History has told countless stories, but not all stories from the depths make it to the surface. Behind famous American stories lies a lesser-known history that historians have urged the world to recognize. The following 15 stories are often omitted from history books, but offer a deeper understanding of America. It’s time to uncover the history of stories that have been hidden for too long.
Release of the First Social Security Numbers (1936)
In 1936, a massive campaign was launched by the Social Security Administration that aimed to register Americans for benefits, thus issuing the first Social Security Numbers. There were over 30 million people who applied in the first few years. John David Sweeney Jr. received the first Social Security number, and soon these digits would become not only a retirement tracking tool but a central identity number.
The Battle of Blair Mountain (1921)
The Battle of Blair Mountain was the largest labor uprising in U.S. history. Over 10,000 West Virginia coal miners unionized against their corrupt coal operators and marched to show their discontent. It lasted ten days as miners went up against private militias and state troopers. In the end, the miners were forced to retreat, but their bravery drew national attention to the rights of workers, especially in the mining industry.
Botanical Garden of New York City (1801)
First established in 1801, New York City’s original botanical garden was built in the Bronx and designed to top even the grand gardens found in Europe. Dr. David Hosack founded the garden, and after it was built, it became a center of public education and scientific study. The original site may have faded over time, but it laid the foundation for New York’s modern botanical garden.
The Wilmington Coup (1898)
In 1898, Wilmington, North Carolina, became the location for the first and only coup in American history. It saw white supremacists violently overpower the elected fusionist government, killing dozens of black and white citizens in the process. Many black citizens were then banished from the city, along with their white supporters, as a wave of Jim Crow laws would terrorize the city.
Amendments of the Constitution (1789)
The Constitution was ratified in 1788, but concerns over individual liberties led to the establishment of the Bill of Rights. Twelve amendments were proposed by James Madison, and 10 were ratified by 1791. These amendments would protect civil rights, due process, religion, and freedom of speech. These foundational amendments highlight the intense debates of the Founders and the importance of protection against federal overreach.
The Great New England Vampire Panic (18th-19th Centuries)
Somewhere between the 1700s and 1800s, New Englanders feared the undead, as they thought dead family members were draining the life of the living. “Consumption” was what they called tuberculosis outbreaks, further fueling fears and leading to many rituals, including exhumations and the burning of hearts. The panic shows us how communities centuries ago made sense of a disease before knowing what was causing it.
George Washington is Assisted by Oneida Allies (1777-1778)
In the brutal winters of Valley Forge, George Washington’s Continental Army received life-saving aid from the Oneida. Despite the depicted division of the Iroquois Confederacy, the Oneida still supported the Americans. They supplied them with warriors, intelligence, and food, and one tribesman called Polly Cooper famously taught soldiers how to cook white corn. The Oneidas’ assistance played a pivotal role in sustaining the Continental Army, and without it, the Revolutionary War might’ve turned out differently.
The Forgotten Founding Mother: Mercy Otis Warren
Mercy Otis Warren was a political thinker and writer, and one of the most influential women in the American Revolution. Her writings critiqued British rule and supported independence, and she also wrote one of the earliest historical retellings of the Revolution in 1805. She made many contributions, but was ultimately overshadowed by her male counterparts. Warren’s legacy reminds us that women were much more than observers in the American Revolution.
Texas Investigates the Rangers (1919)
In 1919, the Texas Legislature decided to investigate the Texas Rangers after reports of extrajudicial killings, corruption, and brutality were brought forward. They found that the Rangers had committed multiple crimes along the Texas-Mexico border at the time of the Mexican Revolution. Many reforms took place after the investigation, and there was even a temporary disbanding of parts of the force. This moment diminished the romanticized image the Rangers are known for and confronted their darker chapter in history.
The Bonus Army March (1932)
Thousands of World War One veterans took to the streets of Washington, D.C. during the Great Depression. They demanded an early payment of their bonuses and camped in shantytowns in the area. President Hoover soon ordered their removal, sending tear gas and even tanks to their location. Although the veterans didn’t receive their payments at the time, the protest did influence future veteran policies in America.
Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps is Established (1942)
In 1942, World War II had greatly intensified, which is when Congress established the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps. This allowed women to serve the U.S. Army in non-combat roles for the first time in history. More than 150,000 women joined, with many of them serving as mechanics, clerks, and radio operators. They soon changed into the Women’s Army Corps in 1943, which granted them full military status, marking a step for gender integration in the military.
Sand Creek Massacre (1864)
A peaceful village of Arapaho and Cheyenne people in Sand Creek was attacked by Colorado militia forces on November 29, 1864. Around 230 villagers were killed, most of them being women and children. What makes the story even more heartbreaking is that the village was flying a white flag, although it was ignored as the event turned murderous. Even contemporaries were shocked by the massacre, which led to numerous Congressional investigations and conversations surrounding Native-settler relations.
Testimony of Fannie Lou Hamer (1964)
Fannie Lou Hamer was a civil rights activist who testified before the Democratic National Convention in 1964. She spoke for the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and described the inhumane beatings she had to endure in her attempt to vote. Although President Lyndon B. Johnson tried to silence her, most of her words still reached millions across the nation, which highlighted systemic racism in Southern politics.
The Manhattan Project’s Human Experiments (1945-1947)
The Manhattan Project is most well-known for developing the first atomic bomb, but most don’t know they also conducted unethical radiation experiments on humans. Without prior consent, doctors exposed patients to injected doses of plutonium and others to high amounts of radiation so their effects could be studied. Many of these tests were done on marginalized individuals, especially prisoners and hospital patients. These experiments were kept secret for decades and only came to light in the 1990s.
Influenza Pandemic (1918)
The 1918 influenza pandemic (also known as the Spanish Flu) was estimated to have infected one-third of the world’s population. Around 675,000 people were killed in America, and at least 50 million people died around the globe. Since it struck during World War One, it completely overwhelmed U.S. hospitals and struck young adults the hardest. The wartime morale campaigns and government censorship downplayed its severity, but its scale easily rivaled that of any war up until that point in history.
