American Essence

A fearless soldier in the Vietnam War held on to a grenade to save his fellow soldiers.

The largest island on the Chesapeake Bay held many firsts in early America and was not without its share of controversy.

A New Jersey hatter’s son with tuberculosis went west for a cure, invented a tough felt hat for sun and rain, and created the symbol of the American cowboy.

A statue traditionally celebrates great public, military, and humanitarian acts to inspire a nation for generations to come.

The father of photojournalism risked all to capture portraits and images of the Civil War at the infancy of commercial photography.

This episode of ‘When Character Counted’ shines a spotlight on the man who lost the 1964 presidential race but transformed American politics.

Col. John Glover’s generosity came at the perfect time for American Patriots to fight back against the British.

In this installment of ‘Profiles in History,’ we meet a young doctor who becomes a war hero and the face of the burgeoning car industry.

A 19th-century circus performer amazed crowds by “walking on water”—and made a dangerous journey from Cincinnati to New Orleans.

In this installment of ‘History Off the Beaten Path,’ we detour off a major Tennessee highway to experience what was once a common part of rural American life.

In this installment of ‘The Art of Liberty,’ we meet a Peabody sister who helped improve American education.

In this installment of ‘Larger Than Life: Architecture Through the Ages,’ we tour a 20th-century European-influenced estate in Oklahoma’s ‘Green Country.’

In ‘This Week in History,’ after numerous controversies, an economic depression, and even a ‘rebellion,’ the Jefferson Memorial was built.

Horace Dodge was the quiet mechanical genius who built the rugged engines and precision parts that helped launch the Dodge brand.

In this installment of ‘The Art of Liberty,’ the youngest of three sisters inspires a great 19th-century writer.

In this installment of ‘When Character Counted,’ Abraham Lincoln makes a case for the virtue of tact and restraint when filled with anger.

In this installment of ‘Profiles in History,’ we meet a ship designer who upends traditional boat building to create the world’s fastest ships.

This installment of ‘The Art of Liberty’ highlights a musician who brought beautiful music to 19th-century Americans.

In this installment of ‘Profiles in History,’ we meet a man with a nose for fossils who becomes one of history’s greatest dinosaur hunters.

A fearless soldier in the Vietnam War held on to a grenade to save his fellow soldiers.

The largest island on the Chesapeake Bay held many firsts in early America and was not without its share of controversy.

A New Jersey hatter’s son with tuberculosis went west for a cure, invented a tough felt hat for sun and rain, and created the symbol of the American cowboy.

A statue traditionally celebrates great public, military, and humanitarian acts to inspire a nation for generations to come.

The father of photojournalism risked all to capture portraits and images of the Civil War at the infancy of commercial photography.

This episode of ‘When Character Counted’ shines a spotlight on the man who lost the 1964 presidential race but transformed American politics.

Col. John Glover’s generosity came at the perfect time for American Patriots to fight back against the British.

In this installment of ‘Profiles in History,’ we meet a young doctor who becomes a war hero and the face of the burgeoning car industry.

A 19th-century circus performer amazed crowds by “walking on water”—and made a dangerous journey from Cincinnati to New Orleans.

In this installment of ‘History Off the Beaten Path,’ we detour off a major Tennessee highway to experience what was once a common part of rural American life.

In this installment of ‘The Art of Liberty,’ we meet a Peabody sister who helped improve American education.

In this installment of ‘Larger Than Life: Architecture Through the Ages,’ we tour a 20th-century European-influenced estate in Oklahoma’s ‘Green Country.’

In ‘This Week in History,’ after numerous controversies, an economic depression, and even a ‘rebellion,’ the Jefferson Memorial was built.

Horace Dodge was the quiet mechanical genius who built the rugged engines and precision parts that helped launch the Dodge brand.

In this installment of ‘The Art of Liberty,’ the youngest of three sisters inspires a great 19th-century writer.

In this installment of ‘When Character Counted,’ Abraham Lincoln makes a case for the virtue of tact and restraint when filled with anger.

In this installment of ‘Profiles in History,’ we meet a ship designer who upends traditional boat building to create the world’s fastest ships.

This installment of ‘The Art of Liberty’ highlights a musician who brought beautiful music to 19th-century Americans.

In this installment of ‘Profiles in History,’ we meet a man with a nose for fossils who becomes one of history’s greatest dinosaur hunters.