Author name: aharris47

Why This History Gets Confused Conversations about the Ku Klux Klan and political parties often get reduced to slogans. “This party did this” or “that party did that.” But history is more complicated than that. Especially in the period right after the American Civil War. If you don’t slow down and look closely, it’s easy […]

A Different Definition of Freedom History often gets told within national borders, but freedom has never respected those lines. In 1829, Mexico made a decision that set it apart from its northern neighbor. It abolished slavery outright. That act was not just symbolic—it had real consequences for people living under bondage in nearby regions. It

A Name Too Often Left Out There are figures in American history whose impact is undeniable, yet their names rarely appear in everyday conversation. James Forten is one of those figures. His life sits at the intersection of war, business, and the fight against slavery. And when you look closely, you begin to see how

Where People Think the Story Begins Many people first encounter this history through works like Alex Haley, where the focus begins with the transatlantic slave trade. That starting point is powerful, but it can also feel incomplete. It can give the impression that history begins at capture, at shipment, at loss. And when that happens,