George C. Parker is one of the greatest con man in U.S. history. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Parker preyed on new immigrants arriving to America who were looking for their slice of the American pie. He paid stewards on ships headed to Ellis Island to identify potential targets. The stewards would scope […]
Month: January 2021
The Coup d’Etat of Wilmington
In the aftermath of the Civil War, Wilmington North Carolina was the most progressive city in the south. By 1896, nearly 126,000 Black men in Wilmington were registered voters. The city had a flourishing Black middle class of doctors, lawyers, educators, barbers, restaurant owners, public health workers, police officers and firefighter. Black Republicans held multiple […]
How a fire turned a Democracy into a Dictatorship
In early 1930s Germany faced severe economic woes because of the fallout of World War I. The Nazi party was gaining strength because of growing dissatisfaction with the ruling Weimer Republic. German President Paul von Hindenburg sought to make an alliance with the Nazis against left-wing opponents like the Communist party. Hindenburg asked Adolf Hitler […]
