political upheaval in America.

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The Equal Rights Amendment: A Woman's Prerogative

The Equal Rights Amendment proposes to protect women and other marginalized genders under the U.S. Constitution - so why hasn't it been ratified?

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How did a tennis match change the world?

In the 1970s, tennis player Billie Jean King threw down the gauntlet for gender equality in an epic tennis match against self-proclaimed chauvinist Bobby Riggs, hailed as the Battle of the Sexes. So how did one tennis match change the world? David Rubenstein answers that question in a fact-filled history minute.

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Katherine Johnson: Trailblazing NASA Mathematician

At a time when American space exploration was dominated by men, mathematician Katherine Johnson broke through gender and racial barriers to help change our understanding of the cosmos forever.

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How did silence make a statement in 1917?

We typically think of protests as loud events with chants, speeches and songs. But sometimes silence can be just as powerful. So how did a silent protest in New York aid the fight for Civil Rights? David Rubenstein answers that question in a fact-filled history minute.

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Civil War Female Spies

In a world traditionally dominated by men, female spies took advantage of gender stereotypes to go unnoticed and gather information during the U.S. Civil War.

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Susan La Flesche Picotte: The First Female Native American Doctor

At a time when many Native Americans were refused healthcare by racist White doctors, Susan La Flesche Picotte overcame gender discrimination to become the first Indigenous woman in U.S. history to earn a medical degree.

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Miss Major Griffin-Gracy: Activist for Transgender Rights

Present at the Stonewall Uprising of 1959, pioneering transgender activist Miss Major Griffin-Gracy lived through the HIV/AIDS epidemic to fight for LGBTQ+ rights in the United States and beyond.

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Susan Clark Holley: Breaking Barriers in Education

Facing racial barriers in 19th-century Iowa, Susan Clark Holley’s legal battle pioneered school desegregation, laying early groundwork for the monumental Brown v. Board of Education case.

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Women of the Civil War

Women weren’t just spectators of the American Civil War – they played a vital role in the home, the workplace, the battlefield and beyond.

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Antonia Pantoja: Grassroots Organizer and Activist

The story of Latina activist Antonia Pantoja, who fought for bilingual education programs.

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The Battle of the Sexes

Although half of Americans are female, women make up just 25% of Congress. In fact, women have been treated unfairly in America since day one – but what are the causes of that inequality and what are the effects?

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The Pledge of Allegiance

All across the United States, its citizens regularly stand, with hands on heart, to make the Pledge of Allegiance. But what is it, what does it mean and why is it so important?

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Elizabeth Freeman: Abolition Pioneer

Elizabeth Freeman played a critical role in the fight to end slavery in the United States.

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Emma Goldman: Radical Activist

Anarchist Emma Goldman, once named the most dangerous woman in America by the FBI, left behind a complicated legacy. But who was this young radical and what did she believe in?

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Sacagawea: Intrepid Indigenous Explorer

Native American interpreter Sacagawea was the only woman on Lewis and Clark’s expedition into the West. She played a vital role, but was subsequently forgotten.

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Responsibility: Clara Barton

Clara Barton's unwavering responsibility led her from establishing free schools to founding the American Red Cross, exemplifying how individual dedication can fortify a nation.

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Phillis Wheatley: Pioneering Black Poet

Phillis Wheatley, a young enslaved woman, became one of the most celebrated poets in the Amercian colonies. Her writings on faith, slavery and freedom were published around the world and inspire audiences to this day.

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Sojourner Truth: Fierce Warrior for Social Justice

How an enslaved woman became one of the most important social justice activists in American history.

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Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities

Fifteen year old Katelyn explains how young people are taking action on Global Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities

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Breaking Barriers: Constance Baker Motley

Breaking through the limits placed on women and people of color was all in a day’s work for Constance Baker Motley. She was a civil rights activist, lawyer, judge and state senator.

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Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities

Elevel year old Jaydon explains how young people are taking action on Global Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities

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Blazing a Trail for Women's Votes

We often think of the American West as a lawless, uncivilized place. But in the 19th century, it was ahead of its time – as the only part of America where women could vote.

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The Shelleys and the Right to Fair Housing

JD and Ethel Shelley fought against restrictive covenants for the basic right to choose their own home. These agreements prevent homes being sold to people of certain races.

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Shirley Chisholm: Equal Rights for Women

In 1969 Shirley Chisholm, the first African American Woman elected to Congress spoke to the US House of Representatives to argue in support of a controversial women’s rights bill; the Equal Rights Amendment.

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Women in Ancient Athens

The lives and rights of women in Greece, from a modern perspective, seem severely limited; yet, they played important roles in society.

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Patsy Mink: Groundbreaking Congresswoman

What do you think of when you picture Title IX? Inequality has plagued America’s youth for generations. Patsy Mink, a then young Japanese-American, vowed to change the system forever.

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Mary Church Terrell: Championing Suffrage and Civil Rights

Mary Church Terrell was a lifelong activist who advocated for suffrage and equal rights.

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Victoria Woodhull: Fighting for Women's Rights

At a time when women were expected to know their place, activist and businessperson Victoria Woodhull blazed a trail as a fierce advocate for women's suffrage and empowerment.

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Bella Abzug: Pioneering Feminist Icon

At a time when the U.S. House of Representatives was dominated by men, pioneering feminist Bella Abzug became a law-making force to be reckoned with.

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Lunch Counter Stools

In 1960, four Black students staged a sit-in in Greensboro, North Carolina to protest against racial segregation in the United States. The stools they sat on are the most visited artifacts at the International Civil Rights Center and Museum.

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Ellen Ochoa: The First Female Hispanic Astronaut

In 1993, Ellen Ochoa wrote her name in the stars – as the first Hispanic woman to enter orbit. She continues to inspire generations of aspiring astronauts today.

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The Woman Suffrage Procession

The Women’s Suffrage Procession of 1913 changed how Americans protest – by getting bigger, better and more creative than ever before.

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Edith Maude Eaton: Fostering Cultural Understanding Through Writing

In a time when Chinese immigrants in America faced discrimination in all walks of life – simply because of their race – author Edith Maude Eaton channeled the power of the pen to help make positive change.

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The History of the Rainbow Flag

The rainbow flag is one of the most recognisable symbols in the world, synonymous with tolerance and LGBTQ+ rights. But how was it created?

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What were the Zoot Suit Riots?

At the height of the Second World War, racial tensions in the United States exploded in LA. So what were the Zoot Suit Riots and how did they impact society? David Rubenstein answers that question in a fact-filled history minute.

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Pauli Murray: Breaking Barriers of Race and Gender

As a queer Black lawyer, poet and civil rights activist, Pauli Murray understood how our different identities can overlap to create multiple levels of discrimination. Her groundbreaking work in championing equality for all helped change America for the better.

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Margaret Mead: Intercultural Knowledge

Mead brought the central insight of cultural anthropology. A master in her discipline – fearless and freethinking – let’s find out how her determination to help others understand, celebrate, and learn from other cultures, made humanity stronger.

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A pioneering suffragette and free thinker, Ernestine Rose was way ahead of her time. Described as the “first Jewish feminist”, she used her voice to campaign for women’s rights and improve the lives of millions.

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Bayard Rustin: Martin Luther King Jr's 'Out and Proud' Advisor

The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom was the biggest protest America had ever seen. It culminated in Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr’s iconic “I Have A Dream” speech. But the man who made it all possible, chief organiser Bayard Rustin, was almost written out of history not because he was black, but because he was gay.

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Fighting for LGBTQ Rights: Is the United States Really United?

The 10th Amendment to the Constitution allows each state to set its own laws. That's meant that in Colorado, LGBTQIA+ rights have often been repressed. Meet the students at William J. Palmer High School who took their school district to court - and won!

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How Are Families Around the World the Same and Different?

Families come in all shapes and sizes and can mean different things to different people through cultural influence, different structures, and more.

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AIDS Memorial Quilt: Raising Awareness a Stitch at a Time

The AIDS Memorial quilt is a community art project that changed the world’s perception of HIV and AIDs.

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The Lavender Scare

The Cold War persecution known as the Lavender Scare barred members of the LGBTQ+ community from working for the federal government for decades.

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Harvey Milk: Leading the Way

Harvey Milk, America’s first openly gay elected official, was assassinated in 1978. His pioneering campaign for LGBTQ+ rights paved the way for more members of the community to serve in government.

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What are the origins of the rainbow flag?

Today, the Rainbow Flag is synonymous with the LGBTQ+ community worldwide, representing acceptance, inclusivity and freedom for people of all sexual and gender identities. But what is its origin story? David Rubenstein answers that question in a fact-filled history minute.

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Gladys Bentley: Breaking All the Rules

At a time when homosexuality was illegal in the United States, LGBTQ+ artist and pioneer Gladys Bentley broke all the rules to become one of the wealthiest Black performers of her time.

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Tituba: The First Accused Witch

The Salem Witch Trials are one of the most infamous tragedies in American history, yet most people do not know the story of the enslaved woman at the heart of the hysteria, the first accused witch, Tituba.

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Elizabeth Blackwell: Trailblazer for Women in Medicine

The first woman to graduate from a U.S. medical college, Elizabeth Blackwell broke through gender barriers to make history. Her remarkable story of courage and perseverance serves as a testament to the strength of the human spirit.

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Matilda Hughes: Fighting for Family

Enduring slavery and loss, Matilda Hughes's relentless quest to reunite and rebuild her family showcases the indomitable spirit of love amidst America's darkest chapters.

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Harriet R. Gold Boudinot: Interracial Marriage in Early America

The interracial marriage of Harriet R. Gold and Elias Boudinot transcended racial taboos of the 1800s, leaving a lasting impact on both the Cherokee and Cornwall communities.

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Kateri Tekakwitha: First North American Indigenous Saint

Kateri Tekakwitha's journey from a Mohawk village to Catholic sainthood reflects the intertwined tales of faith and colonization in 17th century America.

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Ona Judge: Self-Emancipated from the Presidential Mansion

Born into slavery on George Washington's plantation, Ona Judge's daring escape highlights the ideological contradictions of personal liberty in early America.

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Letitia Carson: Defiant Pioneer

In the mid-19th century, only around 3% of those who traveled West on the Oregon Trail were Black. Among them was Letitia Carson, the only Black woman in Oregon to successfully receive land through the Homestead Act.

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At a time when many women in the United States were campaigning for greater rights, Beverly LaHaye raised her voice for traditional values. An expert activist and founder of Concerned Women for America, today she is admired and reviled in equal measure.

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Dolley Madison: The First First Lady

As the host of unrivaled skill, First Lady Dolley Madison brought the US political elite together by throwing the best parties Washington, D.C., had ever seen.

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Harriet Robinson Scott: A Personal Fight for Emancipation with National Ramifications

The story of the enslaved woman who challenged slavery in the highest court in the United States.

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Catalina Trico: New Netherland's Founding Mother

Catalina Trico was a young trailblazer and the first European mother in what would become New York State.

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Sarah Winnemucca

The first Indigenous woman to publish a memoir, Paiute educator and activist Sarah Winnemucca campaigned tirelessly for the rights of Indigenous Americans.

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Mary Ann Shadd Cary: Antislavery Activist

The first Black newspaper editor in the history of the United States, Mary Ann Shadd Cary spoke out to champion the cause of freedom in an era when the voices of African Americans were rarely heard.

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Shirley Chisholm: Confronting the Political Machine

As the first Black woman elected to Congress, Shirley Chisholm made history in her lifelong struggle to empower minorities and change the United States.

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Despite being on the FBI's Top Ten Most Wanted list, Angela Davis went on to become an international symbol of resistance against social injustice.

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Yuri Kochiyama: Unyielding Voice for Justice

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, thousands of Japanese-Americans were interned on U.S. soil. Determined to right this wrong, Yuri Kochiyama testified to Congress and helped those affected win $20,000 in compensation.

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Negotiating the Surrender of New Netherland

How two wives saved New Amsterdam from total destruction by English invaders through the power of negotiation.

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Toypurina: Rebelling Against the Mission System

Toypurina, a Tongva woman who led a rebellion against a Spanish mission in Alta California.

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Changunak Antisarlook: The Reindeer Queen

She was known as the Reindeer Queen – and one of the richest women in Alaska. So how did Changunak Antisarlook use her remarkable wealth to benefit the Inupiat community?

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Fashionable Rebellion: Tignons: From Oppressive Attire to Creative Accoutrement

How free Black women in Spanish Louisiana turned an oppressive headscarf law into a celebration of individuality and culture.

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Wilma Mankiller

Wilma Mankiller, a Native American activist who became the first female chief of her tribe, dedicated her life to the Cherokee Nation and the expansion of Indigenous rights.

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María Ruiz de Burton: Chicano Activist Writer

Latina author María Ruiz de Burton raised the plight of Mexicans in America with two satirical and revealing books at a time when female authors were few and far between.

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Polly Bemis: Chinese Immigrant Pioneer

Sold into slavery by her parents, Polly Bemis faced discrimination as a Chinese immigant in America – but became something of a pioneer of the West.

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Lozen: Fearless Apache Warrior

At a time when Apache men and women followed specific gender roles, Lozen defied convention – to become one of the finest warriors in the tribe's history.

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Sally Hemings: Surviving Slavery and Sexual Exploitation

Sally Hemings was an enslaved woman who had several children with Founding Father Thomas Jefferson. Her story of agency and eventual emancipation remains an inspiration.

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Dorothy Bolden: Unionizing Domestic Workers

Civil rights activist Dorothy Bolden made it her mission to empower America’s working class. Her activism empowered domestic workers across the nation – and created noticeable change in the workplace for thousands of Black women.

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Thomas(ine) Hall: Gender Non-conforming in Colonial Virginia

Thomas(ine) Hall was a 17th century intersex person who ran afoul of a small community in colonial Virginia.

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Zitkala-Ša: Advocate for the Rights of Native People

Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, aka Zitkala-Sa, fought against the US government as it forced Native Americans to assimilate into Anglo-American culture.

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Emma Tenayuca: Latina Labor Activist

Latina labor leader, Emma Tenayuca, led a major food-industry strike in her early 20s and was eventually ostracized for her political beliefs.

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Malitzen: Enslaved Interpreter for Hernan Cortés

The enslaved Native woman who acted as the primary interpreter for Hernan Cortés during his conquest of the Aztec Empire.

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Coverture severely restricted women’s political, financial, and personal rights and was imported to the American colonies as a part of English common law. It affected the lives of all American women and although it has been diminished over time vestiges of it remain even today.

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Chien-Shiung Wu: The First Lady of Physics

We hear a lot about famous scientists like Marie Curie and Albert Einstein, but have you ever heard of Chien-Shiung Wu and her work on the Manhattan Project?

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Women's Activism and Social Change

For centuries, women have used activism in the United States to voice their concerns about society and secure their rights as citizens. Activism is an important part of any democracy as it’s the way ordinary people shape nations.

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Lorenda Holmes: Loyalist Spy and American Sufferer

Loyalist spy in New York who did everything she could to undermine the American war efforts during the Revolution.

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Ida B. Wells: Journalist and Anti-Lynching Activist

Investigative journalist Ida B. Wells made it her mission to exposing the horrors of racism in the American South, but it wasn't easy.

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Marsha P. Johnson: Transgender Activist

The story of transgender activist, Marsha P. Johnson, who dedicated her life to LGBTQ+ rights.

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