Video library

Drawing from an archive of nearly five thousand letters and advertisements, Last Seen is the riveting story of formerly enslaved people who spent years searching for family members stolen away during slavery. Don’t miss Judith Giesberg’s illustrated presentation and discussion with Princeton historian Tera W. Hunter about this “heartbreaking, and essential” book (Jill Lepore), “a vital work of recovery” (Ilyon Woo). 

As the American Revolution broke out in New England in the spring of 1775, dramatic events unfolded in Virginia that proved every bit as decisive as the battles of Lexington and Concord and Bunker Hill in uniting the colonies against Britain. A Perfect Frenzy chronicles these stunning and widely overlooked events for the first time. 

In this unique panel our guest speakers will focus on the defining years of 1860-1920 and bring to life the experiences of a great variety of Americans, from the enslaved-then-free peoples and soldiers who marched with Union Civil War General Sherman to immigrants, workers, Native Americans, and women. Don’t miss learning more about Bennett Parten’s and Manisha Sinha’s groundbreaking research, new books, and insightful discussion with Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Alan Taylor.