History in Five

Did you know Abraham Lincoln wrote a best seller? Craig Fehrman reveals five things you never knew about the U.S. Presidents and the books they wrote.

Deborah Riley Draper and Blair Underwood explain the history and inspiration behind Olympic Pride, American Prejudice. Discover the astonishing, inspirational, and largely unknown true story of the eighteen African American athletes who competed in the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, defying the racism of both Nazi Germany and the Jim Crow South.

Historian Ellen Carol DuBois, author of "Suffrage: Women's Long Battle to Vote," discusses key factors in the decades-long quest for equal voting rights.

Historian Erica Armstrong Dunbar, author "She Came to Slay," discusses the remarkable, courageous life of Harriet Tubman, one of chief conductors of the underground railroad, a Civil War spy, and lifelong activist.

Longtime investigative reporter Jerry Mitchell - author of "Race Against Time" - discusses bringing murderous KKK members to justice after reopening a series of cold cases from the Civil Rights era.

He was infamous for his illusions, stunts, and escape acts, but there's more to Harry Houdini than meets the eye. Learn more about the man behind so much mystery with these 5 facts!

Daisy Bates: The Quiet Force Behind the Little Rock Nine

Hillary Rodham Clinton and her daughter, Chelsea, discuss gutsiness of civil rights activist Daisy Bates, whose profile is featured in the "The Book of Gutsy Women.""You've probably seen the famous images from the 1950s of black students walking past crowds of angry white people to integrate schools after the Supreme Court ruled, in Brown v. Board of Education, that separate is not equal. ⁣⁣In Arkansas, a group of those pioneering students were known as the Little Rock Nine. They walked in to Central High School under troop escort 62 years ago this week. ⁣⁣I was lucky enough to know Daisy Bates, the Little Rock Nine's guide and advisor. A true gutsy woman, she taught me, and Chelsea, some lessons we'll never forget." –Secretary Clinton #gutsywomen

From celebrated author and illustrator Ashley Bryan comes a deeply moving memoir about serving in the segregated army during World War II, and how love and the pursuit of art sustained him. Filled with never-before-seen artwork and handwritten letters and diary entries, this illuminating and moving memoir is both a lesson in history and a testament to hope.

Hillary Rodham Clinton and her daughter, Chelsea, discuss what it means to be "gutsy" and look back on the women who have inspired them—women with the courage to stand up to the status quo, ask hard questions, and get the job done. Secretary Clinton said, “Each of these women has fought and won the kinds of victories that pave the way for progress for all of us. To us, they are all gutsy women—leaders with the courage to stand up to the status quo, ask hard questions, and get the job done. This book is a continuation of a conversation Chelsea and I have been having since she was a little girl, and we are excited to welcome others into that conversation.” “The gutsy women in this book share a fierce optimism that their work and lives will make a difference in the world. And, they're right,” said Chelsea Clinton. “We hope readers will draw strength from their stories as we have, because if history shows one thing, it's that the world needs more gutsy women.”

Richard Bell discusses the little-known Reverse Underground Railroad.