In 1960, four Black students staged a sit-in in Greensboro, North Carolina to protest against racial segregation in the United States. The stools they sat on are the most visited artifacts at the International Civil Rights Center and Museum.
Museum of Artifacts That Made America
From the first video games to the cotton gin; how do the inventions of the past impact the world around us today?
The Cannon: How The Cannon Revolutionised The Way Battles Were Fought
Long range, high calibre weapons – the cannon helped propel the Union to victory. But how did the technological advances that took place during the Civil War change the game?
Civil War Medical Kits
They empowered US Army medics to save countless lives – but how did the humble medical kit evolve with the American Civil War?
The Invention of the Camera
The invention of the camera changed how many Americans saw the Civil War – and exposed millions to the horrors of conflict for the very first time.
How the Telegraph Changed America
Military leaders didn’t just rely on carrier pigeons and messengers on horseback to share information during the American Civil War – they texted each other using telegrams!
History of the Surfboard
This totally rad piece of water sports equipment empowered millions of Americans to ride the waves – but but who invented the surfboard and how did the surfboard evolve through the years?
The Invention of Rubber Gloves
This is a love story behind one of the most important medical inventions ever made – the rubber glove – by William Stewart Halstead
The Tobacco Press: Revolutionising Farmers’ Gold
Today we know the risks of smoking tobacco, but over 100 years ago the dangers were less so, and tobacco became a booming business in Kentucky. Its success can in part be credited to the Burley tobacco press.
Civil War Prosthetics: A Step Forward in Battlefield Medicine
James Edward Hanger was hit by shrapnel from a cannonball at the beginning of the American Civil War- he designed the world’s first articulated prosthetic that could bend like a real leg.
The Swivel Chair: How Thomas Jefferson Invented the Office Chair
As one of the authors of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson’s words helped found a nation. But did you know that he also invented the modern day swivel chair?