250 to 250:139. Wright Brothers Narrated by Governor Josh Stein

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Wright Brothers Narrated by Governor Josh Stein

Josh Stein is the Governor of North Carolina. A lifelong public servant, he previously served in the state Senate, as Senior Deputy Attorney General for consumer protection, and as Attorney General. Governor Stein celebrates the Wright brothers, whose 12-second flight at Kitty Hawk in 1903 launched the age of aviation. ‪

Orville and Wilbur Wright were brothers from Dayton, Ohio.

• They owned a bicycle shop.
• They believed people could fly in airplanes.
• They studied and tested airplanes for many years.
• On December 17, 1903, they made the first successful powered airplane flight.
• The flight took place near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
• Their airplane flew 120 feet in 12 seconds.
• During World War I, airplanes became more advanced.
• Over time, airplanes became bigger, faster, and safer.
• Airplanes made it easier for people to travel and move goods around the world.

Interview and Civics Quiz:

• I-9 Documents that Establish Identity: Do you have Driver's License or ID card issued by a State? Is your license or ID card REAL ID compliant?
• USCIS 100:64. There were 13 original states.  Name three.
• USCIS 128:118. Name one example of an American innovation.
• Read: What state do you live in?
• Write: I live in California (I live in . . . Alaska, Delaware, New Mexico, New York, Washington).  

Family Fun

• AOPA: Visit the Wright Cycle shop and National Museum - National Aviation Heritage Area
• FAA:    STEM Education Resources | Flight Path to America's 250th playlist
• NPS: Wright Brothers National Memorial
• National Air and Space Museum: The Wright Brothers & The Invention of the Aerial Age
• National Postal Museum: Air Stamps–Pilots and Aviation Pioneers
• PBS: The Wright Stuff | Orville and Wilbur | Flying a 1902 Wright Brothers Glider in Kitty Hawk 
• US Mint: North Carolina "First in Flight" Quarter coloring page
• UVU: Animated History of Aviation

250 to 250:138. Tlingits, Narrated by Rosita Worl

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Tlingits, Narrated by Rosita Worl

Dr. Rosita Worl is a Tlingit American anthropologist, educator, and president of the Sealaska Heritage Institute recognized as an expert in Southeast Alaska Native culture and history. Worl introduces the Tlingit people, "People of the Tides," who have stewarded Southeast Alaska's coasts since time immemorial and fought to defend Indigenous rights.

The Tlingit people live in Alaska and the Yukon.

• Their name means “people of the tides.”
• They get food from the sea.
• Russians came in 1741. Spanish people came in 1775.
• Many Tlinglit suffered and died from diseases and violence, yet the Tlinglit people resisted and survived.
• Later, the United States took their land.
• In 1912, they helped start the Alaskan Native Brotherhood to work for Native people’s rights.
• Today, the U.S. government recognizes Tlingit and Haida tribes.
• They have lived there for thousands of years.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 4. What is you current mailing address (Safe Mailing Address, if possible)?
• USCIS 100:59. / 128:74.   Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
• USCIS 100:87. / 128:117. Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.
• Read: Who lived here first?  |  What is the largest state? 
• Write: American Indians lived here first.  |  Alaska is the largest state. 

Family Fun:

• 850 Nations: Tlingit: The Lords of the Mist | The People of the Tides
• AJ+: What People Get Wrong About Alaska Natives Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
• American Indian Magazine: Restoring Balance: A Two-Decade Effort Shepherds Dozens of Tlingit Objects Home
• NMAI: Tlingit
• National Postal Museum: 15c Pacific Northwest Indian Masks block of four | Forever Skateboard Art: Tlingit Athabascan Salmon Design by Crystal Worl single
• Huna Heritage Foundation: Step into History: The Alaska Native Brotherhood & Sisterhood
• NPS: Sitka NHP | Junior Ranger Activity Book   | Alaska Native Brotherhood Hall National Historic Landmark
• Sealaska Heritage Institute: Sharing our Stories: Voices on the Land playlist
• Smarthistory: The story of the Oyster Man, a Tlingit totem pole | Indigenous Americas playlist (includes several videos about Tlingit and Haida art)
• Tlingit and Haida: Goverance
• Tlingit Language: Early Learning Activity and Coloring Pages

250 to 250:137. Norman Rockwell, Narrated by Kahlil Greene

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Norman Rockwell, Narrated by Kahlil Greene

Kahlil Greene, the “Gen-Z Historian,” is a well-known digital educator, Peabody Award winner, and two-time Emmy nominee with an audience of over 50 million views across TikTok, Instagram, and author of “History Can’t Hide” on Substack. Greene profiles illustrator Norman Rockwell, whose beloved images of everyday American life evolved to confront war, civil rights, and the nation's conscience. 

Norman Rockwell was a famous American artist.

• He painted pictures of everyday life.
• His pictures showed families, friends, and communities.
• In 1943, he painted The Four Freedoms.
• These paintings helped raise money during World War II.
• Later, he painted pictures about civil rights and equality.
• He supported equal rights for all Americans.
• He believed people had the right to know what their government was doing.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 6. What is your child's current legal name, date of birth, and place of birt?
• USCIS 100:06. One is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?
• USCIS 100:80. / 128:105. Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
• USCIS 100:83. / 128:109. During the Cold War, what was one main concern of the United States?
• Read: Who has freedom of speech?
• Write: People who live in America have freedom of speech.

Family Fun:

• Google Arts and Culture:  Norman Rockwell in the age of the Civil Rights Movement
• Learn from Masters: Norman Rockwell: A collection of 337 paintings (HD)
• National Postal Museum: American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell | Norman Rockwell's Art | Rockwell's Four Freedoms
• New York Times: Updating Norman Rockwell’s ‘Four Freedoms’ for a Modern, Diverse America
• Norman Rockwell Museum: Imagining Freedom (virtual exhibition: cost $5)   | Prints (gallery) | YouTube channel | U.S. Naturalization Ceremony at Norman Rockwell Museum
• Roosevelt House: Reimagining the Four Freedoms
• Shawn Greiner: Norman Rockwell's Political Art
• Smart History: Rosie, the Riveter
• Smithsonian Magazine: A 21st-Century Reimagining of Norman Rockwell’s “Four Freedoms”
• Stories Behind Art: More Than Nostalgia: The Hidden Depths of Norman Rockwell’s Art!
• uscitizenpod: Rockwell's Four Freedoms coloring page

250 to 250:136. Edward R. Murrow, Narrated by Scott MacFarlane

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Edward R. Murrow, Narrated by Scott MacFarlane

Scott MacFarlane is Anchor of Scott MacFarlane Reports and Chief Washington Correspondent for MeidasTouch Network. MacFarlane has earned 20 Emmy and Edward R. Murrow awards and the Anna Quindlen Award for excellence in journalism from the Child Welfare League of America. Edward R. Murrow was a radio and television newscaster whose unflinching reports set the standard for American broadcast journalism.

Edward R. Murrow was a famous radio and TV news reporter.

• He started working for CBS in 1935.
• During World War II, he reported from London during German bombing attacks.
• His reports helped Americans understand the war.
• After the war, he created a TV news show called See It Now.
• In 1954, he reported on Senator Joseph McCarthy.
• McCarthy accused many Americans of being communists.
• Murrow criticized McCarthy for using fear against people.
• His reports helped Americans question McCarthy's actions.
• Murrow believed reporters should tell the truth, even about powerful people.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 9:05. Have you ever been a member of, or connected with, any Communist or totalitarian party anywhere in the world?
• USCIS 100:06. One is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?
• USCIS 100:83. / 128:109. During the Cold War, what was one main concern of the United States?
• Read: Name one right in the Bill of Rights. 
• Write: Freedom of speech is a right. 

Family Fun:

• Bill of Rights Institute: Edward R. Murrow: In His Own Words lesson plan
• CBS: Harvest of Shame (Murrow's 1960 documentary abdout the condition of farmeworkera)
• CFR: Edward R. Murrow Press Fellowship
• CNN: Who was Edward R. Murrow?
• News Active 3: Good Night and Good Luck...The Story of Edward R. Murrow (1975)
• Magnolia Pictures: Good Night, and Good Luck: Live From Broadway trailer
• Newseum: 'Edward R. Murrow' Video Lesson
• Parker Beverly: NHD Documentary 2019 - Voice of America: Edward R. Murrow
• Retro Report: The Cold War on TV: Joseph McCarthy vs. Edward R. Murrow | Retro Report
• TED-ed: What is McCarthyism? And how did it happen? - Ellen Schrecker
• Tim Weiskel: Edward R. Murrow playlist
• Today in Civil Liberties History: March 9, 1954: Edward R. Murrow Exposes Sen. Joe McCarthy
• uscitizenpod: Edward R. Murrow coloring page
• VOA Learning English News: Edward R Murrow, 1908-1965: Famous Radio/Television Reporter | video

 

250 to 250:135. I.M. Pei, Narrated by Billie Tsien

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: I.M. Pei, Narrated by Billie Tsien

Billie Tsien is a renowned Chinese-American architect, co-founder of Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, National Medal of Arts recipient, and lead designer behind the Obama Presidential Center. Tsien profiles architect I.M. Pei, whose bold geometric designs—from the National Gallery's East Wing to the Louvre pyramid—helped define American modernism.

I. M. Pei was a famous American architect.

• He was born in China and moved to the United States to study architecture.
• He designed modern buildings using simple shapes and lines.
• In 1955, he started his own architecture company.
• He designed homes, office buildings, museums, and government buildings.
• His famous buildings include the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston and Dallas City Hall in Texas.
• He designed the East Building of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
• He also designed the famous glass pyramid at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France.
• His buildings helped change the look of modern cities.
• Pei believed that buildings reflect how people live.
• He said, "Architecture is the very mirror of life."

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 4:01. What is your current physical (home) address?
• USCIS 100:53. / 128:67.  What is one promise (two promises) you make when you become a United States citizen?
• USCIS 128:68.   How can people become United States citizens?
• USCIS 128:118. Name one example of an American innovation.
• Read: What U.S. city has the most people? 
• Write: New York is the U.S. city with the most people. 

Family Fun:

• The 60 Minutes Interview: I.M. Pei
• AIISF Immigrant Voices: I.M. Pei’s Angel Island Beginnings
• Archistudent: I. M. Pei: The Architect Who Changed Modern Architecture Forever
• CNBC: Renowned architect I.M. Pei dies at 102, leaves rich legacy of modern design
• China Daily Global: Remembering I.M. Pei in his New York home
• Christie's: I.M. Pei's Home: Art as a Lived Experience
• Biography: I.M. Pei
• I.M. Pei Foundation: Documentary about I.M. Pei's architecture, philosophy and his impact on the world
• Immigrant Hall of Fame: I.M. Pei
• JM Architecture: The Story of I.M. Pei
• NPA: Who Is I. M. Pei? 10 Things to Know
• NPG: In Memoriam: I.M. Pei
• PBS American Masters: I.M. Pei | full documentary
• Showcase: Immortal Designs of I.M. Pei
• Thomas Jefferson's Monticello: July 4, 2006 at Monticello (Naturalization ceremony) with I.M. Pei
• US Moderninst: I.M. Pei
• uscitizenpod: I.M. Pei coloring page

250 to 250:134. Robert “Fighting Bob” La Follette, Narrated by Ben Wikler

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Robert “Fighting Bob” La Follette, Narrated by Ben Wikler

Ben Wikler‬ is an American political organizer and New York Times best-selling author who served as the chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin from July 2019 to July 2025. Ben’s latest book This Is The Plan: How to End America's Meltdown and Save Democracy is now available. Wikler profiles Robert "Fighting Bob" La Follette, the Wisconsin reformer who battled corporate power and drove some of the Progressive Movement's greatest victories.

Robert “Fighting Bob” La Follette wanted the government to help all Americans.

• He worked to protect workers from powerful businesses.
• He was the governor of Wisconsin and a U.S. senator.
• He supported workers’ rights and women’s right to vote.
• He wanted fair taxes and fair elections.
• He believed the government should be open and honest.
• He promoted the Wisconsin Idea, which brought government leaders, workers, and university experts together to solve problems.
• His ideas helped create new laws, including Social Security and the New Deal.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 4:02. Is your current physical address the same as your current mailing address?
• USCIS 100:20. / 128:23. Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now?
• USCIS 100:23. / 128:29. Name your U.S. Representative.
• USCIS 100:43. / 128:61. Who is the Governor of your state now?
• Read: How many senators do we have? 
• Write: We have 100 senators.   

Family Fun: 

• Dissent: La Follette’s Wisconsin Idea
• JDog Productions, LLC: "Fighting Bob" LaFollette profile
• LOC: La Follette's autobiography; a personal narrative of political experiences
• Lund Travel Adventures: Robert La Follette National Statuary Collection part 97 of 100
• NGA: Gov. Robert M. La Follette
• PBS Wisconsin Education: Belle Case La Follette: Ballots and Bloomers
• The Progressive: The Birth of the Wisconsin Idea
• US Capitol Historical Society: Lessons From the Gilded Age: What Can Be Applied Today? with Dr. Nancy Unger
• US House: LA FOLLETTE, Robert Marion
• US Senate: Robert La Follette: A Featured Biography
• UW: Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs
• uscitizenpod: Robert La Follette coloring page

250 to 250:133. Treaty of Portsmouth, Narrated by John Palfrey

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Treaty of Portsmouth, Narrated by John Palfrey

John Palfrey, recognized as one of the Best Leaders in America by U.S. News & World Report, is an American educator, legal scholar, and author who serves as the president of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. He is the great-grandson of President Theodore Roosevelt, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for brokering the Treaty of Portsmouth.

From 1904 to 1905, Russia and Japan fought a war over land in East Asia.

• In 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt helped the two countries meet for peace talks.
• Russia and Japan signed the Treaty of Portsmouth to end the war.
• In 1906, Roosevelt won the Nobel Peace Prize.
• He was the first American to win this prize.
• Some people disagreed with the award because Roosevelt had supported a war in the Philippines.
• The Nobel committee gave Roosevelt the Peace Prize because he helped end the war.
  

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 9:10. Have you EVER received any weapons training, paramilitary training, or other military-type training?
• 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.
• Read: What are the colors of the flag?
• Write: The colors of the flag are red, white, and blue.  

Family Fun:

• DNA Info: Natural History Museum Unveils $2.5M Restored Teddy Roosevelt Murals | mural photo
• History: Russo-Japanese War
• LOC: Scenes and Incidents, Russo-Japanese Peace Conference, Portsmouth, N.H.
• MHS: President Theodore Roosevelt and the 1905 Treaty of Portsmouth
• Mr. Beat: (The Philippine-American War) The War Your American History Teachers Probably Didn't Tell You About
• National Postal Museum: Gifts of Friendship (dual issue)
• PBS/Ken Burns: Theodore Roosevelt Wins Nobel Peace Prize | lesson plan
• Portsmouth Peace Treaty: Theodore Roosevelt's Nobel Peace Prize | Memorial Cherry Trees
• State: The Treaty of Portsmouth and the Russo-Japanese War, 1904–1905
• uscitizenpod: Portsmouth Treaty 1 | Portsmouth 2 (with TR) | Portsmouth 3 (mural) coloring pages
• VOA News: Washington's Cherry Trees a Symbol of Harmony Between US, Japan

250 to 250:132. Julia Child, Narrated by Jacques Pépin

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Julia Child, Narrated by Jacques Pépin

Jacques Pépin is a legendary chef, culinary educator, PBS television host, and author whose work revolutionized American home cooking. He is best known for starring with his dear friend and fellow icon, Julia Child, in the Emmy-winning TV series Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home. In 2016 he and his family created the Jacques Pépin Foundation, which is dedicated to improving lives through culinary education. Here, Pépin celebrates Julia Child’s enthusiasm for making fine cuisine accessible to all. ‪

Julia Child loved French food.

• She wanted Americans to learn about French cooking.
• She wrote a cookbook called Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
• At first, a publisher said the book was too difficult.
• The book was published in 1961 and became a bestseller.
• In 1962, Julia Child started a TV show called The French Chef.
• The show was on television for 10 years.
• Julia made cooking and baking fun and exciting.
• She taught millions of people how to cook and try new foods.
• She encouraged people to learn from their mistakes in the kitchen.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 9:08. Have you ever served in the military or were a member on a paramilitary group?
• USCIS 100:53. / 128:67.  What is one promise (two promises) you make when you become a United States citizen?
• USCIS 128:106. Why did the United States enter World War II?
• Read:  When is Thanksgiving? 
• Write: Thanksgiving is in November.  

Family Fun:

• Bio: Julia Child - Journalist & Chef | Mini Bio
• CIA: Julia Child: Cooking Up Spy Ops for OSS
• GBH: Separating Fact vs. Fiction in the Life of Julia Child
• HBO Max: Julia playlist
• Julia Child: Mastering the Art of French Cooking
• Julia Child Foundation: timeline | Boeuf Bourguignon recipe and much more!
• Julia Child on PBS: full episodes
• Leite's Culinaria: Julia Child’s Easy Scrambled Eggs (Great for Kids)
• Monday Mandala: Kitchen Coloring Pages
• NMAH: Julia Child's Kitchen | Behind-the-Scenes: Twenty Years of Julia Child’s Kitchen
• NWHM: Julia Child and the Chemistry of Cooking
• National Postal Museum: Forever Celebrity Chefs: Julia Child single
• PBS: How Julia Child Empowered Women in the Kitchen and Beyond
• PBS Food: The Best of Julia Child playlist
• Sony Pictures: JULIE & JULIA - Official Trailer
• WGBH: The Julia Child Project: The Cold War, France, and the Politics of Food

250 to 250:131. Stamp Act, Narrated by Joanne Freeman

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Stamp Act, Narrated by Joanne Freeman

Dr. Joanne B. Freeman is an award-winning historian, who studies the politics and culture of America's past to better understand our history.  She is Professor of History and American Studies at Yale University. Freeman recounts how the 1765 Stamp Act sparked colonial protests over "taxation without representation" that helped set the stage for revolution.

In 1765, Britain needed money after the French and Indian War.

Britain passed the Stamp Act.

• The law put a tax on printed materials.
• Many colonists believed the tax was unfair.
• They protested against “taxation without representation.”
• Colonial leaders met in New York to discuss their rights.
• Colonists also boycotted British goods.
• In 1766, Britain ended the Stamp Act.
• The protests helped unite the American colonies.
• This helped lead to the American Revolution.

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 100:61. Why did the colonists fight the British?
• USCIS 128:70. What is one way Americans can serve their country?
• USCIS 128:71. Why is it important to pay federal taxes?
• USCIS 128:77. Name one reason why the Americans declared independence from Britain.
• Read:  Why do we pay taxes? 
• Write: We pay taxes for the government.  

Family Fun:

• American Battlefields Trust: Stamp Act of 1765
• Gilder Lehrman: Stamp Act, 1765
• JYF Museum: What was the Stamp Act?
• MHS: Stamp Act (1765)
• Michael Zoeller: British Taxes and American Boycotts
• NPS: Anger and Opposition to the Stamp Act
• National Postal Museum: One Minute Wonders: The Stamp Act | Forever Repeal of the Stamp Act single
• PBS and Ken Burns: The American Revolution | How the Stamp Act Lit the Flame of the American Revolution clip
• PBS Learning Media: The Stamp Act: Part 1 | Part 2 
• uscitizenpod: Bostonians Reading the Stamp Act 1765 | Repeal of the Stamp Act 1766 | No Stamp Act Teapot coloring pages

250 to 250:130. Native American Code Talkers, Narrated by Latham Nez

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Native American Code Talkers, Narrated by Latham Nez

Latham Nez is a contemporary Navajo artist, jewelry creator and cultural advocate from New Mexico best known as the grandson of the late Chester Nez, the last surviving member of the original 29 Navajo Code Talkers. Nez remembers the Native American Code Talkers, whose Indigenous languages became unbreakable codes that helped win both World Wars.

Native American code talkers served in both World Wars.

• They used their Native languages to send secret messages.
• The enemy could not understand their messages.
• Code talkers came from many Native American tribes.
• Choctaw code talkers served in World War I.

Navajo and Comanche code talkers served in World War II.

• During World War II, Navajo code talkers served in the Pacific. 
• Chester Nez was one of the first 29 Navajo code talkers.
• Comanche code talkers served in the D-Day invasion (Normandy, France).
• Their work helped win the wars.
• Their languages are important parts of Native American life and culture today.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 9:25. Have you ever served in the U.S. military?
• USCIS 100:53. / 128:67.  What is one promise (two promises) you make when you become a United States citizen?
• USCIS 100:78 / 128:100. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.
• USCIS 100:87. / 128:117. Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.
• Read: Who lived here first? 
• Write: American Indians lived here first.  

Family Fun:

• American Legion National Headquarters: Chester Nez: The Last of the Original Navajo Codetalkers
• LOC: Navajo Code Talkers: A Guide to First-Person Narratives in the Veterans History Project | Chester Nez
• Lowell Milken Center: Meet the Hero: Chester Nez
• NMAI: Why We Serve: Native American in the US Armed Forces: Code Talkers | Code Talking: Intelligence and Bravery | Native American Code Talkers: A Lasting Legacy | NK360: CodeTalkers
• National WWII Museum: American Indian Code Talkers
• National Veterans Memorial and Museum: National Navajo Code Talkers Day
• Partnership with Native Americans: Navajo Code Talkers Day: The Life and Legacy of Chester Nez
• Smithsonian: The Unbreakable Navajo Code | Breaking Barriers: Navajo Code Talkers
• Stamp Our Story: Navajo Code Talkers
• US Mint: Code Talker Medals (Wikipedia collection)
• uscitizenpod: Comanche | Choctaw | Navajo Code Talker coloring pages

250 to 250:129. Hockessin Colored School 107, Narrated by Senator Chris Coons

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Hockessin Colored School 107, Narrated by Senator Chris Coons

Senator Chris Coons of Delaware is an American lawyer and former Chair of the Senate Ethics Committee, who is recognized for his work in legislature and oversight. Coons tells how Shirley Bulah's walk to a segregated school led to a Delaware ruling that helped pave the way for Brown v. Board of Education. 

Shirley Bulah was a Black student in Delaware.

• She walked to a Black school every day.
• School buses took white children to a white school.
• Shirley’s family wanted her to have equal treatment.
• Lawyer Louis Redding helped the family.
• He fought against separate schools for Black and white children.
• In 1952, a Delaware court ruled in favor of Shirley and other Black students.
• The Delaware case later became part of Brown v. Board of Education.
• In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional.
• The decision helped open public schools to students of all races.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz: 

• N-400 Part 9:7. Have you EVER ordered, incited, called for, committed, assisted, helped with, or otherwise participated in intentional harm or suffering to any person becaue of their race, religion, national origin, membership in a particular group, or political opinion?
• 100:84 / 128:112.   What did the civil rights movement do?
• Read: Why do people want to be citizens?  
• Write: Washington was the first U.S. president. 

Family Fun:

• 107c: The One-Room School That Helped Change America
• Avalon: Interview with Louis L. Redding
• DPM: New monument commemorates Delaware's role in Brown v. Board of Education
• Delaware Dept of Ed: From RunaRound to Remedy (or Bulah to Brown) (lesson plan)
• Delaware Hisorical Society: Journey to Freedom: The African American Experience in Delaware | Belton and Bulah VS. Gebhart: The Fight to End School Segregation in DE
• NAAHC: Separate Is Not Equal - Brown v. Board of Education: Shirley Bulah
• NPS: Belton (Bulah) v. Gebhart | Oral History Interview with Shirley Bulah Stamps
• National Trust for the Preservation of Historic Place: How Black Women Changed the Face of Education in America
• VOA Learning English: Brown v. Board of Education Helps Launch Civil Rights Movement
• Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice: The Journey: From Shirley Bulah to Ruby Bridges
• uscitizenpod: Shirley Bulah | Public Education coloring pages
• WHYY: Delaware schools that helped end segregation are now part of a national historic park

250 to 250:128. Fort Mose, Narrated by Chip Storey

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Fort Mose, Narrated by Chip Storey

Charles "Chip" Storey is a board member and historian for the Fort Mose Historical Society. The society advocates for public education and historical accuracy on the nation's first legally sanctioned free Black settlement. Storey tells the story of Fort Mose, the first legally sanctioned free Black community in America, founded by fugitives from slavery in Spanish Florida.

In 1693, Spain offered freedom to enslaved Africans who escaped to Spanish Florida.

• Many escaped from the British colonies and traveled to St. Augustine.
• They agreed to serve Spain and become Catholic.
• In 1738, they built a community called Fort Mose.
• Fort Mose was the first legal community of free Black people in what became the United States.
• The people built homes, farmed, and formed a militia.
• In 1740, they helped fight British soldiers at the Battle of Bloody Mose.
• Fort Mose continued until 1763, when Spain gave Florida to Great Britain.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz: 

• USCIS Part 4:02: Where else have you lived in the past 5 years?
• USCIS 100:60. What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
• USCIS 128:75. What group of people was taken and sold as slaves?
• Read: What do people want?
• Write: People want freedom and independence.

Family Fun:

• ARC GIS: Couriers of Change: People who made a difference in St. Johns County, Florida story map (scroll for Katherine and Henry Twine of Fort Mose)
• Black Catholic Messenger: Reconstructed Fort Mose, first free Black settlement in America
• Bitter Southerner: First Foridians: Fort Mose
• Fort Mose Historical Society: website | Flight to Freedom Learning Resource KWL Chart | YouTube channel
• Florida State Parks: History of Fort Mose
• NPS: Fort Mosé | Story Time: Fort Mose and the Story of the Man who Built the First Free Black Settlement in Colonial America | Castillo de San Marcos National Monument and Fort Mose
• PBS: Fort Mose: America's First Free Black Community
• PBS Learning Media: Francisco Menendez and Fort Mose | Secrets of Spanish Florida: A Secrets of the Dead Special
• The Why of History: Why did Spain give up Florida?
• uscitizenpod: Fort Mose Walkway to Freedom coloring page

250 to 250:127. Washington’s Letter to Newport’s Hebrew Congregation, Narrated by Laura Freedman Pedrick

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Washington’s Letter to Newport’s Hebrew Congregation, Narrated by Laura Freedman Pedrick

Laura Freedman Pedrick formerly served as a trustee of St. George’s School, and on the Board of Governors at Newport Hospital. She is a current board member of the Newport String Project. Pedrick recounts George Washington's 1790 letter to Newport's Hebrew congregation, a founding promise of religious liberty that "gives to bigotry no sanction."

In 1790, President George Washington visited Newport, Rhode Island.

• Moses Seixas was a leader of the local Jewish community.
• Seixas wrote a letter to Washington about religious freedom.
• Washington wrote a letter back to the Jewish community.
• He said the U.S. government should not support religious hate or persecution.
• He wanted Jewish Americans to live in peace and safety.
• Washington’s letter supported religious freedom for all Americans.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz: 

• N-400 Part 9:7. Have you ever stopped someone from practicing their religion?
• USCIS 100:10. What is freedom of religion?
• USCIS 128:65. What are three rights of everyone living in the United States? 
• Read: Who was the first president? 
• Write: Washington was the first U.S. president. 

Family Fun:

• 92Y: Premiere: Premiere: George Washington and the Pursuit of Religious Freedom
• Braid Stories: George Washington's Letter to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport RI
• JA: Moses Seixas (1744–1809)—The Promise of Liberty
• Founders Online: George Washington to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island, 18 August 1790
• Loeb Jewish Portraits: Moses Benjamin Seixas
• NPS: Touro Synagogue National Historic Site
• National Postal Museum: 20c Touro Synagogue single
• LOC: “To Bigotry No Sanction, To Persecution No Assistance”
• OLL: Revisiting Washington’s Letter to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport
• Reclaim Hosting: Washington's National Tours (interactive map)
• Religion in America: The Seixas Family and Civic Life in the New American Republic
• Timeless Reader 1: George Washington's Letter to the Jews of Newport - 1790 - Moses Seixas, Warden
• TSF: George Washington's Letter
• uscitizenpod: The Touro Synagogue coloring page

250 to 250:126. Morrill Act, Narrated by Josh Cowen

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Morrill Act, Narrated by Josh Cowen

Josh Cowen is a professor of education policy at Michigan State University, where he founded the Education Policy Innovation Collaborative. Cowen focuses on bringing research and evidence to public policy decision-making. Cowen describes the impact of the 1862 Morrill Act, which gave us our state colleges and universities.

Suring the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln signed several important laws.

• In 1862, he signed the Morrill Act.
• Senator Justin Morrill of Vermont supported the law.
• He wanted more people to have access to education.
• The federal government gave land to states to help pay for new colleges.
• Much of this land had been taken from Native American tribes.
• The colleges taught agriculture, engineering, and other subjects.
• Before this time, college was mostly for wealthy people.
• The Morrill Act helped make higher education available to more Americans.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 7:01. Where have you attended school full time or part time for the past 5 years?
• USCIS 100:16.  Who makes federal laws?
• USCIS 128:18.   What part of the federal government writes laws?
• Read: What does Congress do? 
• Write: Congress makes laws. 

Family Fun:

• Arkansas Division of Agriculture: Celebrating the Morrill Act
• History Facts Made Easy: Land Grant University What Is It Morrill Acts
• IU Center on Representative Government: Congressional Moments Morrill Land-Grant Act
• Michigan State University: The Nation's Pioneer Land-Grant University
• NDSU: Land Grant Animation
• National Archive: Morrill Act of 1862
• Nikki Bell: The Morrill Act of 1862 and its Impact on Native Americans
• Penn State Outreach: The Legacy and the Promise: 150 Years of Land-Grant Universities
• Timeless Reader 1: Morrill Act, 1862 - Hear and Read the Land Grant College Act - Abraham Lincoln
• Traveling for History: Justin Morrill Homestead State Historic Marker
• Trivia on Tap: How Well Do You Know the Morrill Act? Take This Quiz & Find Out! 
• uscitizenpod: 4c Higher Education stamp coloring page (commemorates the centennial of the Morrill Act of 1862 that created land-grant colleges and universities)

250 to 250:125. Bill Mauldin, Narrated by Garry Trudeau

 

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Bill Mauldin, Narrated by Garry Trudeau

Garry Trudeau is an American cartoonist and satirist best known for bringing sharp, countercultural political and social commentary to the funny pages with his Pulitzer Prize-winning political comic strip Doonesbury. Trudeau profiles World War II cartoonist Bill Mauldin, whose infantrymen Willie and Joe gave weary American soldiers a champion and a laugh when they needed it most.

Bill Mauldin was a cartoonist during World War II.

• He drew cartoons about two soldiers, Willie and Joe.
• His cartoons showed the daily life of soldiers.
• Willie and Joe were brave, tired, and frustrated.
• Many American soldiers enjoyed his cartoons.
• His cartoons made soldiers laugh during difficult times.
• Mauldin won a Pulitzer Prize in 1945.
• Many soldiers remembered him as their champion.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz: 

• N-400 Part 9:25. Have you ever served in the U.S. military?
• N-400 Part 9:26. Are you currently serving in the U.S. armed services?
• USCIS 100:57. / 128:72. When must all men register for the Selective Service?
• USCIS 128:106. Why did the United States enter World War II?
• Read: When is Memorial Day?
• Write: Memorial Day is in May.

Family Fun:

• Bill Mauldin Art: Original Artwork
• Facing History & Ourselves: Inch by Inch Cartoon, Bill Mauldin
• NPS: World War II Memorial
• National Postal Museum: 44c Bill Mauldin single
• National World War II: Drawn to Combat: Bill Mauldin and the Art of War 
• PBS: Wartime Cartoons
• Pritzker Military Museum & Library: 2022 Emmy Award Recipient - Drawn to Combat: Bill Mauldin & the Art of War – Virtual tour
• Stars and Stripes: Bill Mauldin: two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and WWII legend
• Super Coloring: WWII coloring pages
• USCIS: N-400 Topic--Armed Forces; A More Perfect Union series: The Civics Test Guide to the WWII Memorial