Posts by bmaynard

Fort McHenry is a significant historical site in Baltimore, Maryland, known for its role in the War of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain. In September 1814, the British launched an attack on Baltimore, targeting Fort McHenry with heavy artillery. The fort was crucial for the city’s defense, and its soldiers endured more…

On August 28, 1963, a monumental event unfolded in American history: the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Organized by civil rights leaders, this event aimed to shine a spotlight on the persistent struggles faced by African Americans, particularly in areas such as employment and civil rights. The march, which attracted an estimated 250,000…

The 8-hour workday is something many of us take for granted today, but it wasn’t always the standard. It took more than half a century of struggle and activism for this idea to become a reality in the United States. The journey toward the 8-hour workday began in the 19th century and culminated in the…

Frederick Douglass, a formerly enslaved person turned abolitionist, delivered the first speech of his illustrious career at an anti-slavery convention in Nantucket that would forever etch his name in history. Douglass referred to this moment as his “first speech” (Blight, 98-99; Mayer, 305-306). This speech holds immense significance as it was the first time Douglass…