New-York Historical Society Teen Historians

Ulysses S. Grant, the famous Union Civil War General and the 18th President of the United States, was born in Ohio to Jesse Grant, a tanner.  He attended the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York and surveyed the western frontier alongside many other young officers who would become military leaders in the…

As far back as I can remember February has been Black History Month. In school we always learnt about Martin Luther King Jr., Frederick Douglas and George Washington Carver and other black figures who left an impact on our society. Invariably one student would ask “Why is there a Black History Month, but no White…

For the past few years it’s seemed like everywhere we look we’re seeing a new book or  movie (or N-YHS satellite exhibit) about the Civil War, and as the 150th anniversary of the end of the war approaches, it definitely seems like we have found a new history hot-topic. In light of all the Oscar…

While our Teen Leader group is curating our Civil War satellite exhibit, we are also creating tours for the Rubin Museum of Art teen interns to go on when they visit the New-York Historical Society! While these tours will cover some of the main attractions here, like the Armory Show, I have decided to pull…

Hello from the Governor’s Island curating squad of 2014! This year we are working on some really cool material and we would love to share it with you! Since we have started our internship/curatorial work we have been doing a lot of research – about… the Civil War! Yes – it is confirmed that our…

Civil War paintings have unique characteristics that make them distinct from other works of art. Understanding that they are historical objects and works of art at the same time, I have a few suggested steps that you could take when looking at a Civil War Painting. Louis Lang (1814–1893), Return of the 69th (Irish) Regiment,…

Though it’s not Times Square or the Statue of Liberty or any other tourist-friendly destinations of that ilk, Brooklyn is a whirlwind of different ethnicities, rich culture and extensive historical background. It’s difficult to find many surviving remnants of bygone eras in Manhattan, a city that is always changing, renovating and rebuilding. However, Brooklyn wears…

“Among the men who fought on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue” —Admiral Chester W. Nimitz In the final months of World War II, as the war in Europe drew to a close Allied military forces shifted their focus on forcing Japan to surrender.  The Imperial Navy and Army were suffering major defeats…

                       The flappers are known to be the “wild child” during the roaring twenties. These ladies were the epitome of “footloose and fancy free”. Flappers had lived the life of the now famous motto, “YOLO” (You Only Live Once) which means that you are here on earth for a limited amount of time so…