Thomas Cole was an early American artist who founded the Hudson River School of landscape art.  Since this is a painter and Anchor now supports, video, this episode is a video presentation.

Mary Walker was the only woman ever to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.  She was also considered a freak of nature in the 1800s for insisting on wearing pants.  She accomplished a lot in her life.

James K. Polk accomplished so many things for the U.S. in his one term that he should be considered one of America's great presidents.  But few people have ever heard of him.  You will, however, if you listen to this episode.

William Wells Brown wrote the first novel by an African American in America. It took on the topic of President Jefferson fathering children by one of his slaves.

John Wesley Powell explored the Colorado River by boat over the dangerous rapids of the Grand Canyon.  He is also one of the reasons so many Dams were built in the west to save water.

Thomas Nelson Jr. was a signer of the Declaration of Independence who lost his fortune because of his support of the Patriot cause.  Yet he never regretted his actions.

Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca was a Conquistador stranded in North America during the 1530s.  He went from Conquistador to slave to healer in his struggle to survive. The previous version of this had another episode attached.  How? I don't know.

Frederick Funston, at 5 foot 4 and 115 pounds did not look like a great military officer.  He overcame those perceptions to become an American hero of the Philippine insurrection.

William Seward was Abraham Lincoln's Secretary of State and survived an assassination attempt on the same night Lincoln was killed.

Civil War general Lew Wallace wrote the best-selling American novel of the 1800s, Ben Hur.