250 to 250: 51. Civil War Income Taxes, Narrated by Danny Werfel

 

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Civil War Income Taxes, Narrated by Danny Werfel

Danny Werfel served as 50th Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and is currently an Executive in Residence at the Johns Hopkins University School of Government and Policy. Werfel details how the Civil War spurred congressional Republicans to invent the income tax.

During the Civil War, the United States needed more money.

Congress created the first federal income tax.

• People paid taxes based on the money they earned.
• The government used the tax money to help pay for the war.
• Many leaders believed everyone should help support the country.
• Some newspapers said loyal Americans should pay the taxes.
• Congress wanted the tax system to be fair.
• People with higher incomes paid more taxes.
• People with lower incomes paid less taxes.
• Senator Justin Smith Morrill said taxes should match a person's ability to pay.
• The income tax helped the federal government during the Civil War.
• Today, income taxes continue to help pay for government programs and services.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 9:03. Do you currently owe any overdue Federal, state, or local taxes in the United States?
• USCIS 100:56. When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?*
• USCIS 128:71. Why is it important to pay federal taxes?

Family Fun:

• Coloring Book Fun: 62 Money Coloring Pages (Free PDFs)
• icivics: People's Pie game
• IRS: Understanding Taxes (many lesson plans and resources)
• PBS: Justin Morrill: Land for Learning (land-grant universities)
• Justin Morril supported economic opportunity for American through his legislation and tax reform.  His most notable contribution was the founding of public land-grant colleges in U.S. states, that focused on agriculture (fatming), engineering (mechanics), and mining.
• Personal Finance Lab : Taxation Lesson Plan

250 to 250: 50. Thurgood Marshall, Narrated by Governor Wes Moore

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Thurgood Marshall, Narrated by Governor Wes Moore

Governor Wes Moore is a combat veteran, bestselling author, former nonprofit CEO, and is Maryland's first Black governor and the third black Governor elected in American history. Moore celebrates Thurgood Marshall, the legendary civil rights lawyer who won Brown v. Board of Education and became the first Black Supreme Court Justice.

Thurgood Marshall was a lawyer who fought for equal rights.

• He graduated from Howard University Law School.
• Marshall worked with the NAACP.
• He helped create the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
• He used the courts to fight racial segregation.
• Marshall argued many cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.
• He won the important Brown v. Board of Education case.
• The Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional.

In 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Marshall to the U.S. Supreme Court.

• He became the first African American Supreme Court Justice.
• Marshall worked to protect equal rights and justice for all Americans.
• He encouraged people to protect and strengthen American democracy.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 9:07e. Have you EVER ordered, incited, called for, committed, assisted, helped with, or otherwise participated in causing harm or suffering to any person because of their race, religion, national origin, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion?
• USCIS 100:37. / 128:51. What does the judicial branch do?
• USCIS 100:28. / 128.52. What is the highest court in the United States? * 

Family Fun:

• Kulture Kidz: Thurgood Marshall Coloring Page
• NAACPLDF: Thrgood Marchall: LDF Founder and First President and Director-Counsel
• NMAAHC: Thurgood Marshall’s Desk
• NPS: Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial | trading cards
• NPS: Thurgood Marshall: A Legacy of Civil Rights Leadership
• Stamps: Thurgood Marshall
• Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage: Brown v. Board of Education
• Thinkport: Champion of Justice (many lesson plans)

250 to 250: 49. 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing, Narrated by Senator Doug Jones

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing, Narrated by Senator Doug Jones

Senator Doug Jones is a prominent attorney and public servant who became the first Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate from Alabama in 25 years and is currently the state's Democratic nominee for Governor. Jones, who prosecuted the case decades later, remembers the four young girls killed in the 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, a tragedy that galvanized support for the Civil Rights Act.

On September 15, 1963, a bomb exploded at the 16th Street Baptist Church.

• The church was in Birmingham, Alabama.
• Four African American girls were killed.
• Their names were Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson, and Denise McNair.
• Just a few days earlier, Black children had started attending formerly all-white schools.
• Some white supremacists opposed school integration.
• Members of the Ku Klux Klan planted the bomb.
• The bombing shocked people across the United States.

Many Americans supported stronger civil rights laws after the attack.

• In 1964, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
• Justice was delayed, but not denied.
• Years later, three former Ku Klux Klan members were convicted of the bombing.
• The tragedy became an important moment in the fight for civil rights and justice.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 9:07e. Have you EVER ordered, incited, called for, committed, assisted, helped with, or otherwise participated in causing harm or suffering to any person because of their race, religion, national origin, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion?
• USCIS 100:84.   What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
• USCIS 128:112. What did the civil rights movement do?

Family Fun

• Civil Rights Digital Library: Sixteenth Street Baptist Church Bombing Collection
• Gilder Lehrman Institute: Bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, 1963
• NMAAHC: America Sees the Truth
• NPS: Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument |  The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 (Voices from the Field / series)  | Junior Ranger book | 16th Street Baptist Church bombing (1963) 
• Spike Lee: 4 Little Girls trailer | video (stream on HBO or borrow the DVD on the library)
• Wikipedia: Timeline of the 1954-1968 civil rights movement
• Zinn Project: Sept. 15, 1963: 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing

250 to 250: 48. “All in the Family,” Narrated by Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: “All in the Family,” Narrated by Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Julia Louis-Dreyfus is an award-winning actress, comedian, producer, and podcast host whose early work on shows like Family Ties, a spinoff of All in the Family, helped launch her storied career, including beloved roles in Seinfeld and Veep. Julia revisits All in the Family, the groundbreaking 1971 sitcom that used Archie Bunker and his family to tackle the era's most divisive issues.

All in the Family first aired in 1971.

• The show talked about important issues in American society.
• These topics included civil rights, the Vietnam War, abortion, and family disagreements.
• Carroll O'Connor played Archie Bunker.
• Archie Bunker often struggled with new ideas and social change.
• Rob Reiner played Mike Stivic, Archie's son-in-law.
• Mike and Archie often disagreed about politics and society.
• Jean Stapleton played Edith Bunker, Archie's kind and caring wife.
• Sally Struthers played Gloria, Archie and Edith's daughter.
• The show used humor to discuss serious problems.
• Norman Lear created the show.
• All in the Family changed American television by encouraging people to talk about difficult issues.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 6:02. What is your child's current legal name?
• USCIS 100:06. What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?* 
• USCIS 128:69. What are two examples of civic participation in the United States?

Family Fun:

• CBS Sunday Morning: Norman Lear: A life of laughter and activism
• How Stuff Works: All in the Family trivia
• Monday Mandala: Family Coloring Pages
• National Postal Musem: 33c All In The Family single
• Norman Lear: Citizenship
• Norman Lear Effect: All in the Family playlist
• People for the American Way: Issues
• PBS: American Masters: Norman Lear: Just Another Version You clips | (borrow the dvd from your Library)
• Smithsonian Magazine: From His Tattered Chair, TV’s Archie Bunker Caricatured America’s Divides

250 to 250: 47. Madam C.J. Walker, Narrated by A'Lelia Bundles

 

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Madam C.J. Walker, Narrated by A'Lelia Bundles

A'Lelia Bundles is an award-winning journalist, Emmy-winning producer, and author of acclaimed biographies telling the stories of the civic-minded business women in her family, including her great-great-grandmother Madam C. J. Walker.

Madam C. J. Walker was born in Louisiana in 1867.

• Her parents had been enslaved before the Civil War.
• She became an orphan when she was seven years old.
• She married at age 14 and became a mother.
• By age 20, she was a widow.
• In the early 1900s, she created hair care products for Black women.
• In 1906, she started her own business.
• She trained many women to sell her products.
• She built a successful company across the United States.
• Madam C. J. Walker became America's first self-made female millionaire.
• She believed in hard work and creating opportunities.
• She also spoke out against racial discrimination and injustice.
• Today, Madam C. J. Walker is remembered as a successful business leader and civil rights advocate.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• Part 7:01. Are you self-employed?  Do you work for yourself and not a specific employer?
• USCIS 100:11. / 128.12. What is the economic system of the United States?
• USCIS 100: 41.   Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government.  What is one power of the federal government?
• USCIS 128:58. Name one power that is only for the federal government.

Family Fun:

• Madame C.J. Walker: Hair
• Madam Walker Legacy Center: Timeline
• Kulture Kidz: Madam C.J. Walker Coloring Page | word scramble |
• Netflix: Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C. J. Walker | trailer
• NMAAHC: Annie Malone and Madam C.J. Walker: Pioneers of the African American Beauty Industry
• NPS: (H)our History Lesson: Madam C. J. Walker, African American Millionaire, Philanthropist, Activist
• World: The True Story of Madam C.J. Walker | TWO DOLLARS AND A DREAM 

250 to 250: 46. NATO, Narrated by Adam Kinzinger

 

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: NATO, Narrated by Adam Kinzinger

Adam Kinzinger is a retired military officer, former U.S. Representative, and current political commentator known for his views on the evolving Republican Party and serving as one of two Republicans appointed to the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack. Kinzinger details the formation of NATO, the defensive security alliance that has helped to keep the world safe since 1949.

In 1949, 12 countries created North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

• NATO was formed after World War II.
• The countries wanted to protect each other.
• They also wanted to stop the spread of communism in Europe.
• NATO members promised to help if one member was attacked.
• This promise is called Article 5 of the NATO treaty.
• Article 5 has been used only once.
• It was used after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.
• NATO countries worked together in Afghanistan.
• Finland joined NATO in 2023.
• Sweden joined NATO in 2024.
• Today, NATO has 32 member countries.
• NATO continues to work for the security and defense of its member nations.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 9:05a. Have you EVER been a member of, involved in, or in any way associated with any Communist or totalitarian party anywhere in the world?
• USCIS 100:83. During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?
• USCIS 128:108. Who was the United States’ main rival during the Cold War?

Family Fun

• C-SPAN Classroom: Lesson Plan: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
• CFR: Conflict: NATO
• Civics Learning Project: The United States and NATO: World Relationships and Why they Matter
• Coloring Book Fun: 44 Flags Of The World Coloring Pages
• Layers of Learning: Cold War | map coloring page
• OTAN: Can you identify all 26 letters of the NATO phonetic alphabet?
• World Flags: Coloring Pages

250 to 250: 45. Jimi Hendrix’s “The Star-Spangled Banner” Live at Woodstock, Narrated by Justice Brown

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Jimi Hendrix’s “The Star-Spangled Banner” Live at Woodstock, Narrated by Justice Brown

Justice Brown is a Youth250 Bureau member at Made By Us, the national network connecting young adults to history and civic life through more than 750 museums, historic sites, libraries, and archives. Brown discusses the powerful rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” that Jimi Hendrix performed at his closing Woodstock set.

In August 1969, the Woodstock music festival took place in New York.

• About 500,000 people attended the festival.

Jimi Hendrix performed on the last day.

• He played "The Star-Spangled Banner," the U.S. national anthem.
• His performance included sounds that reminded people of the Vietnam War.
• Hendrix wanted people to think about both war and peace.
• He had served in the U.S. Army before becoming a musician.
• Hendrix said he played the anthem because he was an American.
• His performance became one of the most famous moments in music history.
• Today, many people remember it as a symbol of both patriotism and peaceful protest.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 9:25. Have you EVER served in the U.S. armed forces?
• USCIS 100:78 / 128:100.  Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.
• USCIS 100:98. / 128.123. What is the name of the national anthem?

Family Fun

• Jimi Hendrix: STAR SPANGLED BANNER – Jimi Hendrix At Woodstock: The Anthem of a Generation
• National Archives: Jimi Hendrix's Official Military Personnel File
• National Postal Museum: In Memoriam: Jimi Hendrix
• NMAH: The Star Spangled Banner
• NY Learns: Text Painting: The National Anthem, Patriotism and Jimi Hendrix. by De Imperatoribus Romanis by ECSDM
• New Yorker: Rewinding Jimi Hendrix’s National Anthem
• PRI: The World: American Icons: Jimi Hendrix’s Star-Spangled Banner
• Star Spangled Music: Banner Moment #9: August 18, 1969—Hendrix Plays the Anthem at Woodstock (Psychedlic Citizenship)
• Seattle: Jimi Hendrix Park
• The Colouring Sessions: The Jimi Hendrix Experience coloring page

250 to 250: 44. Frances Perkins, Narrated by Cameron Katz

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Frances Perkins, Narrated by Cameron Katz

Cameron Katz is the Head of Content + Partnerships at Made By Us, the national network connecting young adults to history and civic life through more than 750 museums, historic sites, libraries, and archives. Katz honors Frances Perkins, the labor secretary whose response to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire led to Social Security, the minimum wage, and the forty-hour work week.

In 1911, Frances Perkins saw the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire.

• Many workers died in the fire.
• Perkins wanted to make workplaces safer.
• She worked for shorter work hours and better pay.
• She also worked to improve factory safety.

In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed her as Secretary of Labor.

• She became the first woman to serve in a U.S. president's Cabinet.
• Perkins helped create the Social Security Act of 1935.
• She also helped pass the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938.
• The law created a minimum wage, a 40-hour workweek, and banned most child labor.
• Frances Perkins believed everyone should work to improve life for others.
• Today, she is remembered as a leader who helped protect American workers.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 7:01. When and where have you worked, been self-employed, been unemployed, or studied?
• USCIS 100:33. / 128:43. Who signs bills to become laws?
• USCIS 100:35. / 128:47. What does the President’s Cabinet do?
• USCIS 100:36. / 128:48. What are two Cabinet-level positions?

Family Fun:

• Americans Who Tell The Truth: Frances Perkins
• Delaware: Careers Coloring and Activity Book
• Frances Perkins Center: Resources | Frances and Faith
• NPS: Frances Perkins National Monument
• Rochester Labor: Our Community of Workers coloring book | workbook and more resources
• Women's History Museum: Frances Perkins: The Woman Behind the Weekend, Minimum Wage, and Safer Working Conditions | New Deal lesson plan
• Zinn Education Project: March 4, 1933: Frances Perkins First Woman to Serve in U.S. Cabinet