While we know the dark history of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and the number of Africans forcibly taken from their homes, we hardly know anything about the lives of individual slaves. Only a few historical enslaved people are known by name, and most are lost to history. In a … [Read more...] about New giant database lets people learn about the lives of millions of slaves
history
Diving program teaches kids to document sunken slave ships
In the quest to create a more complete picture of African-American genealogy, an underwater archaeology group called Diving With a Purpose (DWP) focuses on documenting old slave ships that have sunk to the bottom of the sea. Documenting these ships and other artifacts of the … [Read more...] about Diving program teaches kids to document sunken slave ships
The pandemic led to biggest drop in emissions in human history
When the coronavirus first started putting nations into lockdown-mode, many publications including our own shared stories about the environmental impact of these lockdowns. Emissions plummeted, skies cleared, and native animals started to appear in streets and waterways usually … [Read more...] about The pandemic led to biggest drop in emissions in human history
The discovery of ancient sippy cups could explain prehistoric baby boom
Time for a little history lesson: In Southeastern Europe, starting around 7000 BC, people began farming and raising livestock after millennia of hunting and gathering. Archaeologists studying ancient human remains noticed that around the same time, populations in early farming … [Read more...] about The discovery of ancient sippy cups could explain prehistoric baby boom
The Revolution That Started it All: 1776
In today’s special edition of The Optimist Daily, we are celebrating revolutions! That’s because of the 4th of July, the day the Continental Congress declared independence from Great Britain. Right? Well, not so fast. While it’s widely believed that July 4, 1776, was the day … [Read more...] about The Revolution That Started it All: 1776
