History

In 1895, Senator Benjamin Tillman of South Carolina attempted to solidify his political power. He proposed to rewrite the South Carolina Constitution to deny African Americans their constitutional rights and make racial segregation the law of the state. Six Black leaders—Robert Anderson, Isaiah Reed, Robert Smalls, William J. Whipper, James Wigg and Thomas E. Miller—went to the state capitol in the face of insult and ridicule to make an eloquent stand against these developments. The erudite and forceful addresses of these men drew worldwide headlines but are largely forgotten today. Author Damon L. Fordham attempts to rectify that omission and inspire generations to come.

From small ports to large ports, from rivers to creeks, from lakes to lagoons, water routes have been essential to Florida’s development as a commercial, recreational, agricultural, and cultural entity. With more than 30,000 lakes and ponds and some 1,700 rivers, creeks, and streams, Florida ranks second in the list of wettest states in the USA. Native Americans used the rivers, creeks, and lakes as routes to various locales within the peninsula while harvesting fish and other aquatic edibles to sustain their daily lives. Early European settlers followed suit and supplemented their diets with the bounty from the oceans and fresh water sources. Into statehood, settlers relied on the same sources for food while using fresh water to make the land productive for food and cash crops. By the early decades of the 20th Century, water became a marketable attraction to lure millions of tourists to Florida for recreation and sports. The trend continues today. Join a trio of authors on this look at the immense impact water and maritime activities have played in the development of Florida.

This pictorial history illustrates the Tennessee River's influence on Northwest Alabama and people, places, and events that have shaped the area’s cultural and natural history.

For centuries, the Tennessee River has shaped the lives of northwest Alabamians. Native peoples made their homes on its shores, living on the rich resources found in its waters and on its banks. Early Europeans and Americans recognized the river's importance in connecting east with west, although traveling the 40-mile stretch of rocky shoals between present-day Decatur and Florence was difficult. Overcoming that navigation challenge led to such 19th-century technological advances as the Tuscumbia, Courtland & Decatur Railroad—the first rail line west of the Appalachian Mountains—and the Muscle Shoals Canal. During the Civil War, skirmishes over control of factories, rail lines, and bridges characterized most military activity in northwest Alabama. In the 20th century, the construction of Wilson Dam and the creation of the Tennessee Valley Authority improved the quality of life and increased economic opportunities in northwest Alabama.

 A Town and its People

Bennington was the first town chartered in Vermont and has played a vital role in both the American Revolution and the founding of the state of Vermont. The town was also home to some very unique individuals who shaped the Green Mountain State.

Ethan Allen, Robert Frost, Grandma Moses, Norman Rockwell, Shirley Jackson and William Lloyd Garrison have all called this area home at one time or another. The economic base of the town is rooted in the mills that once lined the banks of its rivers. Bennington pottery became one of the most popular styles of early American ceramics and is revered by antiquarians to this day. The Kiddie Car was invented and built in Bennington, and a large percentage of the stereoscopes used in every home a century ago came from factories in the area. A car beautiful enough to be driven by Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford was designed and built in town. Even one of the victims of the tragic Titanic disaster was a local man.

No wonder that writers like Bernard Malamud and Dorothy Canfield Fisher were proud to spend their lives creating wonderful books here. Authors Bill Morgan and Tom Fels reveal the stories behind the names.

Along the Indiana border in Southwest Michigan lies Cass County, a place rich in historical significance.

Nearly one thousand freedom seekers traveled through the area on their way to Canada. The first rendition of “The Old Rugged Cross” was sung in a local church before it became one of the best-loved gospel hymns in America. The first stop on the Orphan Train, which moved street orphans from New York City to homes across the Midwest, was in Dowagiac, and the invention of Kitty Litter by local Edward Lowe allowed cat lovers the world over to finally bring their furry friends in from the cold.

Author Rose Mary Wood commemorates the events and individuals who left their mark on Cass County and the world.

This detailed history of a beloved Queen City institution is sure to offer something new on Findlay Market for the even the most hardcore local history buff.

Located in Over-the-Rhine in the heart of Cincinnati, Findlay Market is Ohio's oldest continually operating market. It opened in 1855 to serve a growing population and quickly became a central neighborhood hub for goods and services. Despite its success, the market experienced dwindling customers and storefront vacancies in the mid- and late twentieth century, reflective of the struggles and decline confronting many cities in those years. Over the last twenty years, market revitalization efforts signal ongoing reinvestment in the city center--a trend transforming many American cities.

Gathering personal stories of the merchants of Findlay Market, historian Alyssa McClanahan shines a light on the past to reveal the market's place in local and American urban history.

The Scary Side of Arkansas

Immerse yourself in the captivating allure of Arkansas, where mysterious phenomena beckon the curious. Embark on a journey to the healing waters hidden within the lush landscape of the Ozarks. They possess extraordinary healing powers, drawing seekers of health and rejuvenation to their mystical waters. Venture into the realm of the enigmatic spook lights, where luminescent orbs dance and flicker, intriguing all who witness it. Are they the spirits of the doomed and departed or something more sinister? Join Heather Woodward on an extraordinary odyssey through the eerie corners of Arkansas, where the past intertwines with the present, revealing a tapestry of untold tales.

Explore the haunted lore and inexplicable tragedies of North Central Texas. North Central Texas is home to some former residents who just won’t leave. Encounter spirits of affluent families lingering in their mansions and the specters of notorious outlaws still trapped in their jail cells. Uncover the mysterious demise of Garland’s Smiley family and the grisly secrets of a Grayson County slaughterhouse. Track down the stone angel who flaps her wings when no one is watching. Learn why the elevators at the Adolphus Hotel frighten guests and plumb the ghostly currents that flow through the town of Mineral Wells. Author Teresa Nordheim ventures into the past of a region with more unnerving shadows than a North Texas Thunderstorm.

#YeahThatGreenville is the official slogan of a city with a Southern Charm and congenial reputation. But the beauty of the Reedy River Falls cannot cover up its secret past. Theodosia Burr Alston regularly summered in Greenville prior to being “lost at sea” in 1812. Rival newspaper editors Benjamin Perry and Turner Bynum, faced off in a fatal duel in 1832.Hugh Bramlett murdered his mother-in-law in 1919, before it was revealed that insanity populated his family tree. Genealogical researcher, Jennifer Stoy presents uncovered tales of mayhem, insanity, and a side of Greenville you didn’t know existed.

Enjoy local stories celebrating family, faith and democratic values.

The history of Medina County brims with tales revealing the colorful and admirable character of its communities and people. For a while, locals observed living in two time zones simultaneously while also ignoring a federal law mandating Daylight Saving Time. The world-famous Giant of Seville, Captain Martin Van Buren Bates, had a brief but violent vigilante episode in Civil War-era Kentucky before finding peace and Christianity--and a home--in Ohio. The county's most prominent political family, the Batchelders, had ties to a pig farm in Brunswick that drew national attention and statewide reform.

Author Stephen D. Hambley shares insightful and entertaining stories, many never heard before, from Medina County's past.

Assemble a composite portrait of the Texas plains through these historic tales.

Many thousands of years ago, Clovis Man hunted huge mammoths here. More recently, Waylon Jennings drew his musical inspiration here. In the intervening time, the Texas prairie has been the backdrop for the wildest of Wild West shootouts, landmark legal battles and epic achievements in sports, music and medicine. Familiar icons like Roy Orbison and Dan Blocker, as well as forgotten characters like Charlie “Squirrel-Eye” Emory and John “the Catfish Kid” Gough all helped shape the colorful history of the Texas Plains. Who shot the sheriff? Who was the earliest American? Who invented the slam dunk? Author Chuck Lanehart answers these questions and many more in a wide-ranging collection of stories.

Award-winning true crime author Jane Turzillo brings together the strippers, gangsters, robbers, shady politicians, and more from Cleveland's rough and rowdy past.

From the Roaring Twenties to a Rock 'N' Roll Landmark

Since it opened in 1925, the Gramercy Park Hotel has always been one of New York’s premiere cultural hotspots. Early in its history it served as the backdrop to Humphrey Bogart’s first marriage and housed a young John F. Kennedy. Soon Babe Ruth was a regular at the bar, and Joe DiMaggio was feted there. Most famous, perhaps, was the period in the 1970s, when rock ’n’ roll royalty dubbed the hotel “the Glamercy,” and acts such as the Clash, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, Madonna, and more stayed “on the way up or on the way down.” The hotel’s history also includes the harrowing personal story of the Weissberg family who owned it for many years and lived there. Author Max Weissberg reveals an inside look at the hotel’s storied past as a rock ’n’ roll muse and a New York icon. 

More than forty million Americans claim Irish ancestry. This lively illustrated book, divided into parts exploring myths, legends, and folktales, explains for the U.S. audience the importance of storytelling in Irish culture in particular. In ancient Ireland, a good storyteller was so valued that he would be a member of the aos dána, the bards, and would be welcomed into every village because he came bearing tales. From the One-Eyed Giant to the Salmon of Knowledge to beloved “fairy” tales, the author—a seanchaí (traditional storyteller) herself—presents a fascinating collection that places these archetypal tales in historical context.

During the War of Independence, New England’s soldiers faced the possibility of death in battle on the field, from an errant cannon blast or, more commonly, from a skirmish in the woodlands. More feared, perhaps, were the dangers that came off the field of battle in the form of illness, hunger and exposure to the elements. Those who served “’til the war’s end” faced the tides of sickness and hunger that swept through their encampments and prisons during the region’s frigid and unforgiving winters. Historian Robert A. Geake explores these challenges through collected diaries, documents and letters. They reveal a largely untold story of the conflict, while providing a true testament to the grit and determination of the Continental army, including patriots of color, during the most demanding of times.

Though originally hailing from the East, twenty-two revolutionaries moved to Jackson County in their sunset years.

These brave men made various and sometimes surprising contributions to the war effort. Thomas Swartout served as a spy for George Washington, and Jabez Mosher Jr. drove cattle across New England to feed hungry Continental troops. Swift Woodworth got his first taste of combat at the famous Battle of Bunker Hill. Logging enough war experience for many men, John Wall fought in major battles with the militia, participated in raids as a ranger, helped capture British vessels as a sailor and was a prisoner of war.

Exploring the lives of these men before and after this pivotal conflict, local authors Linda Hass and David Van Hoof tell the surprising stories of these unsung heroes.

Stories to SavorWashington has a tortured history with liquor. Efforts to ban or restrict it date back to1854, before the region even attained statehood, with blue laws remaining on the books well into the twentieth century. From Jimmie Durkin, an enterprising saloon owner, to Roy Olmstead, a former Seattle cop turned gentleman bootlegger, the business of liquor has inspired both trouble and innovation.Join author and journalist Becky Garrison as she traces the history of the barrel and the bottle from early settlement to the modern craft distilling boom in the Evergreen State.

Discover the history of the development of Long Island and its intimate relationship with New York City. /

Beginning in the Roaring Twenties, Wall Street money looked eastward to Nassau and Suffolk counties looking generate wealth from a land boom. After the Great Depression and World War II, Long Island was the site of the creation of the quintessential postwar American suburb, Levittown. Levittown and its spinoff suburban communities served as a primary symbol of the American dream through affordable home ownership for the predominately White middle class and established a core attribute of the national mythology. Starting in the 1960s, the dream began to dissolve, as the postwar economic engine ran out of steam and Long Island became as much urban as suburban. Author Lawrence R. Samuel charts how the island evolved over the decades and largely detached itself from New York City to become a self-sustaining entity with its own challenges, exclusions and triumphs.

Go behind the scenes with never before reported stories of intrigue from some of the most colorful characters in Virginia politics over the last half century.

Read about the changes that political figures have brought to the Old Dominion, from Henry Howell's legendary gubernatorial run in the 1970s through 2020's successful battle for Richmond Public Schools against the Dominion Coliseum. Along the way, see how visionaries challenged Virginia to overcome her legacy of segregation and how that history still affects our destiny today.

Hailed by the New York Times as part of "a major revolution in racial politics in America'? for running the groundbreaking campaigns of Governor Doug Wilder, author Paul Goldman has spent decades on the leading edge of Virginia politics.

Poppy Tooker’s Drag Queen Brunch showcases delicious meals and brunch-time cocktails in some of New Orleans’ most iconic restaurants and courtyards.

Featuring luscious photos of all the dishes (both the ladies and the recipes) by renowned photographer Sam Hanna, the inspiring images are accompanied by light-hearted profiles of fifteen flirtatious queens and their favorite flavors— mouth-watering recipes for classic dishes, new favorites, and thirst quenchers— all designed to enhance the brunch experience. No matter where in the world you live, you can prepare a Crescent City style brunch brimming with fun and tasty treats.

Contributors include Vinsantos Defonte, a prominent voice in the national LGBTQ community and founder of New Orleans Drag Workshop; Wayne Phillips, curator of the Costumes & Textiles and the Carnival Collections of the Louisiana State Musuem; and of course, Poppy Tooker herself, celebrated host of Louisiana Eats!

A percentage of all proceeds is dedicated to CrescentCare (NO/AIDS Task Force).

Ghost stories from the Midwestern United States have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery! 

The haunted history of the Midwest comes to life—even when the main players are dead. Visit Ohio, the oldest state in the Midwest, to glimpse ghosts in the Butler County Historical Museum. Or travel to Crown Point, Indiana, and see Ruffle Shirt Hill’s Underground Railroad site. Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained all across America’s Midwestern states; just be sure to keep the light on.

Mix up a cocktail New Orleans-style. From highfalutin to down home, from Sazeracs to mint juleps, this gorgeous cocktail cookbook offers more than sixty recipes from famous New Orleans establishments and mixologists, along with photographs, history, and narratives. These Crescent City cocktails are easy on the eyes and the taste buds and can be paired with recipes from the Classics Series.

Ghost stories from the Duke City have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!

The haunted history of Albuquerque comes to life—even when the main players are dead. Hear the clinking of spurs against ghostly cowboy boots walking through the High Noon Restaurant. Or witness the lights flicker at the Church Street Café. Stop by La Hacienda restaurant and perhaps dine with a presence from another realm! Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained; just be sure to keep the light on.

Ghost stories from this Texas town have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!

San Antonio’s, historic haunted history comes to life—even when the main players are dead. Meet the spirit of a long-dead monk who still paces the floors of the San Fernando Cathedral. Visit the site of the 1842 Battle of Salado Creek and see spectral soldiers roaming the battlefield. Stay a night in the hotel that was built on top of the Old Bexar County Jail and perhaps you’ll meet one of the old inmates roaming the halls. Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained; just be sure to keep the light on.

Ghost stories from Bisbee, Arizona have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery! 

The haunted history of Prescott comes to life—even when the main players are dead. Visit the Loretto Academy, but keep your eye out for the ghosts of students from long ago. Or walk into Zacatecas Canyon and risk bumping into the Woman in White. Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained; just be sure to keep the light on.

The untold story of the Bolsa Chica Gun Club, one of Southern California’s most important power centers.Before the rise of Huntington Beach, the Bolsa Chica Gun Club stood as a captivating testament to power and ambition. Influential figures like Jared Sidney Torrance and Henry Huntington were members of this exclusive haven where businessmen, politicians, and even stars of early Hollywood gathered to relax and socialize. Once rapid development and the discovery of oil began encroaching on the club lands, it slowly faded into memory, but its influence remains.Join author Chris Epting as he explores the remarkable and sometimes controversial events that unfolded on the club’s hallowed grounds.

From the beginning of World War II, Delaware’s movie theaters played a starring role in the state’s war effort. Delaware and every town in it – from Claymont to Delmar – did its part to support the war. From base theaters to opera houses to movie palaces, Delaware’s theaters sold hundreds of millions of dollars in war bonds. They served as WAAC recruiting stations. They were collection points for resource drives. They screened countless newsreels and documentaries about every aspect of the war. And they hosted the likes of Fay Wray, Gene Lockhart, Gail Patrick, Paulette Goddard, and other Hollywood stars who came to the state to keep morale high, support strong, and dollars flowing. /Author Michael J. Nazarewycz recounts how the First State, the Greatest Generation, and the Dream Factory joined forces when America’s forces needed them most.

True Blue for Union

In the middle of the nineteenth century, Cape May County was an isolated and lightly populated peninsula at the southernmost tip of New Jersey. Nevertheless, its citizens answered the call for the Union effort during the Civil War. The 7th U.S. Infantry regiment recruited substantially from the region, and the entire community came out to usher the gallant troops to war, departing from Cape Island. On the homefront, supporting rallies were staged, food drives enacted and medical supplies shipped to the front. Railroad tycoons eyeing the underdeveloped beaches of Cape May began developing the county’s resorts beyond Cape Island even before troops returned home. Author Ray Rebmann presents the valiant efforts and changing times of Cape May County in the Civil War era.

Immigration in the Equality State

Long before Heart Mountain Internment Camp brought Japanese prisoners to Wyoming, an immigrant work force put down lasting roots. Beginning in 1892, Japanese came to toil on Union Pacific’s railroad and coal mines. But they weren’t warmly welcomed. Newspapers charged every Japanese section worker was secret Japanese Army. Allegedly, 600 Japs in Utah, [and] about 400 in Wyoming and probably 100 in Colorado, were ready to serve Japan during the Japanese Russo War. George Wakimoto said the number was closer to six. Such misinformation about Japanese laborers spawned violence against Asians. The citizens of Evanston tried to blow them up. Rawlins ran the Japanese out of town. And in Laramie, young boys threw stones and dragged a Japanese man through the street. Author Dan Lyon chronicles Japanese perseverance, before and after both world wars, in their adopted state.

Part guide, part landmarks history, part military history, The Historic Memorial District of Downtown Indianapolis will enlighten and delight visitors and locals alike.

Old Indianapolis bears little resemblance to the new one, but Indy's unique trail of war memorials has a powerful way of linking the two. The Soldiers and Sailors Monument is unmistakably emblematic of the Circle City. The Indiana War Memorial, an inexplicably well-kept secret, is the nation's largest memorial established for veterans of the Great War. And the American Legion's National Headquarters in Indianapolis remains a testament to the grit that put the city on the map .Author Rudy Schouten tracks the origins of Indy's monuments and memorials, not just to tell the story of limestone and granite rising out of the ground, but to help make note of the sacrifices that paved a city's trail of gratitude.

Join local historian Helen Henderson as she recounts the rich heritage of Matawan and Aberdeen.

Called New Aberdeen by early settlers and later known as Middletown Point, the area covered today by the communities of Matawan Borough, Aberdeen Township, Cliffwood, and Freneau has a long list of stories to tell. With over 180 historic photographs of the area—many rare and previously unpublished—Around Matawan and Aberdeen creates a comprehensive and insightful look back at its development from 1890 to the 1960s.

Discover the impressive military history of Pensacola Bay, from the early 1500's to today.

Shortly after Ponce de Leon discovered La Florida in 1513, early Spanish settlers found a large and sheltered bay on the Gulf of Mexico. The bay became known as Pensacola after the Penzacola Indians who lived along the shore. In 1698, the first permanent colony was established by pioneers who recognized the strategic importance of a fine harbor with protective barrier islands and a high bluff, or barranca, on the mainland across from a defensible mouth. For centuries the bay was fortified and refortified. Battles raged in four wars, and five nations raised their flags along the harbor. Pensacola Bay: A Military History traces the rich military history of the bay from Spanish times to the present-day Naval Air Station Pensacola, home of the Navy's Blue Angels. The book presents over 200 black-and-white images that highlight the acquisition of Florida by the United States in 1821, the construction of fortifications and naval installations, the Civil War, both World Wars, the Old Navy Yard, the Naval Air Station, and present-day military activity.

Following the success of World War II Rhode Island, author Christian McBurney returns, with new coauthors Norman Desmarais and Varoujan Karentz, to present extraordinary personal stories of local contributions to the war effort.

From John F. Kennedy’s training as a PT boat commander at Melville to George H.W. Bush’s training as a pilot at Charlestown, the smallest state played an oversized role preparing navy officers and sailors. Important innovations are credited here too. Radar used on night-flying aircraft was developed at Jamestown’s Spraycliff Observatory and tested at Charlestown, and at Davisville, Seabees developed a pontoon aircraft landing field tested on Narragansett Bay. Scituate was home to the nation’s most successful spy listening station. After these and more captivating stories are revealed, the final chapter details existing World War II sites across the state readers can visit.

Between the Watchung Mountains to the north and the Sourland Mountains to the west lies the fertile valley of the Raritan River.

Stout Dutch, Huguenot, German, Scottish, and English settlers began to cultivate family farms here as early as the 1680s. For almost a hundred years, the tramp of soldiers' feet and sounds of cannons had been unknown, but that was about to change. With its location astride two major routes between New York and Philadelphia, it is little wonder that Somerset County became the Crossroads of the Revolution. A friendly populace and the protection of the mountains made this a safe haven for General Washington's army. His soldiers camped for three winters, including the harshest winter of the Revolution, in Somerset and in the adjacent areas of central New Jersey. Washington spent more time here than any other place during the War for Independence. It was in this historically significant county that the first military academy in the nation was built, the 13-star flag was first flown over American troops after its adoption by Congress, and the Regulations for the Infantry of the United States was written by General von Steuben.

Never before seen photographs of the U.S. Naval Construction Battalion Center at Davisville document the accomplishments of those once stationed here.

The U.S. Naval Construction Battalion Center at Davisville, Rhode Island, is first remembered as the original Home of the Atlantic Seabees. During World War II, 100 battalions as well as dozens of other U.S. Navy Builder-Fighter units were formed, outfitted, trained, and prepared for overseas deployment. Here, in the first photographic history of the base, is the story of the men and women who came to Davisville and their legacy of superb accomplishments in the service of their country. Established on February 27, 1942, the base was designated to manufacture and ship overseas materials and equipment and to outfit and embark construction battalions and other naval units. Between 1942 and 1994, when the base was closed, the Seabees participated in every war involving the United States. The Quonset Hut and the Davisville Pontoons were both developed at the Davisville Seabee Center. The base has schooled and trained thousands of officers and tens of thousands of Seabees.

Pictorial history of golf on Long Island, from the earliest country clubs to public courses of note.

When the European sport of golf found its way to Long Island and took root in the Hamptons at Shinnecock Hills in 1891, its journey across the Atlantic served as the opening drive of a recreational era that now spans three centuries. Home to more than 130 golf courses, the area boasts prestigious American clubs overlooking picturesque Atlantic bays and inlets, along with public layouts climbing and descending the region's sloping terrain. Long Island is home to the most popular municipal golf facility in the country, the centerpiece of which is Bethpage Black, the People's Country Club. Celebrated architects like A.W. Tillinghast, Devereux Emmet, Seth Raynor, and C.B. Macdonald built many of Long Island's famous courses, which have challenged the brightest of golf's stars. International tournaments and star-studded exhibitions have all been decided on Long Island turf, helping it grow into one of the world's most prominent golf settings.

A fascinating history of Fort Ticonderoga, which played an important role in both the French and Indian War as well as the American Revolution.

Called the Key to the Continent and the Gibraltar of the North, Fort Ticonderoga controlled the strategically critical portage between Lakes George and Champlain in the eighteenth century and played an important role in both the French and Indian War and the American Revolution. French troops began construction of the fort in 1755, calling it Fort Carillon. The British captured the fort in 1759 and renamed it Fort Ticonderoga. The storming of the fort on May 10, 1775, by Benedict Arnold, Ethan Allen, and the Green Mountain Boys was America's first victory of the Revolutionary War.

Situated on the northern end of North Carolina's picturesque Outer Banks, Elizabeth City has a strong aviation tradition.

The Wright brothers used the Harbor of Hospitality as a final way station before traveling on to Kitty Hawk. This coastal town has been the center of United States Coast Guard Aviation since the establishment of the only Coast Guard–owned airport in 1939. Coast Guard Base Elizabeth City began as an installation of six seaplanes operating off of the Pasquotank River. During World War II, the population ballooned to 8,000 assigned personnel. Post-war USCG Aviation expansion saw the addition of many maintenance functions that led to the creation of the Aviation Repair and Supply Base, the center of USCG Aviation maintenance. The base was expanded with a separate air station, the Aviation Technical Training Center, CG Aviation's schoolhouse, Support Center Elizabeth City, and Small Boat Station Elizabeth City. The mission of providing the finest aviation maintenance to Coast Guard Aviation and the highest level of service to mariners of the Virginia Capes and Outer Banks remains an integral part of the installation.

Rhode Island's contribution to World War II vastly exceeded its small size.

Narragansett Bay was an armed camp dotted by army forts and navy facilities. They included the country's most important torpedo production and testing facilities at Newport and the Northeast's largest naval air station at Quonset Point. Three special, top-secret German POW camps were based in Narragansett and Jamestown. Meanwhile, Rhode Island workers from all over the state - including, for the first time, many women - manufactured military equipment and built warships, most notably the Liberty ships at Providence Shipyard. Authors from the Rhode Island history blog smallstatebighistory.com trace Rhode Island's outsized wartime role, from the scare of an enemy air raid after Pearl Harbor to the war's final German U-boat sunk off Point Judith.

Following this historic battle, the United States Colored Troops (USCT) had proven their valor and taken their rightful place amongst heroes in America's history.

In the predawn darkness of September 29, 1864, black Union soldiers attacked a heavily fortified position on the outskirts of the Confederate capital of Richmond.

In a few hours of desperate fighting, these African-American soldiers struck a blow against Robert E. Lee's vaunted Army of Northern Virginiaand proved to detractors that they could fight for freedom and citizenship for themselves and their enslaved brethren. For fourteen of the black soldiers who stormed New Market Heightsthat day, their bravery would be awarded with the nation's highest honor: The Congressional Medal of Honor.

With vivid firsthand accounts and meticulous tactical detail, James S. Price brings the Battle of New Market Heightsinto brilliant focus with maps by master cartographer Steven Stanley.