It was rare for Black people to rise to power during the time of segregation. But against all odds, Bumpy Johnson somehow managed to do so. Between the 1950s and the 1960s, he was the most powerful man in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. Though he was arrested dozens of times, Bumpy always […]
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The history of American slavery is a dark, difficult period in the nation’s past. However, there exists a figure whose experience transcends mere words – a visceral and deeply evocative visual testimony to the cruelty endured by enslaved individuals. Whipped Peter is an anonymous figure whose suffering and resilience have been etched into history through
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There is something about the execution of a monarch that sticks in people’s minds for hundreds of years. To go from the highest position in society to the guillotine seems almost unreal, but this was the fate of French queen Marie Antoinette. The French Revolution swept through the country like an unavoidable tide, taking the
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Among the horrors of something like World War II, it can be hard to remember that there were heroes who rose up to help others. Because of the secretive nature that was required to help the Jewish people during WWII, a lot of these heroes were never identified and have faded into history, unnamed. Adolfo
Adolfo Kaminsky: The forger who saved thousands of Jews Read More »
It was 43 years after the storming of the Bastille that the stirrings of another rebellion, the June Rebellion of 1832, reached a fever pitch and became a true movement. While the rebellion ultimately failed and is overshadowed by the enormous impact of the earlier French Revolution, the June Rebellion of 1832 still left its
How the June rebellion of 1832 inspired Les Miserables Read More »
YouTube has become somewhat of a haven for adventurers to share their stories and the strange things they might find. Most of the time, these sorts of channels and content creators are harmless entertainment. But other times, these adventures can turn deadly. Kenny Veach, 47, was better known by his fans by his YouTube handle,
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In all of military history, there has never been another figure quite like the audacious and eccentric Mad Jack Churchill. He was a British Commando of World War II acclaim, whose extraordinary exploits have been recounted many times. He was known for charging into battle armed with a longbow, bagpipes blaring, and his resolve never wavering.
The Iconic Mad Jack Churchill: World War II Commando Read More »
At first glance, the so-called Spanish Donkey may not seem menacing. But take a closer look. It was shaped like a pommel horse in gymnastics, but with a pointed triangular edge facing upwards. This device’s shape ensured that its victims received a gruesomely agonizing experience. Used first in Medieval Europe, particularly during the Spanish Inquisition,
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There are few images more moving and more influential than that of Thich Quang Duc and his symbolic self-immolation. In the turbulent landscape of early 1960s South Vietnam, this poignant moment of protest left the world both astonished and captivated. Thich Quang Duc was a devoted Buddhist monk, living in a nation torn by turmoil
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Few animals have gained the kind of fame – and notoriety – as the orca known as Tilikum. He was captured off the coast of Iceland at the age of two. He was then held in captivity for the rest of his 35 years of life. Most of that time was spent in Orlando, performing
Tilikum the Killer Whale: A Tragic and Violent Life Read More »
